Facts about Bahamas
The Islands of The Bahamas form a 100,000 sq-mile archipelago that extends over 500 miles of what is considered by many to be the clearest water in the world.
The United Kingdom Emancipation Act came into affect on August 1 of 1834, thereby ending slavery in the Bahamas.
During the American War of Independence the Bahamas fell to Spanish forces under General Galvez in 1782.
The climate of the Bahamas range in the area of subtropical to tropical, and is significantly moderated by the waters of the Gulf Stream, particularly in the winter.
When the United Kingdom outlawed the slave trade in 1807, the Royal Navy began intercepting ships and depositing freed slaves in the Bahamas.
Bimini, the closest island to the United States, is also known as the "Gateway to the Bahamas," while Grand Bahama is the closest major island.
In 1973, The Bahamas became fully independent but retained its membership in the Commonwealth of Nations.
The name "Bahamas" is derived from the Spanish words "baja mar," meaning "shallow seas."
The government of the Bahamas take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system.
After the American Revolution, the British government issued land grants to a group of British Loyalists, causing the sparse population of the Bahamas to triple within just a few years.
Based on the pressure from the ice atop it and its internal chemical composition, one may predict that drilling the ice into the lake would produce a geyser-like spray.
The Islands of The Bahamas offer an overwhelming variety of historical, cultural, and natural attractions on its 700 islands and 2,400 cays.
Bahamians have a strong tradition of appreciating and protecting their environment which is why the 12 government–funded national parks of The Bahamas are exceptionally well kept.
The Bahamas works closely with CARICOM and the United States on political and migration issues related to Haiti, to whom The Bahamas also has an Ambassador.
Most people visit The Bahamas for its clear waters and pleasant climate.
The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is an English-speaking archipelagic nation on the northwestern edge of the West Indies.
The Bahamas Islands remained virtually unoccupied until English settlers arrived from Bermuda in 1647.
The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy dependent upon tourism and offshore banking.
The Bahamas has strong bilateral relationship with both the United Kingdom and the United States, represented by a High Commissioner in London and by an ambassador in Washington, D.C.
During World War II, the Allies centered their flight training and antisubmarine operations for the Caribbean in the Bahamas.
The Bahamas associates closely with other nations of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) as well.
The Bahamas has diplomatic relations with Cuba, resulting in embassies in each other's capitals.
The College of The Bahamas was established in 1974 in the capital city of Nassau, and provides programs leading to bachelors and associate degrees.
The Bahamas consist of 700 islands and cays, only about 30 of which are inhabited, and more than 2,000 low, barren rock formations.
In 1973 the Commonwealth of The Bahamas became a member of the United Nations, as well as becoming a part of the Organization of American States nine years later in 1982.
Abaco, Eleuthera, Cat Island, Long Island, San Salvador, Acklins, Crooked Island, Exuma and Mayaguana, are other major islands included in the Bahamas.
Geography. The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is a coral archipelago of around 700 islands and more than 2,000 rocks and cays in the West Atlantic south-east of the coast of Florida, USA, and northeast of Cuba.
The Bahamas has a distinct culture which has evolved over generations, from a mixture of mostly African, combined with some British and American influences, which developed into a unique and colourful style of Bahamian self-expression. Bahamians are best described as easy-going, friendly and hospitable.
The collisions, commonly subduction zones where one plate is pulled under the other, formed the lower layer, which is commonly referred to as the basement rocks upon which the Bahamian islands now reside. ... The Bahamas are referred to as carbonate islands, which is due to the formation of carbonate banks.Jun 5, 2006
The Great Bahama Bank is made of limestone deposits and, scientists believe, was exposed to the air during the last ice age when the sea level was substantially lower. The Florida peninsula is a similar deposit that is not submerged by the sea.