THE BAHAMAS
The Bahamas, also known as Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country located in the Caribbean. It is a region made up of several scattered islands, numbering over 700 (with most uninhabited; only about 30 are known to be inhabited), and stretching over 5,500 nautical miles. With Nassau being its biggest city and also its capital city (located on the Island of New Providence) and an abundance of beautiful natural scenery and vast spread of tropical beaches, it has become the poster country for tourism globally. English is its official language while the Bahamian Dollar is its official currency.
ETYMOLOGY
The name “Bahamas” is believed to be from the term "ba ha ma", coined by the ancient Amerindian Taino people (an indigenous people of the Caribbean), which means “big upper middle land". Another school of thought believes it was coined from the Spanish term "baja mar" which means "shallow sea".
Christopher Columbus is believed to have landed on the island, with his first landing the new world on the island of San Salvado.
ECONOMY
With a gross domestic product per capita (GDP/C) of $30,762.01, it is one of the richest countries in The Americas and the third richest in the Western Hemisphere (after the USA and Canada).
Tourism is the major revenue earned, accounting for over 60% of the nation's income, with The Bahamas one of the 51 nations where tourists outnumber locals. There are no taxes on either of income or sales for Bahamas residents as a huge percentage of the government revenue comes from tariffs and import fees as its economy is hugely import based.
There is only one stock exchange in the whole of The Bahamas; The Bahamas Stock Exchange (BISX).
Sidebar: an image of the Nassau Police Marching Band is on Bahama's $1 note, making them the only country with its marching band to appear on any legal tender.
TRANSPORTATION
Water transport is a popular means of transportation. The Bahamas has the world's third largest registry of ships. There are no railways in The Bahamas.
Facts about The Bahamas
It is located right on the edge of the Bermuda Triangle
Life expectancy is quite high; 72.9 years.
In The Bahamas, August is the hottest and wettest month. Strange, huh?
Boxing Day and New Year's Day has the biggest festival; Junkanoo.
98.2% of the population is literate, as the constitution makes education mandatory.
Why not holiday at The Bahamas, using Timbu as your trip advisor?