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Lucayan Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas has prospered through tourism, international banking, and investment management. Because of its location, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US and Europe, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.
Population: 321,834
Nationality: noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian
Ethnic groups: black 90.6%, white 4.7%, black and white 2.1%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.7%.
Languages: English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants).
Religions: Protestant 69.9% (includes Baptist 34.9%, Anglican 13.7%, Pentecostal 8.9% Seventh Day Adventist 4.4%, Methodist 3.6%, Church of God 1.9%, Brethren 1.6%), Roman Catholic 12%, other Christian 13% (includes Jehovah's Witness 1.1%), other 0.6%, none 1.9%, unspecified 2.6%.
GDP: $8 373 000 000.00 (2013)
Royal Bahamas Defense Force: Land Force, Navy, Air Wing
The Bahamas disagrees with the US on the alignment of the northern axis of a potential maritime boundary. The Bahamas is transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center.
Capital: Nassau
Location: Chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba. Strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited.
Geographic coordinates:
24 15 N, 76 00 W.
Area:
total: 13,880 sq km
land: 10,010 sq km
water: 3,870 sq km.
Land boundaries: 0 km.
Coastline: 3,542 km.
Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber, arable land.
