Bahamas

Bahamas: population and cities

Population

Population

According to Countryaah website, the Bahamas has a population of about 390,000.

90% Africans (descendants of immigrants and slaves from West Africa)

10% whites (descendants of immigrants from England), mulattos etc.

Religions

70% Protestants (Baptists, Anglicans, Methodists etc.), 15% Catholics, other Christian churches around 13% as well as minorities of followers of natural religions or Jewish and Muslim communities.

National languages

The official language of the country is English and Kreoli is spoken.

Capital

The capital of the Bahamas is Nassau with approx. 270,000 residents

Bahamas: geography, map

Defined by DigoPaul, the Bahamas are at the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico. Located northeast of Cuba and east of Florida, they are not part of the Caribbean in the strict sense, but part of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Bahamas consist of around 700 islands, of which only about 30 are inhabited, as well as over 2,400 small coral islands (cays). The islands cover an area of 13,939 km².

About 11% of the islands are protected areas. The sea area of the Bahamas borders Florida, Cuba and the Turks Islands. The islands of the Bahamas have a sea coast with a length of about 3,545 km.

Islands of the Bahamas

The shortest distance from the main island to Florida is about 200 km. The fertile soil layer is thin. However, cultivation on the inhabited islands has improved the soil.

On the other islands, the landscape partly consists of large coniferous forests, rocky and barren land, swamps and, above all, wonderful sandy beaches. The Bahamas are divided into the small and large Bahamabank.

• Abaco 1,681 km², 13,170 residents
• Acklins 497 km², 430 residents
• Andros 5,957 km², 7,690 residents
• Berry Islands 31 km², 710 residents
• Bimini 23 km², 1,720 residents
• Cat Island 388 km², 1,650 residents
• Crooked Island and Long Cay 241 km², 350 residents
• Eleuthera 484 km², 8,000 residents
• Exuma 187 km², 7,570 residents
• Grand Bahama 1,373 km², 46,990 residents
• Harbor Island 8 km², 1,640 residents
• Inagua 1,551 km², 970 residents
• Long Island 596 km², 2,990 residents
• Mayaguana 285 km², 260 residents
• New Providence 207 km², 210,830 residents
• Ragged Island 36 km², 70 residents
• Rum Cay 78 km², 80 residents
• San Salvador 163 km², 970 residents
• Spanish Wells 26 km², 1,530 residents

Abaco Islands

A 200 kilometer long chain of islands with the main islands Great and Little Abaco is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the region. There are very beautiful bays and wonderful sandy beaches. New Plymouth is a fishing village on Green Turtle Cay with many New England-style wooden houses.

Marsh Harbor is the largest of the islands on the main island of Great Abaco. Harbor Island and Spanish Wells are now separate districts and have been separated from the North Eleuthera district. Eleuthera was the first port of call for English settlers in the 17th century who settled in the Bahamas for religious reasons. Many settlers and also slaves were deported here from North America. After the loss of the North American colonies, "Loyalists" who had remained loyal to the British Crown settled on the island. The population grew steadily. The economy was based on cotton plantations and shipbuilding. Dunmore Town on Harbor Island still bears witness to this great time with some old buildings.

Grand Bahamas Island

Only about 85 km from Florida, this island is very popular. The two national parks Lucayan National Park and Peterson Cay National Park are worth the trip alone. The two largest cities are Freeport/Lucaya, where the airport is located, and the West End. The island offers wide sandy beaches, two casinos and very good shopping opportunities - not least through the International Bazaar. For nature lovers who don't just want to spend their vacation on the beach, the Rand Memorial Nature Center is ideal - a nature park that offers walks, but also waterfalls, exotic plants and colorful birds. Another natural spectacle not to be missed is the almost tame dolphins as they slide and jump through Sanctuary Bay.

Andros

The interior of this island often consists of unspoiled nature, as it is still relatively unknown and has not yet been visited by many tourists. On the east coast is the 224 km long coral reef - and at least the third longest in the world. Seaward beyond the reef, the ocean floor descends steeply to a depth of 1.5 km. Deep sea fishing is a big draw here. Another attraction are the feral domestic pigs that live on Big Major Cay Island and swim to the boats anchored here to beg for food.

Exuma Islands

The water around this 160 km long chain of islands with an area of 187 km² has been described by sailors as the most beautiful sailing region in the world. Here are still pristine cay and spectacular coral reefs. The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park can only be reached by boat and offers insights into the extraordinary marine life.

Inside there are still some formerly generously built plantation houses, but they have fallen victim to the ravages of time. However, quite a few families bear the names of the former plantation owners. The Family Island Regatta takes place in Elizabeth Harbor in April.

