The BahamasBy Keith Bogan

Location

Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba

Coordinates› 24 15 N, 76 00 W

Total Area-13,880 sq km

water: 3,870 sq km slightly smaller than

Connecticut

Capital Population

Nassau- It is a whole island not just a city

Located in the Northwestern part of the Bahamas

309,156 citizens

Interesting Geographical Facts Climate

› tropical marine surrounded by warm waters of the Gulf Stream

Terrain› long, flat coral formations with

some low rounded hills Elevations

› lowest point is the Atlantic Ocean at 0 m

› highest point is Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island at 63 m

Natural Resources› Salt› Aragonite› Timber› arable land

Bahamas is made up of 700 islands and only 30 islands are inhabited

Weather› They have

hurricanes and tropical storms, which usually flood the surrounding area

Currency

Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Languages

The official language of the Bahamas is English.

Common speech is more British than English Locals have a strong accent and every other

word is a slang word

Flag

The colors represent the golden beaches of the islands in gold and are surrounded by the aquamarine sea

Black represents the mental state of mind and force of a united people

The black triangle represents the determination of the Bahamian people to develop the rich resources of land and sea

Government Executive branch

› Chief of State: is Queen Elizabeth II (since February,6 1952)

› Represented by Governor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1 February 2006)

› Head of Government: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 4 May 2007)

› Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation

› Elections, the monarch is hereditary› Governor General is appointed by the

monarch Legislative Branch

› Bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16 Members), who serve for 5 years

› House of Assembly (41 seats), members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms

Elections last held May , 2007 (next to be held by May 2012)

Judicial Branch Privy Council in London; Courts of Appeal;

Supreme) Court; Magistrates' Courts

Government › constitutional

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Legal system › Based on English

common law

Bahamas History Lucayan Indians inhabited the

islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492.

British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783.

Obtained Independence from the United Kingdom in 1973

The Bahamas have prospered through tourism, international banking and investment management.

Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs for both the United States and Europe

HIV/AIDS6,200 (2007 est.)country comparison to the world: 118

Median AgeTotal: 28.7 yearsMale: 27.9 yearsFemale: 29.5 years (2009 est.)

Education System

Literacy› definition: age 15

and over can read and write

total population: 95.6%

male: 94.7% female: 96.5%

(2003 est.)

School attendance is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16

As of 1999, the government fully operates 158 of the 210 primary and secondary schools in The Bahamas.

School starts from nursery (age 3) or kindergarten (age 4) all the way up to high school (grade 12).

Foods

Boiled fish and grits is a favorite breakfast. Boiled fish is also delicious served with homemade Island bread. Grouper is the most popular fish used for boiling. Bahamians are experts at cooking this fish which is flaky, white, tender and mild in flavor.

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.

This explains why heart disease and diabetes is high in the Bahamas

National Holidays

National holiday › Independence

Day, July 10, 1973 Constitution written

› July 10, 1973

2009 1 Jan New Year's Day.

10 Apr Good Friday.13 Apr Easter Monday.1 Jun Whit Monday.5 Jun Labour Day.10 Jul Independence Day.3 Aug Emancipation Day.12 Oct National Heroes' Day.25 Dec Christmas Day.26 Dec Boxing Day.

Major 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% (2000 census)

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)

Soccer in the Bahamas

“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.”

Works Cited

http://www.bahamaspost.com/bahamas/bahamas-sports/3691.html (newspaper)

http://www.grandbahamavacations.com/about-the-island/our-culture/ (magazine)

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bf.html (website)

http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/24/public_holidays/Caribbean/Bahamas.html (website)