26 Facts About Bahamas

The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is an island country. 

The Bahamas became a British Crown colony in 1718, when the British clamped down on piracy. 

The Bahamas has a total area of 13,880 square km. 

Nassau is its capital and largest city. 

English is its official language. 

Its official currency is Bahamian dollar (BSD). 

The Bahamas is one of the richest countries in the Americas in terms of GDP per capita.

Conch is the most popular seafood on the island.

Only 30 of the Bahamas' 700 islands are inhabited.

The Bahamas is one of the two countries whose official name begins with the word "the". "The Gambia" is the other.

The Bahamas is located on the infamous Bermuda Triangle.

The Bahamas have an incredible underwater cave system. During the glacial period, the sea was 250 feet lower than it is now. Acid rain eroded the island's limestone, resulting in the formation of vertical and horizontal caves.

Christopher Columbus is thought to have landed on the island on October 12, 1492.

After the departure of the island's first royal governor, Captain Woodes Rogers, the slave trade became the main economic enterprise. Slavery was abolished in the island nation in 1838.

After the country gained independence on July 10, 1973, 'Lynden O' became the country's first prime minister.

During the 1980s, the island became a well-known location for the drug trade. According to reports, nearly 90% of the cocaine entered the United States via the Bahamas.

On February 4, 2005, the Bahamas signed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

There is no railway on the island, and the road network on larger islands is 2,693 kilometres long.

The Bahamas' economy is based on imports.

The Bahamas has the world's third largest ship registry.

The Bahamas International Stock Exchange is the only stock exchange in the country (BISX).

Residents of the Bahamas do not pay income or sales taxes. Tariffs and import fees account for the vast majority of government revenue.

The Bahamas government provides a maternity grant and a 13-week maternity benefit for each live birth.

Tourism accounts for 40-45% of the national economy. It has beautiful beaches, flora and fauna, and numerous recreational and resort facilities.

Non-Bahamians visiting the Bahamas may gamble.

Tourists from the United States and Canada do not need to bring their passports to the Bahamas if they are staying for less than three weeks.