Independence Day Recently Celebrated in the Bahamas

People all across the BAHAMAS celebrated their country's Independence Day on Friday, July 10th. The Bahamas achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1973. Happy belated Independence Day!

The Bahamas Exports

The following produce and materials are major exports of The BAHAMAS: aragonite (calcium carbonate), cement, citrus and tropical fruit, crawfish, fish, pharmaceuticals, polystyrene (foam) products, poultry, rum, salt, spiral-welded steel pipe, timber, and various vegetables. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports in 2016 include the United States (top importer), Namibia, Panama, France, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Spain, Mozambique, Argentina, Canada, Bulgaria, Sweden, Brazil, Barbados, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dominican Republic, Antigua and Barbuda, and Hong Kong.

Districts of the Bahamas

Click on the map image above to enlarge it in a pop-up lightbox window.

An island country boasting about 700 islands and even more coral reef cays, The BAHAMAS is administratively divided into 32 Districts. There is also a "non-district" called New Providence, where the national capital (Nassau) is located. As shown on the map above, the Bahamas' districts are Acklins, Berry Islands, Bimini, Black Point, Cat Island, Central Abaco, Central Andros, Central Eleuthera, City of Freeport, Crooked Island, East Grand Bahama, Exuma, Grand Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, Hope Town, Inagua, Long Island, Mangrove Cay, Mayaguana, Moore's Island, North Abaco, North Andros, North Eleuthera, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador, South Abaco, South Andros, South Eleuthera, Spanish Wells, and West Grand Bahama.

The Bahamas Extinct and Endangered Species

As of July 31st, 2014, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ lists 18 endangered and 10 critically endangered species in The BAHAMAS (my Bahamas post). The Red List declares that 2 species formerly on the Red List are now extinct: the Brace's Emerald hummingbird and the West Indian Seal (Caribbean Monk Seal). The critically endangered species represent a wide variety of animals. There are birds (Bahama Oriole and Jamaica Petrel), coral (Elkhorn Coral and Staghorn Coral), fish (Jewfish - also known as Atlantic Goliath Grouper; Warsaw Grouper; and Wide Sawfish), the Hawksbill Turtle, the Somersiella sterreri caridean shrimp, and the Turks and Caicos Rock Iguana.

The Capital of the Bahamas, Nassau

Nassau is the largest city and the capital of a country known for its Caribbean beauty and flair, The BAHAMAS. A stop for many cruise ships and tourists, Nassau is conveniently located on the northern shore of New Providence, a small island compared to the Bahamas' larger islands (like Andros Island for one). At the time of this post, the population stands at around 250,000. As a reference, Nassau is less than 200 miles from the coast of Florida, a U.S. state.

The Bahamas

Situated along the Caribbean Sea's northernmost extent, THE BAHAMAS country is a well-known group of islands with English as the predominately-spoken language. Places that are near the Bahamas include the US state of Florida, Cuba, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The capital is Nassau, which is located on the populated island of New Providence. The currency is the Bahamian Dollar, and its ISO 4217 currency code is BSD.