Visiting Bahamas
For travel guide for Bahamas and practical advice regarding eating, drinking, shopping, how to get around, price levels on lodging and holiday accomodation (e.g. hotels, vacation rentals by owner, b&b's, vacation rental homes, holiday villas, condos, cabins, hostels, self-catering cottages) and safety hints please click here.

Bahamas facts, geography & history

Facts
Government: Parliamentary democracy.
Population (est.): 304,000 .
Capital, population (est.): Nassau, 223,000.
Language: English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants).
Monetary unit: Bahamian dollar.

Geography
The closest island to the United States is Bimini also known as the gateway to the Bahamas. The island of Abaco is to the east of Grand Bahama. The most southeastern island is Inagua. Other notable islands include Andros Island, Eleuthera, Cat Island, Long Island, San Salvador, Acklins, Crooked Island, Exuma and Mayaguana. Nassau is the capital and largest city, located on New Providence. The islands have a subtropical climate, moderated by the Gulf Stream.
In the southeast, the Caicos Islands and the Turks islands, and three more extensive submarine features called Mouchoir Bank, Silver Bank, and Navidad Bank, are geographically a continuation of the Bahamas, but not part of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
The climate of the Bahamas is subtropical to tropical, and is moderated significantly by the waters of the Gulf Stream, particularly in winter. Conversely, this often proves very dangerous in the summer and autumn, when hurricanes pass near or through the islands. Hurricane Andrew hit the northern islands in 1992, and Hurricane Floyd hit most of the islands in 1999. Hurricane Frances of 2004 was expected to be the worst ever for the islands. Also in 2004, the northern Bahamas were hit by a less potent Hurricane Jeanne. In 2005 the northern islands were once again struck this time by Hurricane Wilma. In Grand Bahama tidal surges and high winds destroyed homes and schools, floated graves and made roughly 1,000 people homeless, most of which lived on the west coaaaast of the island. The homeless people were stuck without food, water and resources............
Adopted from and read more at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahamas

History
If you are interested in this country's history, please take a look here.