Country guide - Bahamas  

 
 

Introduction: The Bahamas consists of 700 different islands and 2,400 uninhabited islets and cays lying 50 miles off the east coast of Florida. They extend for about 760 miles. Only about 30 of the islands are inhabited. New Providence with the capital Nassau and Grand Bahama are the two main islands where life is similar to that in America but the remaining ‘Family’ islands take a more relaxed West Indian approach to life.


Official Name: The Commonwealth of the Bahamas
Area: 13,940 sq km (5,382 sq miles)
Population: 297,400
Continent: Caribbean/North America
Density per square mile: 55
Capital City: Nassau
Religions: Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%
Language: English
Government: Independent state within the British Commonwealth

Currency: Bahamian dollar
GDP: $5.58 billion
GDP Per Head: $20,000

Natural Resources: salt, aragonite, timber
Land Use: Arable Land 1%
Agriculture: citrus fruits, poultry & vegetables
Industry: tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and Tran’s shipment, salt & rum.

Tourism: The Bahamas is a year-round destination. The best time to go is during the warm, lightly breezy summer. In summer, the rainy season extends from May to November, when hurricanes are a slim possibility. The busiest times to go are from mid-December to mid-April.

Natural Hazards: Hurricanes
Health Risks: Sunburn, prickly heat, dehydration, heat exhaustion & heat stroke, fungal infection, diarrhoea, giardiasis, HIV/AIDS, tetanus, jellyfish

Climate: Most rainfall occurs between May – June & September – October with up to 52” of rain falling during the year. The hurricane season which lasts from June to November does experience gale force winds, although normally winds rarely exceed 15 mph. Average temperature ranges in Nassau are from 18 to 25 degrees Celsius in February to 24 to 32 degrees Celsius in August

Time: GMT/UTC - 5 hours
National Days: July 10 - Independence Day, First Monday in August - Emancipation Day, October 12 - Discovery Day

Visas: US citizens do not need a passport or visa for stays of less than eight months but must show proof of citizenship. Visas and passports are not required of citizens of Canada or the UK and Commonwealth who stay three weeks or less. Visitors from most other European countries need passports but not visas for stays up to three months. Air passengers must have a return or ongoing airline ticket.

British Embassy Details

 

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