About The Bahamas

The Commonwealth of The Bahamas

is an independent English-speaking nation in the West Indies. An

archipelago of 700 islands and cays (which are small islands), the Bahamas is located in the Atlantic

Ocean,

east of Florida in the United States, north of Cuba and the Caribbean, and west of the British

dependency of the

Turks and Caicos Islands.

History:

Christopher Columbus's first landfall in the New World in 1492 was on the island of San Salvador

(also

called Watling's Island), located in the southern Bahamas. He encountered friendly Arawak (also

known as

Lucayan) Amerindians and exchanged gifts with them. The subsequent ethnic cleansing of the

Arawak peoples

is believed to have been greatly facilitated by this and other European expeditions in the

region.

From the late 1400s until the 1600s, Spain controlled the Bahamas. In the 18th century, British Loyalists

who had

left New England due to increasing anti-British sentiments moved to the islands. Due to the large

number of

British settlers across the islands, custody of the chain was transferred from Spain to Britain,

and the Bahama

Islands were named a British colony in 1783. On July 10th 1973, the Bahamas received

independence from

Britain while remaining a part of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Since attaining

independence, the

Bahamas has prospered through tourism, international banking, and investment

management.

Geography:

The Bahamas are a group of about 700 atolls and cays in the western Atlantic Ocean. The

largest of

the islands is Andros Island, located 120 miles south-east of Florida. To the North is the island of

Grand Bahama,

home to the second largest city in the country, Freeport, Bahamas. The island of Great

Abaco is to its east.

Nassau is the capital and largest city, located on New Providence. The islands have a

subtropical climate,

moderated by the Gulf Stream. Most People are ethnic Christians, and English is the

official language.

Politics:

Queen Elizabeth II, is the head of state and the Queen of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas,

which

has remained a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. She is represented in the Bahamas by a

Governor-

General of the Bahamas, appointed by the monarch herself. Head of government is the prime

minister, usually

the leader of the winning party of the elections for the parliament. The Bahamian

parliament consists of two

chambers, the Senate (with 16 members) and the House of Assembly (40).

Elections are held every 5 years.

Economy:

The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism

and

offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly

employs almost

half of the archipelago's labour force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in

construction of new hotels,

resorts, and residences have led to solid GDP growth in recent years.

Manufacturing and agriculture together

contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth,

despite government incentives aimed at those

sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest

heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which

depends on growth in the United States, the source of

the majority of tourist visitors.

Demographics:

Most of the Bahamian population is black (85%); about 12% is white. The official

language is

English, spoken by virtually all inhabitants, though many speak a "patois" form of it. A small

number of

immigrants also speak Creole. A heavily religious country, there are more places of worship per

person in the

Bahamas than any other nation in the world. Christianity is the main religion on the islands,

with Baptists forming

the largest denomination (about one third), followed by the Anglican and Roman

Catholic churches. A few people,

especially in the southern and eastern islands, practice obeah, a

spiritistic religion similar to voodoo. While well-

known throughout the Bahamas, obeah is shunned by many

people. Voodoo is practiced, but almost exclusively

by immigrants from Haiti.

Culture:

Bahamanian culture is a hybrid of African, European and indigenous forms. Perhaps its most

famous

export is a rhythmic form of music called junkanoo.

Climate:

The climate of the Bahamas is subtropical to tropical, and is moderated significantly by the waters

of the

Gulf Stream, particularly in winter with tempetures in the upper 70s & 80 and 90s in the summer.