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| native_name = Commonwealth of The Bahamas | common_name = the Bahamas | image_flag = Flag of the Bahamas.svg | image_coat = Bahamas_coa.png | image_map = LocationBahamas.png | national_motto = Forward Upward Onward Together | national_anthem = March On, Bahamaland | official_languages = English | capital = Nassau | latd=25 |latm=4 |latNS=N |longd=77 |longm=20 |longEW=W | largest_city = Nassau | government_type= Parliamentary Democracy | leader_titles = Queen Governor-General Prime Minister | leader_names = Elizabeth II Arthur Dion Hanna Perry Christie | area_rank = 155th | area_magnitude = 1 E10 | area= 13,940 | areami&2 = 5,382 | percent_water = 28% | population_estimate = 301,7901 | population_estimate_year = 2005 | population_estimate_rank = 168th | population_census= 254,685 | population_census_year= 1990 | population_density = 21 | population_densitymi&2 = 54.4 | population_density_rank= 152 | GDP_PPP_year= 2005 | GDP_PPP = 5729 | GDP_PPP_rank = 147 | GDP_PPP_per_capita = 17,865 | GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 41 | HDI_year = 2003 | HDI = 0.832 | HDI_rank = 50th | HDI_category = high | sovereignty_type = Independence | established_events = - Date | established_dates = From the United Kingdom July 10 , 1973 | currency = Bahamian Dollar | currency_code = BSD | country_code = bs | time_zone= EST | utc_offset= −5 | time_zone_DST= EDT | utc_offset_DST= −4 | cctld= .bs | calling_code = 1-242 | footnotes = 1 Estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS ; this can result in lower Life Expectancy , higher Infant Mortality and Death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected. }} The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is an independent English -speaking nation in the West Indies . An Archipelago of 700 islands and Cay s (which are small islands), the Bahamas is located in the Atlantic Ocean , east of Florida in the United States , north of Cuba and the Caribbean , and west of the British dependency of the Turks And Caicos Islands . History See Also: History of the Bahamas Christopher Columbus 's first landfall in the New World in 1492 is believed to have been on the island of San Salvador (also called Watling's Island), in the southeastern Bahamas. He encountered Taino (also known as Lucayan ) Amerindians and exchanged gifts with them. Taino Indians from both northwestern Hispaniola and northeastern Cuba moved into the southern Bahamas about the 7th century AD and became the Lucayans. They appear to have settled the entire archipelago by the 12th century AD. There may have been as many as 40,000 Lucayans living in the Bahamas when Columbus arrived. The Bahamian Lucayans were deported to Hispaniola as slaves, and within two decades Taino societies ceased to exist as a separate population due to forced labour, warfare, disease, emigration and outmarriage. Some say the name 'Bahamas' derives from the Spanish for "shallow sea", ''baja mar''. Others trace it to the Lucayan word for Grand Bahama Island, ''ba-ha-ma'' ("large upper middle land"). After the Lucayans were destroyed, the Bahamian islands were deserted until the arrival of English settlers from Bermuda in 1650 . Known as the Eleutherian Adventurers, these people established settlements on the island now called Eleuthera (from the Greek word for freedom). The Bahamas became a British crown colony in 1718 but remained sparsely settled until the newly independent United States expelled thousands of American Tories and their slaves. Many of these British Loyalists were given compensatory land grants in Canada and the Bahamas. Some 8,000 loyalists and their slaves moved to the Bahamas in the late 1700s from New York, Florida and the Carolinas. The British granted the islands internal self-government in 1964 and, in 1973, Bahamians achieved full independence while remaining a member of the Commonwealth Of Nations . Since the 1950s, the Bahamian economy has prospered based on the twin pillars of tourism and financial services. Despite this however the country still faces significant challenges in areas such education, healthcare, correctional facilites and violent crime and illegal immigration.The urban renewal project has been luached in recent years to help impoverished urban areas in social deccline in the main islands.Today, the country enjoys the third highest per capita income in the western hemisphere. Geography See Also: Geography of the Bahamas The Bahamas is an archipelago of some 700 islands and cays covering over 100,000 Mi&2 (260,000 Km&2 ) of the Atlantic Ocean between Florida and Hispaniola. The archipelago has a total land area of 5,382 square miles (13,939 km&2)—about 20% larger than Jamaica —and a population of some 310,000 concentrated on the islands of New Providence and Grand Bahama . The largest island is Andros Island . The Bimini s are just 50 Mile s (80 Km ) east of Florida. The island of Grand Bahama is home to the second largest city in the country, Freeport . The island of Abaco is to its east. The most southeastern island is Inagua . Other notable islands include Eleuthera , Cat Island , San Salvador , Acklins , Crooked Island , Exuma and Mayaguana . Nassau is the capital and largest city, located on New Providence . The islands have a subtropical climate, moderated by the Gulf Stream . In the southeast, the