The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is located in the Atlantic Ocean. It comprises 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets. It is located north of Cuba and Hispaniola, northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States.
The etymology of Bahamas is unclear. It is speculated that the name is derived from the Spanish word baja mar, meaning low sea or the Lucayan word ba-ha-ma, meaning large upper middle land.
How big is the Bahamas?
The total area of the Bahamas is 5,358 square miles. Its geographic coordinates are 25 05N, 77 21W. As of 2010, the estimated population of the Commonwealth was 353,658.
What is the currency of the Bahamas? The Bahamian dollar is the official currency of the Bahamas. Its ISO 4217 code is BSD, and it is issued by the Central Bank of The Bahamas. The Bahamian dollar is further divided into 100 cents.
What is the capital of the Bahamas?
Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas. It is the commercial center of the country and was founded in 1695. An attractive harbor, it is located on New Providence Island. It was previously known as Charles Town and is home to the various judicial departments and House of Assembly.
Which is the largest city of the Bahamas?
Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, is the largest city of the country. Its geographic coordinates are 25 4N, 77 20W. It covers an area of 79.9 square miles and has an estimated population of 248,948.
What is the official language of the Bahamas?
The official language of the Bahamas is English. Bahamian dialect is also widely spoken in the Bahamas.
What is the religion of the Bahamas?
The Bahamas is predominantly a Christian state, with majority of the population adhering to Christianity. Jews, Muslims, Bahai, Hindus, Rastafarians, and practitioners of Obeah comprises only 2% of the total population. 3% of the population has no religious affiliations.
What is the literacy rate of the Bahamas?
Total literacy rate of the Bahamas is 98.2%. It is 98.5% for male population, while 98% for female population.
Who is the political leader of the Bahamas?
Arthur Foulkes is the Governor-General of the Bahamas. He assumed office on April 14,2010. Hubert Ingraham is the current Prime Minister of the Bahamas. He was sworn in as the head of the government on May 4, 2007.
When is the National Day of the Bahamas celebrated?
July 10 is celebrated as the Bahama's National Day. On this day in 1973, the Bahamas became an independent nation, although it retained membership in the Commonwealth of Nations.
What is the economy of the Bahamas like?
Economy of the Bahamas is a developing economy and relies heavily on tourism and offshore banking. In 2008, the GDP and the GDP per capita were $8.779 billion and $28,600, respectively. 9.3% of the population lives below the poverty line and the unemployment rate stands at 7.6%. Services sector accounts for 90% of the GDP, followed by industry: 7%, and agriculture: 3%. Main industries of the country includes tourism, banking, cement, oil, transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, and pharmaceuticals. Major trade flows are with the United States, Singapore, Spain, Poland, Germany, Guatemala, Switzerland, South Korea, Venezuela, Japan, and Italy.
