Amazing and weird fact about Bahamas.
The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is an island country. The Bahamas became a British Crown colony in 1718, when the British clamped down on piracy. In terms of gross domestic product per capita, the Bahamas is one of the richest countries in the Americas.
Some common facts about the Bahamas.
1. There is no railway on the island and the road network on larger islands stretches to 2,693 km of highways.
2. The Bahamas have a magnificent underwater cave system. The sea was 250 feet low than its present level during the glacial period. Acid rain eroded the limestone in the island and lead to the formation of vertical and horizontal caves.
3. The most popular seafood on the island is Conch.
4. While the country drives on the left, you can surprisingly find some cars with steering on the left side while some with steering on the right side.
5. Only 30 of the total 700 islands in the Bahamas are inhabited. New Providence is a populated island in the Bahamas with a population over two hundred thousand.
6. The Bahamas is one of the two countries whose official name begins with the word “the”. Wondering which is the other? It is “the Gambia”.
7. The Bahamas is right on the edge of the infamous Bermuda Triangle.
Map of the Bahamas
Interesting facts about the history of the Bahamas.
1. On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus is believed to have landed on the island.
2. "Lynden O" became the country’s first prime minister after it gained independence on 10th July 1973.
3. The Bahamas signed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) on 4 February 2005.
4. During the 1980s, the island became an established site for the drug trade. Reportedly, almost 90% of the cocaine entered the United States passing through the Bahamas.
5. "Hubert Ingraham" became the prime minister of the Bahamas in 1992 and served another consecutive term in the chair. During his governance, he emphasized on job creation and economic development of the country.
6. Slave trade was the main economic enterprise on the island after the departure of the first royal governor of the island – Captain Woodes Rogers. Slavery ended in the island nation in 1838.
Flag of the Bahamas.
Some facts about tourism, hurricanes, economy, currency and more.
1. The Bahamian dollar is equal to the U.S. dollar and you can easily use the U.S. dollars across the island as they are freely accepted as cash. However, the U.S. does not accept Bahamian dollars on its retail counters. You will have to exchange the currency or spend it in the Bahamas before you leave the country.
2. There is only one stock exchange in the Bahamas – The Bahamas International Stock Exchange (BISX).
3. The tourist from the United States and Canada are not required to carry their passports to the Bahamas for a stay of less than three weeks. Every year millions of visitors to the country spend billions of dollars. The average cost per day of staying on the island varied depending on the season and location. You can expect to spend between $30 and $400 per day during your visit to the island.
4. Gambling is made legal for non-Bahamians visiting the Bahamas.
5. Tourism makes about 40-45% of the nation’s economy. It has excellent beaches, flora, fauna and many recreational and resort facilities.
6. The Bahamas is an import-oriented economy. However, substantial tourism activities and financial services provided by the country bring in a lot of foreign exchange to balance the economy. Bahamas economy is said to be developing and stable by CIA.
7. The year 2004 – and the Bahamas is hit by another furious hurricane: Hurricane Frances, causing widespread damage to living and non-living.
8. The Bahamas has the world’s third largest registry of ships.
9. There is no income or sales tax for Bahamas residents. Majority of the government revenue comes from tariffs and import fees.
10. Things have not settled yet and they saw another monster hurricane in the island; tearing houses apart, uprooting trees, tossing automobiles and battering homes. However, the island is ready to shine again and make a comeback as strong as needed to forget the pain and the devastation caused by the natural disaster.
11. The Bahamas government provides maternity grant for each live birth, and a 13-week maternity benefit.
12. Extensive damage was caused to the island by hurricane Floyd and the nation saw a dip in tourism.
13. Bahamians watch same TV channels as the Americans do. They have a few local shows, though.
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