Bahamas Directory
Bahamas Overview
The 700 beautiful islands and 2,000 chunks of coral and limestone outcrop that form The Bahamas are playgrounds for sailors, anglers, divers, nature lovers, eco-tourists – and those vacationers in search of the more glitzy pleasures.
The islands are visited by more than three million people each year. You will find great enthusiasm for American culture, combined with a strong flavor of Britain. . . and a distinctly Caribbean beat.
The Bahamas stands out among the Commonwealth Caribbean nations because of its relative wealth and prosperity, political stability, and close proximity to the United States. The Bahamas also bears the distinction of being the first of the Caribbean islands discovered by Columbus in 1492 on his first transatlantic voyage in search of a new route to India. Several islands in the Bahamas have been named as Columbus's first landing site in the Caribbean, but until very recently, Watling Island was the most widely accepted location; in 1926 it was renamed San Salvador, the name bestowed by Columbus himself. In 1986, however, after an extensive five-year investigation, a National Geographic Society team announced that Samana Cay, a small isolated island in the far eastern Bahamas, was the most probable location of Columbus's first landfall.
Just 30 of the islands are populated and, together, they are among the most favored destinations for cruise ship passengers every year. New Providence has almost 60 per cent of the population and in the capital, Nassau, you can go on a horse-drawn carriage tour of a vibrant city filled with history’s reminders in its Victorian buildings and fortresses -- and a library that used to be a prison.
The Islands Of The Bahamas is a 100,000-sq-mile archipelago that extends over 500 miles of the clearest water in the world. Our 700 islands, including uninhabited cays and large rocks, total an estimated land area of 5,382 sq miles, and register a highest land elevation of 206 ft. Most notable, however, is that each island has it’s own diversity that continues beyond geography, carrying through to the heart of The Bahamas, the Bahamian people. You’ll find it in our heritage. In our culture. And in the irony of our humble pride. These are The Islands Of The Bahamas. Population: somewhere north of 300,000.
There are many options to help you get around each island in The Bahamas, and to help you hop from island to island. But remember, when you take to the road, British rules apply, so please keep to the left. Visitors may use their home driver’s license for up to three months and may also apply for an international driver's license. 
The Bahamas has the clearest waters in the world with visibility of over 200 feet (61 meters). Travelers who seek beaches, boating and sailing, diving and snorkeling, ecotours, fishing, and water sports will be the first to notice the difference our water clarity makes on their sporting experience.
Bimini
The closest Bahamian island to the U.S.
Distance From Miami: 40 miles. Grand Bahama Island
Home to Freeport/Lucaya, the second largest city and port of entry in The Bahamas.
Distance From Miami: 105 miles.
Nassau/Paradise Island
Home to Nassau, the capital city, largest city, and largest port of entry in The Bahamas.
Distance From Miami: 185 miles.
Bahamas Facts
Money
The Bahamian dollar (B$) is freely interchanged with American dollar throughout The Bahamas. It trades on an even oar with the U.S. dollar and it is not necessary to change U.S. dollars into Bahamian currency. Traveler's checks in dollar denominations may be cashed almost anywhere. Credit cards are widely accepted. The Bahamas maintains cordial relations with all international banks and is known ... more
Capital City
City of Nassau
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.2%
male: 98.5%
female: 98% (1995 est.)
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