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Caribbean Islands Population
According to the 1980 census, the Bahamas had a population of
209,505. Unofficial estimates in mid-1986 placed the population at
235,000. Census data indicated that 64.6 percent of the population
lived on the main island of New Providence and another 15.8 percent
on Grand Bahama. The remaining inhabitants were spread out among
the numerous outlying islands known as the Family Islands or Outer
Islands. Between 1973 and 1983, the average annual population
growth rate in the Bahamas was 2.1 percent; however, this rate
masked wide variations across the islands. New Providence and Grand
Bahama showed major increases of 32.8 percent and 27.6 percent,
respectively; modest increases were also experienced in Great Abaco
Island (12.6 percent) and in Eleuthera, Harbour Island, and Spanish
Wells as a group (11.6 percent).
Nevertheless, a majority of the islands actually experienced a
decline in their populations. Prominent losses were recorded in
Acklins Island (34.2 percent), Ragged Island (29.8 percent), and
Crooked Island (25 percent). Census figures confirmed not only a
sizable interisland migration pattern to New Providence and Grand
Bahama but also an intraisland migration from the older city areas
to the suburban areas. The latter trend was particularly evident in
New Providence.
Ethnically, some 85 percent of the population was black. Most
were descendants of slaves imported directly from North Africa or
brought by British loyalists who escaped from the North American
colonies at the conclusion of the American Revolution.
Approximately 15 percent of the population was white, mainly
originating from early British and North American settlers,
especially from the Carolinas, New York, and Virginia. Included in
the 15 percent was a small Greek community, the descendants of
Greeks who came to the Bahamas as sponge fishermen.
A growing number of illegal Haitian immigrants were also found
in the Bahamas; according to the United States Department of
State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
1985, this number was estimated at 20,000 to 40,000. The
Haitians primarily filled employment vacancies at the bottom of the
Bahamian economy; many were gardeners, domestics, and farm
laborers. Although English was the official language of the
country, some creole was spoken among these Haitian immigrants. A
September 1985 treaty signed between the Bahamas and Haiti
legalized the status of undocumented Haitians who had arrived prior
to 1981; others were to be repatriated in an orderly and humane
manner. In 1986 more than 2,000 were repatriated under the treaty,
but the legalization process of Haitians eligible for citizenship
had not yet begun.
The Bahamas was predominantly a Christian country. In the late
1980s, the principal denominations were Anglican, Baptist, and
Roman Catholic. In addition to the Anglican and Baptist churches,
the Protestant presence included Christian Scientist, Church of
God, Lutheran, Methodist, Plymouth Brethren, Presbyterian, SeventhDay Adventist, and Jehovah's Witnesses congregations; many of the
smaller sects adhered to an evangelical perspective. Small Greek
Orthodox and Jewish communities also were present in the Bahamas.
Many of the country's independent schools were affiliated with
churches and included Anglican, Methodist, and Roman Catholic
institutions.
Data as of November 1987
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