Bahamas Facts

Where is the Bahamas?

The Bahamas is a cluster of islands in the North Atlantic. It spans an area of 5,358 sq miles. The Bahamas has Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti (Hispaniola) to its southwest, the Turks and Caicos Islands to the north-west, and a total coastline of 2,200 miles.

Which is the capital of the Bahamas?

The capital of the Bahamas is Nassau. This is also the largest city. It occupies an area of 80sq mi and has a population of about 248,948. Formerly known as Charles Town, Nassau is situated in New Providence Island. It is 180 miles southeast of Miami and is a major tourist center.

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 now, the estimated population of the Commonwealth is 0.4 million.

Which are the best months to visit the Bahamas?

The Bahamas has a tropical climate. In winter, it is largely influenced by the warm Gulf Stream. In summer and autumn, the islands are prone to hurricanes. The Bahamas has been hit several times by Hurricane Andrew, Hurricane Floyd, and Hurricane Irene. Temperatures are known to fall as low as 2 – 3 ° C in the winters. February through April and November – December are the best months to visit the Bahamas.

What are the important cities of the Bahamas?

Important cities in the Bahamas are Nassau, Freeport, Georgetown, Governor’s Harbour, Marsh Harbour, and Stella Marris. These are also important tourist destinations.

What is the currency of the Bahamas?

The currency of the Bahamas is the Bahamian Dollar (BSD), issued by the Central Bank of the Bahamas. It is the official currency of the Bahamas since 1966. 1 Bahamian Dollar is the equivalent of 100 Bahamian cents.

What are the main languages of the Bahamas?

English is the official language of the Bahamas. Other languages spoken here include Haitian Creole, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, Continental French, German, Italian, Hindi, and Tagalog.

What are the prominent festivals and holidays of the Bahamas?

The majority of the population in the Bahamas is Christian. Hence all major Christian holidays such as Good Friday, Easter, White Monday, Christmas, and Boxing Day are observed. New Year’s Day is celebrated across the islands. Other public holidays are Labor Day, Emancipation Day (August 6), National Day (October 2), Columbus Day (October 8), Discovery Day (October 12), and Chung Yeung Festival (October 23). Besides these, all groups are free to celebrate the festivals of their respective communities.

What are the ethnic groups of The Bahamas?

Among the ethnic groups, the Blacks constitute 85% of the population of the Bahamas, followed by the Whites (12%). Asians and Hispanics make up about 3% of the population.

Which is the major religion in the Bahamas?

Of the overall population of the Bahamas as 67.6% are Protestants. Other Christian groups in the islands include Baptists, Anglicans, Pentecostals, Roman Catholics, and Methodists. There are people from other religions as well. The nation is tolerant of all religions and people are free to practice any religion of their choice.

Which are the major sectors of the economy of the Bahamas?

It is one of the richest countries in the Caribbean. The Bahamas has a GDP of $9.093 billion and a real growth rate of 0.95%. 50% of its labor force is employed in the tourism sector. The unemployment rate is 7.6%. Tourism is vital to the economy of the Bahamas as it contributes about 60% of its GDP. The financial services sector follows next by contributing 17% to GDP. The financial sector of the Bahamas is dependent on offshore banking. The major bank of the nation is The Central Bank of The Bahamas. Large-scale agricultural practices are rare and 80% of the food is imported. Agriculture and fisheries contribute a mere 5% to the GDP. The major exports include rum, fruits and vegetables, salt, aragonite, and animal products. The Bahamas is a tax haven and does not impose any income tax, corporate tax, capital gains tax, value-added tax (VAT), or wealth tax on its citizens. The contribution of tax revenue to GDP is 18.7%. The nation has an inflation rate of 2.8%.

What type of government do the Bahamas have?

Queen Elizabeth II is the nominal head of the Bahamas and is represented by the Governor-General. The government is a Parliamentary Democracy headed by the Prime Minister and his cabinet. There are 32 local governments in the districts where elections are held every three years. The Department of Lands and Local Government formulates policies for the administration of the districts. Individuals of the age of 18 and above are allowed voting rights by the Parliamentary Registration Department. The Constitution of The Bahamas was adopted on June 20, 1973, and enforced on July 10, 1973.

There are three branches of the government –

The Executive is headed by Queen Elizabeth II and represented in the country by the Governor-General. The leader of the majority party is elected as the Prime Minister. The current Governor-General is Arthur Foulkes and the Prime Minister is Perry Christie.
Legislature is bicameral – the Senate (Upper Chamber) and the House of Assembly (Lower House) are the two houses. The Senate has 16 members appointed by the Governor-General by the advice of the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition party. The House of Assembly has 38 members elected from various districts. The major political parties of the Bahamas are Free National Movement, Progressive Liberal Party, and Bahamas Democratic Movement.
The Judiciary of the Bahamas follows the English Common Law. The Supreme Court is the highest court of justice of the State. The Justices (judges) of the Supreme Court and other Magistrates are appointed by the Governor-General in due consultation with the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition party.