Caribbean · North America

Bahamas

Discover the Bahamas - an archipelago of 700 islands stretching across turquoise waters, where swimming pigs roam beaches and the world's third-largest barrier reef thrives.

Where Is the Bahamas?

The Bahamas is a country in the Caribbean, North America. Its capital is Nassau.

Where Bahamas isCaribbean · Capital Nassau

Capital Nassau
Population 403K
Area 13,943 km²

The Bahamas is not one island - it is 700 of them, scattered across 260,000 square kilometers of the clearest ocean water on the planet. Only about 30 are inhabited, which means there are hundreds of empty cays, sandbars, and coral islands out there with nothing but seabirds and sea turtles. The water is so transparent that from a plane, you can see the sandy bottom in shades of turquoise, aquamarine, and electric blue that don't look real until you're floating in them.

Nassau and Paradise Island draw the cruise ships and casino crowds, but the real Bahamas lies in the Out Islands - Eleuthera with its pink sand beaches, the Exumas with their swimming pigs, Andros with the third-largest barrier reef on Earth, and Long Island with Dean's Blue Hole, one of the deepest blue holes on Earth. The Bahamas sits just 80 kilometers off Florida, yet its Junkanoo festival, rake-and-scrape music, and conch-obsessed cuisine are distinctly Caribbean. This is an archipelago that has been luring people since Columbus first made landfall in the New World on San Salvador in 1492.

At a glance

Language

English (& Bahamian Creole)

Currency

Bahamian Dollar (BSD)

Calling Code

+1-242

Drives On

Left

Internet

.bs

Timezone

EST (UTC-5 / UTC-4)

Script

Latin

Government

Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy

Independence

1973

By population

Largest cities in Bahamas

Nassau

Capital city on New Providence Island, a colorful colonial port with pastel buildings, straw markets, and the famous Atlantis resort on neighboring Paradise Island

275,000

Freeport

Second city on Grand Bahama Island, a planned resort town with duty-free shopping, the Lucayan National Park, and underwater cave systems

27,000

Marsh Harbour

Largest town in the Abaco Islands and a world-class sailing destination, rebuilt with resilience after Hurricane Dorian in 2019

6,000

George Town

Capital of the Exumas and gateway to the famous Exuma Cays, a laid-back settlement that hosts the annual Family Island Regatta

1,500

Dunmore Town

Charming village on Harbour Island known for its pastel-colored clapboard cottages and the legendary Pink Sands Beach

1,500

People

Famous people from Bahamas

Sidney Poitier
Film
First Black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, raised in the Bahamas before becoming one of Hollywood's greatest stars
Lenny Kravitz
Music
Rock legend with Bahamian heritage who has won four consecutive Grammy Awards and maintains a home in Eleuthera
Tonique Williams-Darling
Sport
Olympic gold medalist in the 400 meters at the 2004 Athens Games, the first individual Olympic champion in Bahamian history
Shaunae Miller-Uibo
Sport
Two-time Olympic 400m champion who famously dove across the finish line in Rio 2016 to win gold by inches

Food

Traditional cuisine of Bahamas

Conch Salad: Fresh raw conch diced with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and citrus juice, the Bahamas' signature street food prepared right in front of you
Cracked Conch: Tenderized conch breaded and deep-fried until golden and crispy, served with spicy dipping sauce at every island restaurant
Rock Lobster: Bahamian spiny lobster grilled, broiled, or served in creamy salad, the premium catch that drives the country's fishing industry
Guava Duff: Traditional Bahamian dessert of guava fruit rolled in dough, steamed, and drenched in a rich butter rum sauce
Johnnycake: Slightly sweet, dense bread that has been a staple of Bahamian cooking for generations, perfect alongside any seafood dish

Nature

Nature and landmarks in Bahamas

Exuma Cays Land and Sea ParkNational Park: World's first land-and-sea park protecting 456 square kilometers of pristine cays, coral reefs, and marine life in stunning turquoise waters
Dean's Blue HoleCoast: One of the deepest blue holes on Earth at 202 meters, a perfectly circular abyss on Long Island used for freediving world records
Andros Barrier ReefCoast: Third-largest barrier reef in the world stretching 225 kilometers along Andros Island, teeming with coral, fish, and underwater caves
Thunderball GrottoIsland: Stunning sea cave in the Exumas made famous by the James Bond film, where sunlight streams through openings onto crystal-clear water
Lucayan National ParkNational Park: Home to one of the longest underwater cave systems in the world, mangrove creeks, and a pristine gold sand beach on Grand Bahama

Sport

Sports in Bahamas

Track and Field: The Bahamas consistently produces world-class sprinters, winning Olympic gold in the 400m and 4x400m relay despite a population under 400,000
Sailing: The annual Family Island Regatta in George Town is the national sailing championship, featuring handmade wooden sloops in a tradition dating back generations
Basketball: Growing basketball culture with several Bahamians reaching the NBA, including Buddy Hield and Deandre Ayton

Facts

Did you know?

The Bahamas has 700 islands but only about 30 are inhabited, leaving hundreds of pristine uninhabited cays
The famous swimming pigs of Big Major Cay in the Exumas have become one of the most photographed attractions in the Caribbean
Columbus made his first landfall in the New World on the Bahamian island of San Salvador on October 12, 1492
The water in the Bahamas is so clear you can see the bottom from an airplane at cruising altitude
Junkanoo, the Bahamas' biggest cultural festival, features elaborate costumes and parades on Boxing Day and New Year's Day
The Bahamas is technically in the Atlantic Ocean, not the Caribbean Sea, though it is culturally Caribbean
Dean's Blue Hole on Long Island is 202 meters deep, making it one of the deepest blue holes on Earth