The Bahamas, archipelago and country on the northwestern edge of the West Indies. Formerly a British colony, The Bahamas became an independent country within the Commonwealth in 1973.
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The name Bahamas is of Lucayan Taino (Arawakan) derivation, although some historians believe it is from the Spanish bajamar, meaning shallow water. The islands occupy a position commanding the gateway to the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the entire Central American region. Their strategic location has given the history of The Bahamas a unique and often striking character. It was there that Christopher Columbus made his original landfall in the Americas. The subsequent fate of the peaceful original inhabitants remains one of the more tragic episodes in the development of the entire region, while the early attempts at European-dominated settlement were marked by intense national rivalries, interspersed with long periods of lawlessness and piracy. As a result, the society and culture that has evolved in The Bahamas is a distinctive blend of European and African heritages, the latter a legacy of the slave trade and the introduction of the plantation system using African slaves. The islands, lacking natural resources other than their agreeable climate and picturesque beaches, have become heavily dependent on the income generated by the extensive tourist facilities and the financial sector that have been developed, often as a result of the injection of foreign capital. The continued popularity of the islands with tourists, largely from North America, has helped to maintain a relatively high standard of living among the population, most of whom are of African descent. The capital, Nassau, is located on small but important New Providence Island.
Lying to the north of Cuba and Hispaniola, the archipelago comprises nearly 700 islands and cays, only about 30 of which are inhabited, and more than 2,000 low, barren rock formations. It stretches more than 500 miles (800 km) southeast-northwest between Grand Bahama Island, which has an area of 530 square miles (1,373 square km) and lies about 60 miles (100 km) off the southeastern coast of the U.S. state of Florida, and Great Inagua Island, some 50 miles (80 km) from the eastern tip of Cuba. The islands other than New Providence are known collectively as the Out (Family) Islands. They include Grand Bahama, which contains the major settlements of Freeport and West End; Andros (2,300 square miles [6,000 square km]), the largest island of The Bahamas; Abaco, or Great Abaco, (372 square miles [963 square km]); and Eleuthera (187 square miles [484 square km]), the site of one of the early attempts at colonization.
The Bahamas occupies an irregular submarine tableland that rises out of the depths of the Atlantic Ocean and is separated from nearby lands to the south and west by deepwater channels. Extensive areas of flatland, generally a few feet in elevation, are the dominant topographic features of the major islands; the Bimini group (9 square miles [23 square km]), for example, has a maximum elevation of only 20 feet (6 metres). A number of islands fronting the Atlantic have a range or series of ranges of hills on the northeastern side that parallel the longer axes of the islands. These ranges are formed of sand washed ashore and blown inland by the trade winds. The newer hills adjacent to the seashore are normally sand dunes. Solidity increases toward the interior, where the particles become cemented to form Bahama limestone. Eleuthera and Long Island (230 square miles [596 square km]) have the greatest number of hills exceeding 100 feet (30 metres). The highest point in The Bahamas, Mount Alvernia, at 206 feet (63 metres), is on Cat Island (150 square miles [388 square km]). Beneath the soil, the islands are composed of limestone rock and skeletal remains of coral fossils and other marine organisms. There are no rivers, but several islandsparticularly New Providence, San Salvador (63 square miles [163 square km]), and Great Inaguahave large lakes. There is abundant fresh water on Andros Island.
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The Bahamas | History, Geography, & Points of Interest ...
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- Bahamas: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture ... - December 12th, 2016 [December 12th, 2016]
- Nassau Paradise Island, Bahamas Where to Stay - December 22nd, 2016 [December 22nd, 2016]
- Bahamas Vacation Packages & Travel Deals | BookIt.com - December 22nd, 2016 [December 22nd, 2016]
- All-Inclusive Hotels & Resorts, Nassau Paradise Island - January 15th, 2017 [January 15th, 2017]
- Bahamas - The New York Times - February 5th, 2017 [February 5th, 2017]
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- No Elections Just Yet, Bahamas Prime Minister Says | Caribbean360 - Caribbean360.com (subscription) - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Survival in the Bahamas - Lifestyle - The Daily Herald - Columbia, TN - Columbia Daily Herald - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- CHTA Donates $25000 for Bahamas hurricane relief - Yahoo Finance - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Miami hosting Venezuela-Bahamas Davis Cup tie - Tennis Magazine - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
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- Bahamas tops Caribbean on crime's economic cost | The Tribune - Bahamas Tribune - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Bahamas Victory Could Propel Lincicome to 2017 Solheim Cup - LPGA (press release) - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Lupus Bahamas releases new 'Lupus and the Kidneys' Educational Pamphlet - The Freeport News - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Volunteers 'Good To Go' For Iaaf World Relays Bahamas - Bahamas Tribune - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- In the Bahamas, the Art of Conch - Caribbean Journal - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Doug Manchester to be Bahama Papa for US? - San Diego Reader - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Conference USA helps Old Dominion make money on Bahamas Bowl trip - Daily Press - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
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- Travel Deals - Official Nassau Paradise Island, Bahamas ... - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Cruise Liner pulls out of Bahamas for Cuba - Jamaica Observer - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
