Explore the Bahamas
The Islands Of The Bahamas is a 100,000-sq-mile archipelago that extends over 500 miles of the clearest water in the world. Our 700 islands, including uninhabited cays and large rocks, total an estimated land area of 5,382 sq miles, and register a highest land elevation of 206 ft. Most notable, however, is that each island has it’s own diversity that continues beyond geography, carrying through to the heart of The Bahamas, the Bahamian people. You’ll find it in our heritage. In our culture. And in the irony of our humble pride. These are The Islands Of The Bahamas. Population is somewhere north of 300,000.
Geography played a crucial role in Bahamian history. In 1492, Christopher Columbus made his first landfall in the New World on the island of San Salvador in the eastern Bahamas. After observing the shallow sea around the islands, he said "baja mar" (shallow water or sea), and effectively named the area The Bahamas, or The Islands of the Shallow Sea.
Since it was located close to Florida and well-travelled shipping channels, The Islands Of The Bahamas caught the attention of explorers, settlers, invaders and traders. These people shaped the colourful history of The Bahamas and made the country what it is today.
The tourism industry began in the mid-19th century with government support for the construction of hotels and subsidised steamship service. Tourism once again blossomed in the 1920s when Prohibition brought well-to-do American tourists to the islands. The influx of visitors increased the demand for food, lodging and other items. Consequently, the banking industry boomed as The Islands Of The Bahamas built new hotels, warehouses, bars, distilleries and wharves.
After the repeal of Prohibition, The Islands Of The Bahamas went into an economic slump that lasted until the 1940s and World War II, when it served as an air and sea way-station in the Atlantic. Construction of the base brought jobs to many people.
Then in 1961, when Cuba (with its glitzy casinos and beach resorts) was closed to American tourists, The Islands Of The Bahamas’ good fortune began. Capitalizing on its close proximity to the United States, the government of The Islands Of The Bahamas set out to increase the number of people who visited it each year. It dredged Nassau’s harbour so it could accommodate up to six cruise ships at a time and it built a bridge connecting Nassau to Paradise Island.
In 1964, Great Britain granted The Islands Of The Bahamas limited self-government, and in 1969 the colony of The Bahamas became a Commonwealth. It then legally became a nation on July 10, 1973, which is celebrated today as Bahamian Independence Day.
Nassau, capital city of The Bahamas, resides on New Providence Island, neighbor to Paradise Island. This island pair maintains a distinct blend of international glamor and tropical ease, giving travelers freedom to do everything or nothing at all.
With its impressive combination of ecological wonders and manmade attractions, Grand Bahama Island generously offers something for everyone, including two or three vacations in one. The challenge is deciding which to try first.
