The Bahamas - Poverty and wealth

Although the Bahamas suffers from extremes of wealth and poverty, the standard of living is high and the

average per capita income in 1998 was US$14,492. On many outer islands, where the people exist as subsistence farmers and fishermen, modern amenities, including sanitation, are badly lacking. Meanwhile, the standard of living in Nassau and Freeport is the same as many highly developed nations. The poverty rate in the Bahamas has declined from about 9 percent in 1993 to about 5 percent, which is low by international standards and points to an improved economy.

The United Nations Human Development Report 2000 ranks the Bahamas high in human development, placing it at number 33 in the world. This ranking is based on a combination of per capita income, standard of living, and access to health care, education, and so forth.