Bahamas, The: Background & Geography
| Introduction | Bahamas, The |
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Background:
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Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US. |
| Geography | Bahamas, The |
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Location:
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Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba |
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Geographic coordinates:
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24 15 N, 76 00 W |
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Map references:
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Central America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total: 13,940 sq km
water: 3,870 sq km land: 10,070 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Connecticut |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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3,542 km |
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Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
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territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream |
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Terrain:
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long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m |
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Natural resources:
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salt, aragonite, timber, arable land |
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Land use:
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arable land: 0.6%
permanent crops: 0.4% other: 99% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage |
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Environment - current issues:
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coral reef decay; solid waste disposal |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note:
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strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited |