Bahamas

1492 – Christopher Columbus arrives in the Bahamas

1629 – British settlement begins with the founding of the first permanent colony on New Providence

1718 – The Bahamas becomes a British colony

1776 – Loyalists from the American Revolution arrive, increasing the population

1964 – Internal self-government granted, the Bahamas becomes a Crown colony

1973 – Independence from the United Kingdom (date of modern state formation)

1980s–1990s – Rapid growth in tourism and financial services

2018 – Hurricane Dorian causes severe damage, particularly to the Abaco Islands

2020 – Bahamas’ COVID-19 response and recovery

Location: The Bahamas is an archipelago located in the Atlantic Ocean, north of Cuba and Hispaniola
Capital: Nassau
Language: English (official)
Currency: Bahamian Dollar (BSD)
Population: ~400,000 (last updated: April 2025)
Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC-5); Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC-4)

Borders: No land borders (consists of over 700 islands and cays)
Coastline: Long coastline with numerous beaches and coral reefs
Landscape: Flat terrain, coastal, and coral-based islands, tropical vegetation
Notable Features: Exuma Cays, Blue Holes, Nassau Harbour

Ethnic Groups: Predominantly African descent (85%), with a small percentage of White, Hispanic, and other ethnicities
Religion: Predominantly Christian (Protestant, Catholic)
Urban Population: ~85% (last updated: 2023)
Population Notes: Most people live on the island of New Providence, where the capital Nassau is located

Famous For: Beaches, luxury resorts, Junkanoo (traditional festival), tourism, marine life
Cuisine: Conch (shellfish), Bahama Mama (cocktail), rock lobster, peas and rice, guava duff
Arts: Junkanoo parades, Bahamian paintings and crafts, music (calypso, rake-and-scrape)
Sports: Sailing, football (soccer), cricket, basketball

Economy Type: Service-based, tourism-heavy
GDP: Approx. $14 billion USD (last updated: 2024)
Major Industries: Tourism, financial services, agriculture (fisheries, pineapples, citrus)
Key Exports: Petroleum, salt, pharmaceuticals, seafood, rum
Unemployment Rate: ~10.3% (last updated: 2024)
Economic Regions: Tourism-centric economy; financial services in Nassau

Government Type: Constitutional parliamentary democracy, constitutional monarchy
Head of State: King Charles III (last updated: April 2025)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Philip Davis (last updated: April 2025)
Legislature: Bicameral (House of Assembly & Senate)
Constitution: In effect since 1973

Nassau: Atlantis Resort, Nassau Harbour, Queen’s Staircase
Exuma Cays: Blue holes, white sand beaches, snorkeling
Grand Bahama Island: Lucayan National Park, shopping, beaches
Abaco Islands: Scuba diving, marine life, historic sites
UNESCO World Heritage Sites: 0 (last updated: 2023)