01Key Takeaways
- The Bahamas' imports totaled $4.19 billion in 2023, up 11.4% from $3.76 billion in 2022, a third consecutive year of growth.
- The USA was overwhelmingly the top source, supplying 84.6% of imports worth $3.54 billion, more than 30 times the next-largest partner.
- An unspecified Areas, nes grouping ranked second at 2.7% ($114.15 million), followed by China at 1.7% ($72.83 million).
- Mineral fuels led all import categories at 15.0% of total value ($627.49 million), with machinery second at 7.4% ($311.68 million).
025-Year Trend
| Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $3.3B | $2.2B | $3.5B | $3.8B | $4.2B |
03Top Import Markets (2023)
| Rank | Partner | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | $3.5B | 84.6% |
| 2 | Areas, nes | $114.1M | 2.7% |
| 3 | China | $72.8M | 1.7% |
| 4 | Japan | $34.4M | 0.8% |
| 5 | Panama | $34.0M | 0.8% |
| 6 | Switzerland | $33.1M | 0.8% |
| 7 | Canada | $31.4M | 0.8% |
| 8 | United Kingdom | $23.3M | 0.6% |
| 9 | Mexico | $23.0M | 0.5% |
| 10 | France | $22.6M | 0.5% |
04Top Import Categories (2023)
| Rank | Category | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mineral Fuels, Mineral Oils and Products of their Distillation; Bituminous Substances; Mineral Waxes | $627.5M | 15.0% |
| 2 | Nuclear Reactors, Boilers, Machinery and Mechanical Appliances; Parts thereof | $311.7M | 7.4% |
| 3 | Electrical Machinery and Equipment and parts thereof; Sound Recorders and Reproducers, Television Image and Sound Recorders and Reproducers, and Parts and Accessories of such Articles | $259.6M | 6.2% |
| 4 | Vehicles other than Railway or Tramway Rolling-Stock, and parts and accessories thereof | $228.0M | 5.4% |
| 5 | Works of Art, Collectors' Pieces and Antiques | $167.6M | 4.0% |
| 6 | Furniture; Bedding, Mattresses, Mattress Supports, Cushions and similar Stuffed Furnishings; Lamps and Lighting Fittings, not elsewhere specified or included; Illuminated Signs, Illuminated Name-plates and the like; Prefabricated Buildings | $160.7M | 3.8% |
| 7 | Meat and Edible Meat Offal | $146.2M | 3.5% |
| 8 | Beverages, Spirits and Vinegar | $144.1M | 3.4% |
| 9 | Plastics and Articles thereof | $140.2M | 3.3% |
| 10 | Articles of Iron or Steel | $119.3M | 2.8% |
05Trade Partner Map
06Analysis
The Bahamas' Top Import Sources in 2023
The Bahamas imported $4.19 billion worth of goods in 2023, the latest year with verified trade data in this dataset. That total marks an increase of 11.4% over the $3.76 billion recorded in 2022, a third consecutive year of growth. The United States was overwhelmingly the largest source of the Bahamas' imports, supplying 84.6% of the total, worth $3.54 billion.
A grouping the dataset records as Areas, nes, covering sources that are not broken out individually, ranked second at 2.7% ($114.15 million). China followed at 1.7% ($72.83 million), and Japan, Panama, Switzerland, and Canada each supplied roughly 0.8% of the total, worth between $31.44 million and $34.36 million. The United Kingdom, Mexico, and France rounded out the top ten, each contributing around 0.5% of the total. Together, the top three sources made up 89.1% of total import value.
The USA's share alone is more than 30 times the size of the second-ranked Areas, nes grouping, one of the most lopsided partner rankings possible for a national import profile. That degree of reliance reflects the Bahamas' geographic proximity to Florida, well-established ferry and shipping links, and an economy built substantially around importing American goods for tourism, retail, and daily consumption.
Beyond the USA and the Areas, nes grouping, every remaining named partner in the top ten holds less than 2% of the total, with China as the only one clearing even a single full percentage point. The rest of the list, spanning Japan, Panama, Switzerland, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and France, represents a thin layer of specialized or niche imports rather than substantial alternative supply relationships, underscoring how little of the Bahamas' import bill sits outside the American market. Switzerland's presence in the top ten, alongside China and Japan, suggests at least some specialized imports, potentially watches, instruments, or luxury goods, distinct from the bulk consumer and industrial flows that dominate the American relationship.
Leading Import Categories
Mineral fuels, mineral oils, and related distillation products led all import categories in 2023, worth $627.49 million and accounting for 15.0% of total import value. Machinery and mechanical appliances followed at 7.4%, worth $311.68 million, and electrical machinery and equipment ranked third at 6.2% ($259.63 million).
Vehicles and related parts and accessories added 5.4% ($228.05 million), while works of art, collectors' pieces, and antiques contributed 4.0% ($167.57 million). Furniture and lighting fittings brought in 3.8% ($160.65 million), and meat and edible meat offal added 3.5% ($146.22 million). Beverages, spirits, and vinegar contributed 3.4% ($144.06 million), plastics added 3.3% ($140.20 million), and iron or steel articles closed out the top ten at 2.8% ($119.29 million).
Mineral fuels topping the import list, at nearly double the size of the second-ranked category, reflects the Bahamas' complete reliance on imported energy, since the country has no domestic oil or gas production of its own. That single category is large enough that it alone exceeds the combined value of the bottom three categories on the list. Machinery and electrical equipment ranking second and third, together worth more than $571 million, point to ongoing investment in industrial and commercial equipment, likely tied to construction, hospitality infrastructure, and utilities serving the tourism-driven economy.
The presence of works of art, antiques, and furniture among the top import categories, together worth more than $328 million, points to demand tied to the Bahamas' luxury real estate, hospitality, and tourism sectors, where high-end furnishings and collectible items support resorts, private residences, and retail galleries catering to visitors. Meat and beverages appearing in the top ten, meanwhile, reflect the food and drink supply chain needed to support both the resident population and a large seasonal tourist influx, a pattern that fits an economy where consumer and hospitality demand shapes the import mix as much as energy and industrial goods do.
A Third Consecutive Year of Import Growth
The five-year trend shows imports dropping sharply in 2020 before recovering and climbing steadily. Imports moved from $3.32 billion in 2019 to $2.21 billion in 2020, then recovered to $3.48 billion in 2021, climbed further to $3.76 billion in 2022, and reached $4.19 billion in 2023. That pattern points to three consecutive years of growth since the 2020 low, with the 2023 total now well above the 2019 starting point.
This pattern is consistent with the World Bank's WITS trade summary for the Bahamas, which confirms the USA's overwhelmingly dominant role as the country's leading import source alongside the broader import totals recorded for 2023. For a closer look at how individual partner countries or product categories break down year over year, the data panels above provide the full detail behind these figures.