Bahamas (English Bahamas) - State of the same name on the islands in the Caribbean Sea, south-east of the Florida peninsula and north of Cuba. In the archipelago comprise about 700 islands and coral reefs. Islands discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. One of the islands - Witling Island (San Salvador) - the first land in the New World, Columbus discovered Oct. 12, 1492.
It is believed that at the time of discovery of the islands by Europeans are living up to 40 thousand people that settled the island in the period from VII to XII century. The Spaniards were taken to the local inhabitants of Hispaniola (Haiti) as slaves, and for two decades, the islands were depopulated.
In 1650 a few settlers arrived here Englishmen from Bermuda, who established a settlement on the island, which nowadays is called Lutheran (from the Greek word meaning "freedom").
The Bahamas became a British colony in 1718 but remained sparsely populated until here until the end of the XVIII century, has not arrived about 8 thousand loyalists who have been expelled to the island with their slaves declared their independence from the United States (New York, Florida and North and South Carolina).
In 1781 the islands were seized by Spain in 1783, returned to the UK.
Since 1964, the islands granted internal self-government, from July 10, 1973 - Independence. Head of State remains the British monarch.
Most of the population - blacks (85%), about 12% - white. Official language - English, although many speak the local variant of it.
The population is very religious. Main religion - Christianity. Approximately one-third - Baptists, followed by the number followed by the adherents of the Anglican and Roman Catholic Church.
Some - particularly in the southern and eastern islands - practicing obeah - a religion similar to voodoo. Himself voodoo involved exclusively immigrants from Haiti, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.
Bahamas - shiplap, comprising approximately 700 islands and coral reefs, and occupying the space of more than 14 thousand square meters. km. Land area - 20% the size of Jamaica. The population is mainly concentrated on the islands of New Providence (born New Providence) and B. Bahamas (born Grand Bahamas).
The largest island - Andres Bimini Islands are located just 50 miles east of Florida. The Bahamas are the second largest city of the archipelago - Freeport (born Freeport). The most southeastern island - Niangua (born Niangua).
The Bahamas is composed mainly of coral limestone. The flooded areas of underwater elevations are large shoals, teeming coral reefs (the largest - Great Bahamas Bank). The surface of the flat islands is widespread karts topography.
There are frequent tropical storms. Rivers are almost absent. Many salt lakes (communicating with the sea).
Predominate thorny thickets of evergreen shrubs, a large area occupied by pine forests. On the islands of Andres and Abaci BA grow deciduous and evergreen tropical forests, on the coasts - the grove of coconut palms.
Cultivated agave (sisal), pineapple, orange trees, banana, tomato, sugar cane.
Attractions Bahamas
The main thing that everybody likes, without exception, the tourists - the beauty of magnificent nature , submarine hunting and fishing (on the islands of Andres, Berry), diving in coral reefs (about Abacus Island, Lutheran), walks on yachts , Long Island) or the observation of a unique pink flamingos , exotic iguanas, the ability to swim with dolphins, feed sharks and dive into the atmosphere of the Caribbean carnival.
Nassau - Undersea Aquarium, the government residence, garden Cadastre Gardens and Preserve Retreat Gardens, Water Tower, the Bay Street shopping street, the famous Cable Beach - an area luxury hotels, casinos and beautiful white sandy beaches. Preserved and the fortress, erected in the XVIII century, and the world-famous Royal staircase of 66 steps, leads high up, overlooking the magnificent view of the bay and the entire city. Center City is the area of the Parliament. At the beginning of the XIX century there were built the Houses of Parliament, the colonial administration, the Supreme Court, surrounding a marble statue of Queen Victoria. Not far from the center of town is Fort Charlotte, built in 1788 and the Atlantis hotel complex with 14 acres of park with 5 artificial lagoons (one of the largest aquariums in the open air), as well as a maze that simulates the ruins of Atlantis, a copy of the Mayan pyramid with water slides and a transparent underwater tunnel. To the east of Nassau is an island "Paradise", coupled with the capital of a long bridge, with world-class resorts, casinos, bustling nightlife.
City of Freeport on. Grand Bahamas Island - a paradise for those who enjoy recreational activities, golfing, tennis, scuba diving, fishing. Always worth a visit international market in Freeport, a small town west coast, where once pirates hid the rum industry and the underground, the monuments of ancient Indian culture Sarawak, a huge underwater caves and beautiful beaches of the east coast of the island, a garden Garden-of-se-Groves, park reserve Rand Memorial and the cave preacher. Coral Island - The worlds largest artificially created a coral reef with an underwater observatory.
What is really interesting in the Bahamas is the local handicraft made of straw and shells, batik and inexpensive, but high-quality local alcoholic drinks. In the Bahamas prohibited spear fishing using underwater guns and other devices. Permission is granted to sport fishing, one way out to sea to pay $ 20 or $ 150 for the entire year, provided that your vessel is not more than six spools of fishing line.