Bahamas

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Bahamas's Information


Capital	Nassau
Languages	English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Ethnic Groups	Black 90.6%, white 4.7%, black and white 2.1%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2010 est.)
Religion	Protestant 69.9% (includes Baptist 34.9%, Anglican 13.7%, Pentecostal 8.9% Seventh Day Adventist 4.4%, Methodist 3.6%, Church of God 1.9%, Brethren 1.6%), Roman Catholic 12%, other Christian 13% (includes Jehovah's Witness 1.1%), other 0.6%, none 1.9%, unspecified 2.6% (2010 est.)
Government	Parliamentary democracy (Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Independance	10 July 1973 (from the UK)
Area	13,880.00 km²
Water Area	3,870.00 km²
Land Area	10,010.00 km²
Population	327,316.00 Most of the population lives in urban areas, with two-thirds living on New Providence Island where Nassau is located
Location	chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
GDP(PPP)	$9,066,000,000.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are Poland, Cote d'Ivoire, and the United States.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are rock lobster, aragonite, and crude salt.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are the United States, China, and Japan.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery and transport equipment, as well as chemicals.
Climate	Tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Terrain	Long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Where is Bahamas?

Located in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, Bahamas is an island nation. It has a 3,542.00 km coastline. The Bahamas disagrees with the United States regarding the alignment of the northern axis of a potential maritime boundary.

The capital city of the islands of the Bahamas is Nassau, which is the largest commercial center in the country. Situated in New Providence, the city was founded in 1670 by the British settlers before it was burned down and then rebuilt by the Spanish in 1684. As per the last census of 2010, the city had a population of 246,329 individuals. Nassau is home to a variety of colonial era architectural designs which are popular amongst tourists. The month of January is the coldest month on the Island and July is the hottest time.

Geography

Bahamas has a mean elevation of 0 m above sea level.

It has a tropical marine climate that is moderated by the Gulf Stream. Its terrain consists of flat coral formations with a few low rounded hills.

Population

Bahamas has a population of 327,316 making it the 178th largest in the world. Most of the country's population can be found in urban areas.

English is the official language and most common language spoken. The majority ethnic group reported is black. The population is predominantly Protestant, with some Roman Catholics.

Standard English is the language used in schools, by the government, by the media, and in all legal and commercial businesses. Politicians may also most frequently use English. The Creole spoken today in the Bahamas is believed to have originated from freed slaves from the United States who settled in the island and the slaves of the American Loyalists who were given land grants due to their loyalty to the British Crown during the American Revolution. Most Bahamians do not refer to their vernacular as a Creole language, and instead call it the Bahamian dialect.

Government

Bahamas is an independent country. It gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1973. Its constitution was last ratified in 1973.

The Bahamian government is a parliamentary and constitutional monarchy whose head of state is Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain who is represented by the governor-general. The country’s legal and political traditions closely emulate those of the UK and Westminster. The Right Honorable Hubert Alexander Minnis is the current prime minister of the Bahamas and the head of government. The current Bahamian governor-general is Dame Marguerite Matilda Pindling who is the second female governor-general to serve in the Bahamas. The parliament building is in Nassau while the governor-general’s official residence is also located in Nassau atop Mount Fitzwilliam. The government of the Bahamas comprises of a bicameral national parliament.

Economy

The currency of Bahamas is the Dollar (BSD).

Its major export partners are Poland, Cote d'Ivoire, and the United States. Its main exports are rock lobster, aragonite, and crude salt. Its major import partners are the United States, China, and Japan. Its major imports include machinery and transport equipment, as well as chemicals.

Flag

The Bahamian flag was adopted in 1973 when it replaced the British Blue Ensign that was formerly used. The flag features three stripes and a triangle facing the hoist side. The triangle is black in colors symbolizing the people's strength, the top and bottom stripes are aquamarine symbolizing the water surrounding the country, and the middle stripe is yellow symbolizing the shining sun. The current flag has been the national flag of the Bahamas ever since the country gained its independence. Before the design for the current flag was decided, a contest was held, and it was ultimately decided that the new flag would be a combination of several elements.