NASSAU (BAHAMAS)by Janna Lauver

Nassau (A whole island not just a city!)• The capital city of The Bahamas is found

on our 11th largest island, New Providence. Nassau’s history can be traced back to days of the legendary pirate Blackbeard. Its sheltered harbor, mansions, cathedrals and 18th-century fortresses have been beautifully preserved.

Paradise Island• Once known as Hogg Island, Paradise

Island is 685 acres of pure bliss connected to Nassau by two bridges. The island was developed almost exclusively to delight and entertain visitors.

About the Area:

Bay Street• Shops, pubs and cafes line Nassau’s historic Bay Street. Considered the

city’s “Main Street”, it has maintained its historic feel while offering all the amenities our visitors’ desire.

Blue Lagoon Island• A relaxing 20-minute sail from Nassau, Blue Lagoon Island has several

programs that allow visitors to interact with dolphins. Meet these loving mammals from the edge of the water or get up close and personal right next to them in the ocean.

Cable Beach• Looking for some sand? Look no further than a few miles west of

Nassau. There sits a two-and-a-half mile stretch of beach and beach life. Cable Beach is also home to the Crystal Palace Casino, as well as several luxury resorts, nightclubs and the Cable Beach golf course.

Areas of Interest:

4 Things You Should Know about The Bahamas

Population: About 300,000 people

Total Area: 5,382 square miles

Capital City: Nassau

Official Language: People in Bahamas speak English. But the

Haitian immigrants speak Creole.– Common speech is more British than English– Locals have a strong accent and every other word is a slang word

Flag

• The flag is black, teal, and yellow

Population

• Capital=Nassau.• Nassau has about 240,000 people.• Blacks make up 4/5 of population . Rest

are either whites or mulattoes (persons of mixed black and white ancestry.)

• The highest temperature in the Bahamas is 89° - 95°• The lowest temperature in the Bahamas is 62°- 64°

• Average winter temp= about 70F• Mild all year round• Beautiful and rocky

Climate

History

• Lucayan (Arawak or Taino) Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492.

• The earliest permanent European settlement occurred in 1647 on the island of Eleuthera. The 18th century slave trade brought many Africans to the Bahamas. Their descendants constitute 85 percent of the Bahamian population.

• Became a British colony in 1717. Spain gave up its claim to the islands in 1783, under treaty of Paris. After the Revolutionary war, in America, British came from the United States and settled in The Bahamas.

• Full independence gained on July 10, 1973

Some of the Bahamas Land and water mammals.

• Some of the smallest mammals on land are raccoon and the hutia (Banana Rat).

• Some larger mammals are wild donkeys, wild boar, and horses.• The whale and the dolphin are the most common sea mammal. • Some of the reptiles are the rock iguana and the Hawksbill turtle and the

Cat island terrapin.• One bird that lives on the island is the flamingo.

Workforce/Jobs

• Most popular jobs= Tourism and Banking• Industrial jobs are cement, rum, salt, oil

transshipment • Bahamian dollar one hundred cents equal

one dollar• Because of its geography, the country is a

major transshipment point for illegal drugs for both the United States and Europe

Food & Cuisine• Citrus fruits, vegetables, bananas,

cucumbers, pineapples and tomatoes• Live stock is 750 cattle, 3 million chicken

14,500 pigs 5,000 sheep amount of fish they catch is 10,732 metric tons.

• Conch (pronounced 'konk’), Crawfish (local rock lobster), land crabs, and fish such as Grouper, Yellow Tail and Red Snapper are local and tourist favorites.

• Boiled fish and grits is a favorite breakfast. Boiled fish is also delicious served with homemade Island bread. A typical Bahamian meal consists of crab and rice, steamed fish, served with baked macaroni and cheese and potato salad.

• Desserts such as coconut or pineapple tart, bread pudding or guava duff, a delicious dessert that is made through a laborious process of folding the fruit into the dough and boiling and is served with a sauce.

• This meal is finished off with a large glass of ice cold "switcha" (lemon, sugar and water mixture) or beer.

Religion

• No official religion• Lucayan Beliefs

• Two supreme gods• Many different types of religions.• Baptist 35.4%• Anglican 15.1%• Roman Catholic 13.5%• Pentecostal 8.1%• Church of God 4.8%• Methodist 4.2%• other Christian 15.2%• none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8%

Military

Military branches – Royal Bahamian Defense Force

• Land Force, Navy, Air Wing (2009)• Military service age and obligation • 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2008)

Government

• Type of government is independent commonwealth

• Head of State: Queen Elizabeth ll• Head of government: Prime Minister Hubert

Alexander Ingraham• Represented by Governor General Arthur D.

Hanna

• The Bahamas School attendance is between the ages of 5 and 16 year olds.

• There are 158 primary schools.• There are 52 privately operated schools. • School start starts from nursery at age 3 or

Kindergarten at age 4 and all the and all the way up to High School grade 12.

• Percent that go to school is 95.6%• Very high literacy rate (Higher than the United States).

Schools

Sports

• Basketball is big in the Bahamas.• Soccer is huge!

– “It is an event quite unlike any other. The FIFA Congress is about to get started once again and, as usual, that means a huge number of people are on the move and a mammoth logistical effort underway. No fewer than ten tons of material have been transported from FIFA headquarters, representing more than 100,000 items overall, while 3,659 flights have been booked from every corner of the planet, more than 5,000 hotel nights reserved and around 100 journalists accredited for an event that will feature 1,000 participants.”