Cat Island

Located on the eastern edge of the Bahamas, Cat Island has a 60 meter high cliff - a height that is rare in the Bahamas. Furthermore, there are dense, often untouched forests and some pre-Colombian caves of the Arawak Indians. Father Jerome's hermitage is on Mount Alvernia.

In August, during the bank holiday, the Cat Island Regatta takes place on Cat Island.

Bimini

Located between Andros and Florida and surrounded by the Gulf Stream, Bimini has a fishing area that many consider to be the best in the world. Hemingway lived in Alice Town in the Blue Marlin Cottage and memories of his life can be viewed in the museum there.

Berry Islands

Many visitors will find their personal paradise here - remote, white, extensive beaches allow this association. Great Harbor Cay has a marina and a large golf course. Divers can marvel at the coral reef not far from Mamma Rhoda Rock.

Blue Lagoon Island

This island is impressively named after the Blue Lagoon. This exotic lagoon is the scene of spectacular dolphin watching. A tour to be booked includes introductory words from the guide and the opportunity to swim with the dolphins within 30 minutes.

long Island

This island lives up to its name: it is almost 100 km long, but just under 5 km wide. The landscape offers steep slopes, pastureland and long sandy beaches. At Conception Island, divers can explore over 30 shipwrecks. Tours there are arranged by the Stella Maris Resort Club.

The Salt Pond Long Island Regatta takes place here every May.

Those who want to relax and be pampered with culinary delights should stop by Max's Conch Bar and Grill, a fish restaurant that has meanwhile become a tourist attraction.

And don't forget: this is the island that gave its name to a famous cocktail!

San Salvador

This island was the first Columbus set foot on in the New World. The island still impresses nature lovers - a large number of unique birds can be observed here. Cockburn Town, on the west coast of San Salvador, was where Columbus is said to have first set foot on the island - but other cities also claim this. Fishing and diving are the main attractions for tourists here. Landing by ship on the island is only possible in Cockburn Town as the rest of the island is surrounded by coral reefs.

Tidal range

In Nassau the mean tidal range is around 0.7 m.

Compare

The world's highest tidal range can be found in the Bay of Fundy in Canada, where it is up to 16 meters, and at spring tide even over 20 meters. The Bay of Fundy is located on the Atlantic between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, which is called Nova Scotia in German and whose capital is Halifax.

On the German North Sea coast it varies between one and three meters. In the western Baltic Sea, on the other hand, the tidal range is only 0.3 meters, while it is barely noticeable in the eastern Baltic Sea.

Longitude and latitude

The Bahamas extend over the following geographical latitude (abbreviation Δφ) and geographical longitude (abbreviation Δλ):

You can find detailed information on this subject under Longitude and Latitude.

Time

In the Bahamas, the following applies to Central European Time (CET), i.e. without summer time:

So it is 5 hours or 4 hours earlier there than in Central Europe. Further and detailed explanations of the time can be found under Time zones, time.

Highest point of the sun in Nassau

Nassau lies at a northern latitude of about φ = 25 °. This means that the city is just outside the tropics. When the sun or its image point is at the northern tropic, i.e. at δ = 23.5 °, summer begins in Nassau; this is June 21st. Accordingly, for the highest position of the sun at noon, according to Eq. 1 (see position of the sun):

25 ° = (90 ° - h) + 23.5 °

so:

This is the highest level above the horizon (exactly: above the chimney) that the sun occupies within the year in Nassau.

Elevations and lakes

Mount Alvernia

The highest point in the country is Mount Alvernia with a height of 63 m.

The country includes numerous smaller lakes. There are also underground cave lakes.

Atlantic Ocean

The Bahamas are located in the Atlantic Ocean. The distance from the main island to Florida is around 200 km in a north-westerly direction and that to Cuba in a south-westerly direction is around 165 km.

With an area of around 106 million km², the Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic) is the second largest ocean in the world after the Pacific. It separates America from Europe and Africa. At 9,220 m, it has its deepest point in Milwaukeetief - part of the Puerto Rico trench. Its salt content is on average 3.54% (g/l). Its water volume is approx. 355 million km³. Coming from the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf Stream crosses the Atlantic to the coast of Norway and has a major impact on the climate in Western and Northern Europe.

The Atlantic includes numerous so-called marginal seas, and a distinction is made between the Atlantic and the North Atlantic and the South Atlantic. The Strait of Gibraltar is certainly a very well-known connection between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, where it separates Europe (Gibraltar/Great Britain) from Africa (Morocco). The Panama Canal connects the Pacific with the Atlantic for around 82 km. The Atlantic and Pacific meet at the legendary Cape Horn on the southern tip of the American continent.