Caicos Islands and the Turks Islands , and three more extensive submarine features called Mouchoir Bank , Silver Bank , and Navidad Bank , are geographically a continuation of the Bahamas, but not part of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Politics See Also: Politics of the Bahamas Queen Elizabeth II is the Head Of State of the Bahamas, which has remained a member of the Commonwealth Of Nations as a Commonwealth Realm . She is represented in the Bahamas by a Governor-General , appointed on the recommendation of the elected government. A multi-party democracy in the British tradition, the Bahamas has a bicameral parliament with an elected assembly and an appointed senate. The country is governed by a cabinet headed by a prime minister. Elections are held every five years.The country is currently governed by the Progressive Liberal Party. Districts See Also: Districts of the Bahamas The districts of the Bahamas provide a system of local government everywhere in the Bahamas except New Providence , whose affairs are handled directly by the central government. The current system dates from 1996 when 23 District s were defined—a further 8 were added in 1999 . Gained suffrage in 2000; with 140,000 registered voters. Economy See Also: Economy of the Bahamas The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on Tourism and offshore Banking . Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs almost half of the archipelago's labour force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new Hotel s, resorts, and residences have led to solid GDP growth in recent years. Manufacturing and Agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the United States , the source of the majority of tourist visitors. Not everyone has benefitted from the prosperity of recent years and Unemployment remains at %10. The poverty rate of 9% is however low compared to other Caribbean countries. Demographics See Also: Demographics of the Bahamas Most of the Bahamian population is black at about 85%. The next largest population group are whites at 12%. Other minorities include Asians and Hispanics at 3%. Many Bahamian whites are concentated on Abaco Island, Spanish Wells, Harbour Island, Long Island, and the Montagu Bay district of New Providence (just to the east of Nassau). There is also a significant number of non-citizen white expatriates from the United States and Europe. The official language is English , spoken by nearly all inhabitants, though many speak a Patois form of it. A small number of immigrants also speak Haitian Creole , Spanish and Portuguese . A "heavily religious" country, there are more places of worship per person in the Bahamas than any other nation in the world. Christianity is the main religion on the islands, with Baptist forming the largest denomination (about one third), followed by the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches. A few people, especially in the southern and eastern islands, practice '' Obeah '', a Spiritistic religion similar to Voodoo . While well-known throughout the Bahamas, obeah is shunned by many people. Voodoo is practiced, but almost exclusively by immigrants from Haiti , Cuba , Dominican Republic and Jamaica.With Jykendil Coleman as king. Culture See Also: Culture of the Bahamas Bahamian Culture is a hybrid of Africa n, Europe an and indigenous forms. Perhaps its most famous export is a rhythmic form of Music called Junkanoo .Music is an important form of expression in The Bahamas. Aside from the Junkanoo, there are various other indigenous forms of music such, as 'rake and scrape' and 'calypso'and a unique form of hymnal, known internationally through the music of Joseph Ppence, now deceased.Marching bands are also an important part of life. They play play at funerals, when the community will march with the casket of the deceased from church to graveyard, at weddings and also the brass section is one of the most improtant contingents of the Junkanoo. In the 'family islands',crafts such as hand-made silver-top palm baskets are woven. Some of These baskets can hold water.This material commonly called 'Straw' is also plaited into hats and bags, today mainly to sell to tourists. Regatta is an important event. Each 'family island' having their own. a sail boat race on old fashioned sloops takes place, as well as a festival. Some settlments have festivals associated with the traditional crop or food of that area,such as 'pineapple fest' in Gregory Town Eleuthera and 'crab fest' in Andros.Other significant traditions include 'story telling' and the practice of Obeah Climate The Climate of the Bahamas is Subtropical to Tropical , and is moderated significantly by the waters of the Gulf Stream , particularly in Winter . Conversely, this often proves very dangerous in the Summer and Autumn , when Hurricane s pass near or through the islands. Hurricane Andrew hit the northern islands in 1992 , and Hurricane Floyd hit most of the islands in 1999 . Hurricane Frances of 2004 was expected to be the worst ever for the islands. Also in 2004, the northern Bahamas were hit by a less potent Hurricane Jeanne . In 2005 the northern islands were once again struck this time by Hurricane Wilma. Tidal surges and high winds destroyed homes, schools, floated graves and made roughly 1,000 people homeless. See also
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