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Bahamas, The

Introduction:

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 have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, 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.

Official name: Commonwealth of The Bahamas Capital: name: Nassau geographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November Government type: constitutional parliamentary democracy Population: 305,655 note: estimates for this country explicitly 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 and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Languages: English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants) Official Currency: Bahamian Dollar (BSD) Current Bahamian Dollar Exchange Rates Historical Bahamian Dollar Exchange Rates Chart Bahamian Dollar Exchange Rates Currency code: BSD Area: total: 13,940 sq km land: 10,070 sq km water: 3,870 sq km Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Map of Bahamas, The

Facts at a Glance:	Geography - People - Government - Economy - Communications - Transportation - Military - Climate - Current Time - Ranking Positions - Bahamian Dollar Exchange Rates
Notes and Commentary:	People - Economy - Government and Political Conditions - Historical Highlights - Foreign Relations - Relations with U.S.