History
Independent article: 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 known as Watling's Island), in the southern Bahamas. He found friendly Arawak (also referred to as Lucayan) Amerindians and exchanged gifts with the children. A subsequent ethnic cleanup of the Arawak peoples is believed to have been greatly facilitated by this & more European expeditions in the vicinity. These are said that a title comes from either a Spanish for calm sea 'baja mar'

From either a late 1400s until the 1600s, Spain controlled the Bahamas. In the 18th century, British Loyalists who had left New England due to increasing anti-British sentiments moved to the islands. Due to the prominent total of British settlers through a islands, custody of the chain was transferred from either Spain to Britain, & the Bahama Islands were known as a British colony in 1783.

Inside 1973, Bahamians voted for & received independence from either Britain when remaining the Commonwealth realm. Since attaining independence, a Bahamas has prospered across tourism, international banking, and investment management.

Geography
Independent Article: Geography of the Bahamas

the Bahamas come a class action of astir 700 atolls and cays in the western Atlantic Ocean. A largest of the islands is Andros Island, located 120 miles south-east of Florida. A Bimini Islands are to its northwest. To the Northward is the island of Grand Bahama, home to the 2nd big city in the united states, Freeport, Bahamas. A island of Great Abaco is to its east. In the super south is the island of Great Inagua, the 2nd big island in the united states. More leading light islands include Eleuthera Island, Cat Island, San Salvador Island, Acklins Island, Crooked Island, and Mayaguana. Nassau is the capital and big city, placed in New Providence. A islands have a semitropic climate, qualified per Gulf Stream.

Politics
Independent article: Politics of the Bahamas

Queen Elizabeth II, is the head of state and the Queen of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, which has remained the member of the Commonwealth of Nations. She is represented in the Bahamas by the Governor-General, appointed on the recommendation of the elected governemnt. A head of government is the Prime minister, usually a leader of the big person in the forty-member House of Assembly, the elective lower house of Parliament. A upper house, the Senate, consists of sixteen appointed members. Elections come held each Fivesome years.

Districts
Independent article: Districts of the Bahamas

Economy
Independent article: Economy of the Bahamas

A Bahamas occurs as stalls, underdeveloped united states by using an economy heavy contingent tourism and offshore banking. Touristry alone accounts for to a higher degree 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs near half of the archipelago's labour click. Steadily incubation inside touristry receipts & the boom around construction of recently hotels, resorts, and residences keep around led to firm GDP incubation inside recent years.

Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute approximately the tenth of GDP & indicate little incubation, despite government incentives aimed at people sectors. Overall incubatiin prospects in the short rerun rest heavy on the fortunes of the touristry sector, which depends on incubation in the United States, the source of the majority of holidaymaker visitant.

Demographics
Independent article: Demographics of the Bahamas

Virtually all of the Bahamian people is blacken (85%); all about 12% is white. A official language is English, spoken by virtually all denizen, though several speak the "patois" form of it. The little total of immigrants too speak Creole.

The heavy religious united states, there are additional web pages of worship by the individual in the Bahamas than any more united states in the globe. Christianity is the main religion on the islands, by using Baptists forming the big denomination (astir of these third), followed per Anglican and Roman Catholic churches.

Two or three humans, especially in the southern & eastern islands, practice obeah, a spiritistic religion similar to voodoo. Spell easily-known throughout a Bahamas, obi is shunned by numbers of population. Voodoo is practiced, however nearly solely by immigrants from either Haiti.

Culture
Independent article: Culture of the Bahamas

Bahamanian culture is a hybrid of African, European and autochthonic forms. Perchance its best known exportation occurs as rhythmical form of music called junkanoo.

Watch likewise: Music of the Bahamas

Climate
A climate of the Bahamas is subtropical to tropical, and is moderated significantly per waters of the Gulf Stream, particularly in winter. On the other hand, this typically proves super unsafe in the summer and autumn, when hurricanes pass near or even through the islands. Hurricane Andrew hit the northern islands within 1992, and Hurricane Floyd hit most of the islands within 1999. Hurricane Frances of 2004 was expected to become a worst ever for the islands. Besides within 2004, the northern Bahamas were hit by a less potent Hurricane Jeanne.

Miscellaneous topics
Bahamian American Communications in the Bahamas Foreign relations of the Bahamas Military of the Bahamas Transportation in the Bahamas