List Of 38 Fun & Interesting Facts About The Bahamas and Its Capital Nassau:
Geography & History
1) The Bahamas is located in the Atlantic Ocean – northeast of Cuba and southeast of Florida and is comprised of over 700 islets and islands.
2) They extend for about 1,223 kilometers (760 miles).
3) Only 30 of the total 700 islands in the Bahamas are inhabited. The islands vary in size, with
Andros being the largest. However, the most important and visited island is New Providence on which the capital is situated.
4) The name Bahamas is derived from either the Spanish ”baja mar” (translating as “shallow water or sea” – reflecting the shallow waters of the area) or the Taíno words ”ba ha ma” (translating as “big upper middle land” – a term for the region used by the indigenous Native Americans).
The Tainos
5) The first people that inhabited the island were called the Tainos. The Taínos were the indigenous people of the Caribbean and Florida.
6) At the time of European contact in the late 15th century, the Tainos were the main inhabitants of most of Trinidad, Jamaica, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola (that today is made up of the Dominican Republic and Haiti).
7) In 1718, the Bahamas came under British rule and would remain that way for 255 years.
8) On July 10, 1973, the archipelagic state won its independence from the United Kingdom. Each July 10 is celebrated as an Independence Day holiday in the region.
Government
9) The constitution of this state was adopted upon independence in 1973.
It is patterned on the United Kingdom model. The Senate has 16 members and the Bahamas has a bicameral legislature.
The Capital City – Nassau
10) The capital is located in New Providence, the 11th largest island of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
11) In the 18th century, Nassau was a rendezvous for pirates, among them Blackbeard, an English pirate who operated around the eastern coast of Britain’s North American colonies and the West Indies.
12) In 2018, Nassau has a population of about 399,164 people. An estimated 70 percent of the Bahamian population lives on this main island.
13) Lynden Pindling International Airport is located about 9.9 miles (16 kilometers) west of Nassau city center. This international airport has daily flights to major cities in the Caribbean, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
14) The amazing beaches of Nassau Paradise Island include – Paradise Beach, Sandyport Beach, Cable Beach, Montagu Beach, Junkanoo Beach, and Western Esplanade.
National Flag
15) The national flag’s colors are aquamarine-blue, gold, and black. The colors symbolize:
- aquamarine-blue stands for the sea;
- gold stands for the sun and sand;
- the black triangle stands for the unity of the Bahamian people.
16) The official language is English, but, the dialect and slang are difficult for most Europeans and Westerners to understand.
Tourism
17) The tourism industry employs approximately 50% of the Bahamian workforce.
18) The average temperature in the state ranges from 20 degrees to 32 degrees all year round. Additionally, the sea temperature is about 26 degrees.
The Bahamian Dollar
19) It is the currency of the Bahamas and is at par with the US dollar. The symbol B$ is used to distinguish it from other dollar currencies.
20) The state has the third-highest per capita Gross domestic product (GDP) in the western hemisphere (after the US and Canada).
21) There is no income or corporate tax and no capital gains in The Bahamas. In addition, there is no inheritance tax. The only indirect taxation is a real property tax.
22) According to Numbeo’s annual cost of living survey, it is the 3rd most expensive country in the world to live.
Bahamian Cuisine
23) It includes seafood like – fish, lobster, crab, shellfish, and conch, as well as rice, peas, pigeon peas, tropical fruits, pork, and potatoes. Conch is a local staple and the national dish of the Bahamas.
Lucayan National Park
24) It is one of three national parks located on Grand Bahama Island and consists of 40 acres of land. Also, this national park is home to one of the world’s longest underwater cave systems.
Versailles Gardens
25) The Versailles Garden is named after the gardens at Versailles outside of Paris. It is one of the most popular locations for weddings on the Island of Bahamas.
26) The Versailles Garden is actually a formal garden like its namesake, however, it’s smaller and more intimate.
Dean’s Blue Hole
27) With 663 feet (202 meters), Dean’s Blue Hole is the 2nd largest underwater chamber in the world and the deepest Blue Hole (a large marine cavern or sinkhole).
28) It is located in a bay west of Clarence Town on Long Island. In 1992, the full depth of this blue hole was first reached by Jim King.
29) In April 2010, William Trubridge broke a free-diving world record in the Dean’s Blue Hole (without the use of fins).
Andros Barrier Reef
30) Measuring 190 miles long, the Andros Barrier Reef is the world’s 3rd-largest living organism on the planet. It can be divided into 5 main zones, the back reef, reef crest, the lagoon, outer fore reef, and interfere reef.
Blue Lagoon Island
31) Blue Lagoon Island, also known as Salt Cay, is a private island located about 3 miles (5 kilometers) from Nassau.
32) In 1991, a storm cut the Blue Lagoon Island in two at the northwestern corner of the lagoon where, presently, there is a bridge.
Pink Sands Beach
33) Located on Harbour Island in the Bahamas, the Pink Sands Beach provides a perfect place to swim and sunbathe in the warm crystal clear water.
34) The pink color of the sand comes from microscopic coral insects. Furthermore, its pale pink sand stretches for around 3 miles (5 km) and is 50 to 100 feet wide.
The Bahamian Boa
35) The Bahamian boa (scientific name – Tropidophis canus) is a species of nonvenomous boa that is native to this area. It is found on all the main islands except San Salvador and Grand Bahama.
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The Caribbean Flamingo
36) The Flamingo (scientific name – Phoenicopterus ruber) is the national bird of the Bahamas. Adults can reach up to 5 feet in height.
Mount Alvernia
37) It is the highest point in the Bahamas with only 207 feet (63 meters) above sea level.
38) Mount Alvernia is located on Cat Island and was named by a Roman Catholic priest, called Monsignor John Hawes.
Image source – https://pixabay.com/photos/two-cruise-ships-bahamas-2413470/
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Sources http://www.bahamas.gov.bs/wps/portal/public/gov/government/ https://www.bahamas.com/