Bahamas The Military - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF): includes land, air, maritime elements; Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) (2023)

note: the RBPF maintains internal security; both the RBDF and the RBPF report to the minister of national security

Military expenditures

0.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

0.9% of GDP (2021)

0.9% of GDP (2020)

0.7% of GDP (2019)

0.7% of GDP (2018)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 1,500 active RBDF personnel (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

most of the RBDF's major equipment inventory is supplied by the Netherlands (2023)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary male and female service; no conscription (2022)

Military - note

established in 1980; the RBDF's primary responsibilities are disaster relief, maritime security, and counter-narcotics operations; it also provides security at a detention center for migrants and performs some domestic security functions, such as guarding embassies; the RBDF is a naval force, but includes a lightly-armed marine infantry/commando squadron for base and internal security, as well as a few light non-combat aircraft; the maritime element has coastal patrol craft and patrol boats; the RBDF maintains training relationships with the UK and the US (2023)

NOTE: The information regarding Bahamas The on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Bahamas The 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Bahamas The 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.