Key Facts

  • The Bahamas gained independence from the United Kingdom on July 10, 1973.

  • The country consists of over 700 islands and more than 2,000 cays, though only about 30 islands are inhabited.

  • The name "Bahamas" comes from the Spanish "baja mar" meaning shallow sea, referring to the surrounding waters.

  • The Bahamas is the richest Caribbean country in terms of GDP per capita, with tourism and offshore banking as major economic pillars.

  • The capital, Nassau, located on New Providence Island, houses about 70% of the country's total population.

  • The Bahamas is the first place where Christopher Columbus made landfall in the Americas (on San Salvador island, formerly called Watling's Island).

  • English is the official language, though Bahamian Creole is widely spoken.

  • Has the highest concentration of Atlantis theories, with the Bimini Road underwater formation believed by some to be remnants of the lost civilization.

Did You Know That.......

  • Has the clearest waters on Earth, with visibility of over 200 feet (61 meters) in some places, and you can see the bottom from space.

  • Houses the world's deepest known blue hole, Dean's Blue Hole, plunging to a depth of 663 feet (202 meters).

  • Is home to the famous swimming pigs of Exuma, which have become one of the country's most popular tourist attractions.

  • Has pink sand beaches on Harbour Island, getting their distinctive color from microscopic coral insects called Foraminifera.

  • Was once a haven for pirates, including the infamous Blackbeard, and was even briefly declared a pirate republic.

  • Has the only conch farm in the world, located in Turks and Caicos (when it was still part of the Bahamas).

  • Is where the popular Caribbean music style "Rake n' Scrape" originated, using everyday items like carpenter's saws as instruments.

  • The Bahamas is home to the third-largest barrier reef in the world.