1884
NASSAU’S URBAN FOOTPRINT AND FUTURE SCENARIOS
Evolution of the urban footprint from 1884 through 1979, per various historical maps New Providence
78
The island is home to approximately 270,000 people, which amounts to approximately two-thirds of the country’s total population. NPI is the country’s centre of economic activity, human capital, and physical infrastructure. The island is home to approximately 270,000 people, which amounts to approximately two-thirds of the country’s total population. The island possesses important natural, physical and economic assets — 354 hectares of green area per 100,000 residents, 84 hectares of public recreational space per 100,00 residents, 74.6 miles of coastline, and an infrastructure index quantitatively and qualitatively superior to the rest of LAC region. Located only a short distance away from the US market (179 miles or a 45-minute flight to Miami) NPI has also long benefited from a thriving tourism sector. Despite these competitive advantages, NPI faces several financial, social and environmental challenges that severely threaten the island’s future growth potential. To start, The Bahamas is on the brink of fiscal consolidation due to a high fiscal deficit, an elevated Debt-to-GDP ratio of 65%, and limited tax revenue streams. Aggravating these challenges, income distribution has progressively deteriorated, resulting in a Gini coefficient of 0.44. The latter results in visible levels of urban poverty throughout NPI, particularly in the Over-the-Hill neighbourhoods of Grants Town and Bain Town. Managing urban density in a sustainable way and successfully attracting residents back to the downtown Nassau core area, where the concentration of people can yield significant fiscal and environmental savings, are vexing challenges the island must confront.
1938
1949
1969
Urban Footprint 1776 1884
79
1938 1949 1969 1979 1979 Water Ocean
* Maps reinterpreted for publication purposes. For original maps please consult IDB Urban Dashboard.