This Country Profile provides a basic overview of the legal history and institutional structures of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, based on research produced by the Library of Congress. Under the Bahamas' Constitution, Islamic law (sharīʿa or fiqh) has no legal status.
Country Background
The Bahamas is a chain of islands located in the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida and northeast of Cuba. The capital of the Bahamas is Nassau. The official language is English. The country's population in 2017 was approximately 329,988 people. The Bahamas is a predominantly Christian country, with about 85% of the population Christian.
Constitution & Legal Structure
The Bahamas is referred to as a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy (within the realm of the Commonwealth), in which the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The Bahamas declared its independence from the United Kingdom in 1983, and its current Constitution was adopted in that same year. The system of government is based on principles of separation and checks and balances and has three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legal system of the Bahamas is a common law system based on the English model.
Constitutional Status of Islamic Law
Islamic law has no constitutional status in the Bahamas.
Jurisdiction(s) of Islamic Law
Islamic law has no official jurisdiction of operation in the Bahamas.
Dominant School of Islamic Law
The Bahamas has no official school of Islamic law.
Sources of Law for Legal Research
Official Publications
Unofficial Databases
References:
For an extended list of legal resources for this country, see the Library of Congress’s Research Guide. The Constitution is available in the LOC Guide in its original language and at Constitute in English. For full versions of past constitutions, amendments, and related legislation, see HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated or Oxford Constitutions of the World [subscription required for each].