The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is positioned within the Atlantic Ocean, east of Florida, north of Cuba and the Caribbean and consists of 700 islands.
The archipelago of the Bahamas has a complete land space of 5,382 sq. miles and a inhabitants of approx. 310,000 targeting the islands of New Windfall and Grand Bahama.
The islands have a subtropical local weather, moderated by the Gulf Stream. Nassau is the capital and largest metropolis, positioned on New Windfall. The most important island is Andros Island. Freeport is the second largest metropolis positioned on the island of Grand Bahama. The Caicos Islands and the Turks islands within the southeast, should not a part of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
The subtropical to tropical local weather is moderated considerably by the waters of the Gulf Stream, notably in winter. Summer season and autumn is hurricane season.
It’s believed that Christopher Columbus first landed on the island of San Salvador within the southeastern Bahamas and exchanged items with the Amerindians, (Taino, often known as Lucayan).
Taino Indians moved into the southern Bahamas in regards to the seventh century AD and have become the Lucayans. They had been deported to Hispaniola as slaves and Taino societies ceased to exist as a separate inhabitants attributable to compelled labour, warfare, illness, emigration and outmarriage inside 2 a long time.
The Bahamian islands had been abandoned, after the Lucayans had been destroyed, till English settlers arrived from Bermuda in 1650. These folks established settlements on the island now known as Eleuthera.
In 1718 the Bahamas grew to become a British crown colony. It remained sparsely settled till america expelled hundreds of American Tories and their slaves. About 8000 British Loyalists moved to the Bahamas within the late 1700s from New York, Florida and the Carolinas.
Inside self-government was granted by the British in 1964. In 1973, Bahamians achieved full independence whereas remaining a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.The Bahamian financial system has prospered on tourism and monetary companies. However the nation nonetheless faces challenges in areas such training, healthcare, correctional amenities and violent crime and unlawful immigration. Right this moment, the nation enjoys the third highest per capita earnings within the western hemisphere attributable to an city renewal venture to assist impoverished city areas in social decline in the primary islands.
Some say the title ‘Bahamas’ derives from the Spanish for “shallow sea”. Others hint it to the Lucayan phrase for Grand Bahama Island.
About 85% of the Bahamian inhabitants is black. The following largest inhabitants group are whites at 12%. Almost all inhabitants communicate English, being the official language. A substantial quantity additionally communicate Haitian Creole, Spanish and Portuguese.
Christianity is the primary faith on the islands, with Baptist forming the biggest denomination (about one third), adopted by the Anglican and Roman Catholic church buildings.
Numerous immigrants from Haiti, Cuba, Dominican Republic and Jamaica follow Obeah, a spiritistic faith just like Voodoo. Whereas well-known all through the Bahamas, obeah is shunned by many individuals.
