Bahamas
"The beauty of these islands surpasses that of any other and
as much as the day surpasses the night in splendour." -- Christopher
Columbus
Deriving its name from the Spanish, baja mar, meaning 'shallow sea',
The Bahamas dwells in the Atlantic Ocean, comprising 700 low-lying
islands and mostly islets (cays or keys). Lucayan Indians inhabited
the islands when Christopher Columbus discovered the New World on
San Salvador in 1492. The country declared its independence from the
UK in 1973.
Bahamanian culture is a mix of African, European and indigenous forms.
Perhaps its most famous export is a rhythmic form of music called
junkanoo.
Travel overview
For sun babies, Bahmas’s tropical climate is heaven-sent. 700
islands, their picture-perfect beaches, classy resorts, coral reefs
and mangrove forests make the country a compelling destination. The
ideal place for fishing, scuba diving or snorkeling enthusiast, the
Bahamas is immensely popular with holidaymakers across the world.
The country still has quiet and calm places where you can relax and
spend time under the warm Caribbean sun. The charming capital, Nassau,
brims with world-class resorts.
Indeed, it is no surprise that the Bahamas is widely considered one
of the world's top travel destinations.
Capital: Nassau
Location: Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean,
southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Total Area: 13,940 sq km
Total Population: 305,655
Population Growth Rate: 0.602%
Sex Ratio: 0.956 male(s)/female
Literacy: 95.6%
Ethnic Groups: black, white, Asian and Hispanic
Irrigated land: 10 sq km
Languages: English, Creole
Time Zone: UTC-5
Currency: Bahamian dollar
Type of govt.: constitutional parliamentary democracy
Head of Govt.: Prime Minister Hubert A. Ingraham
Major Political Parties: Free National Movement or FNM, Progressive
Liberal Party or PLP
Participation in International Organizations: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB,
FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW
(signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO (observer)
Major Agricultural Products: citrus, vegetables, poultry
Natural Resources & Minerals: salt, aragonite, timber, arable
land
Industry & Transport: tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment,
salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe
Airports: 64
Roadways: 2,693 km
Major Trade Partners: Spain, Poland, Germany, US, South Korea and
Brazil
Exports: $451 million
Imports: $2.16 billion