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- In A Growing Trend, Norwegian Cruise Lines Drops Bahamas In Favor Of Cuba - Cuba Journal - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Cruise Line Drops 25 Bahamas Sailings - Cruise Radio (blog) - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Bloody weekend in Bahamas, Opposition calls for Gov't to break silence - Jamaica Observer - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Nassau, Bahamas: Where to eat, dive and lay out on the sand - amNY - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Greenslade: Bahamas Is Not In Crisis - Bahamas Tribune - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- The Oshies, Alzners, and Winniks are vacationing together in the Bahamas - Russian Machine Never Breaks - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
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- Search called off for Georgia man who went overboard in Bahamas - 11alive.com - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- IXE Bahamas Bank Bid Crashes - finews.com - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Authorities Blame Gangs for the Bahamas' Bloody Start to 2017 - Insightcrime.org - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Official Launch Of 'Team Bahamas' Carifta Movement - Bahamas Tribune - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- Will Klay Thompson Wear The Anta KT 2 Bahamas During NBA All ... - KicksOnFire.com - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- Hefty 13ft tiger shark is a local record-breaker in the Bahamas - Earth Touch - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Hendrix students travel to Bahamas for mission trip - Log Cabin Democrat - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Silver Airways adds more non-stop flights to the Bahamas - WFLA - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Bahamas' 'Growth Potential' Down 3% Since Century Start - Bahamas Tribune - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Imf Bahamas Chief Supports Fiscal Limits - Bahamas Tribune - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Tough Approach on Tax Arrears Pays Off For Bahamas Government - Caribbean360.com (subscription) - February 21st, 2017 [February 21st, 2017]
- Privy Council Has Fourth Sitting In The Bahamas - The Bahama Journal - February 21st, 2017 [February 21st, 2017]
- Bahamas Well Represented at NY Times and Boston Globe Travel Shows - South Florida Caribbean News - February 21st, 2017 [February 21st, 2017]
- Take the Unlikely Plunge into the Beautiful Waters of The Bahamas - TravelPulse (blog) - February 21st, 2017 [February 21st, 2017]
- Bahamas Tops Guyana 4-1 At Concacaf Beach Soccer - Bahamas Tribune - February 22nd, 2017 [February 22nd, 2017]
- Widely Adored Swimming Pigs Found Dead in the Bahamas - Travel+Leisure - February 22nd, 2017 [February 22nd, 2017]
- Bahamas famous swimming pigs found dead in ocean - only seven or eight left - News24 - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Swimming with pigs in the Bahamas could soon be a thing of the past as only seven of them are still alive - The Sun - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
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- Moody'S: Bahamas Deficit Will Exceed $300m This Year - Bahamas Tribune - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Bahamas Face Guadeloupe In Beach Soccer Quarter-Finals On Friday Night - Bahamas Tribune - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Beloved Swimming Pigs Of The Bahamas Found Dead - Huffington Post - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Bahamas Must 'Buffer' Against Deficit Blow-Out - Bahamas Tribune - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Guadeloupe End Bahamas Hopes Of Progress In Beach Soccer Championship - Bahamas Tribune - February 25th, 2017 [February 25th, 2017]
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- AG warning about 'Bahamas Grandkids Scam' - Artesia Daily Press - February 25th, 2017 [February 25th, 2017]
- Junior golfers fare well at Bahamas tournament - Cayman Compass - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- Bahamas face US in fifth place playoff after beating Trinidad | The ... - Bahamas Tribune - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- Swimming pigs of the Exuma Cays, Bahama's killed and tourists are ... - Metro - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- Bahamas Grateful To Support From Missionary Flights International - South Florida Caribbean News - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- The Bahamas Private Developers vs. Government Run - Albany Times Union (blog) - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Amnesty Int'l critical of Jamaica, Haiti, The Bahamas - News ... - Jamaica Observer - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Bahamas Suffers 4-2 Loss To Usa - Bahamas Tribune - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- PRESS RELEASE: Dan Marino And Friends Bahamas Weekend 2017 Planned For May 25-27 - MiamiDolphins - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- In the Bahamas, Sharks Are Worth More Alive than Dead - Hakai Magazine - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Amnesty Int'l critical of Jamaica, Haiti, The Bahamas - NYCaribNews - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Several of the Bahamas' Beloved Swimming Pigs Found Dead - TownandCountrymag.com (blog) - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Bahamas famous swimming pigs dead from possible tourist feeding - MyStatesman.com - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Rosewood Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas to open in 2018 | Rus ... - RusTourismNews - March 2nd, 2017 [March 2nd, 2017]
- Tourists may have killed Bahamas' famous swimming pigs - New York Post - March 2nd, 2017 [March 2nd, 2017]
- DNA Party: PM Offers More Harm Than Good In Office - The Bahama Journal - March 2nd, 2017 [March 2nd, 2017]
- Famous Swimming Pigs in the Bahamas Found Dead After Tourists Give Them Alcohol - Cosmopolitan.com - March 2nd, 2017 [March 2nd, 2017]
- Mysterious wave of death strikes the Bahamas' famous swimming pigs - Washington Post - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- IAAF World Relays Bahamas 2017 set to be biggest one yet - International Association of Athletics Federations - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- Bahamas PM Apologizes For Flipping Bird, Saying He Lost Control While Defending Family - Caribbean360.com (subscription) - March 4th, 2017 [March 4th, 2017]