Overview of the Bahamas
03/09/2019
The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a country consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets (rocks). It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti), northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States (nearest to the state of Florida).
Capital and largest city: Nassau
Official language: English
Recognised regional languages: Bahamian Creole
Ethnic groups: 85% Africans, 12% Europeans, 3% Asians
Government: Parliamentary democracy and Constitutional monarchy
- Monarch Queen Elizabeth II
- Governor-General Sir Arthur Foulkes
- Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham
Independence from the United Kingdom
- Self-governing 1865
- Full independence July 10, 1973
Area
- Total 13,878 km2 (160th)
- Water (%) 28%
Population
- 2016 estimate 391,232 (177th)
- 2010 census 351,461
- Density 25.21/km2 (65.3/sq mi) (181st)
Currency: Bahamian dollar (BSD)
Time zone: EST (UTC−5)
Drives on the left
Internet TLD: .bs
Calling code: +1-242