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Bahamas
Quick Overview:
Responsible government and innovative politics have made the island nation of The Bahamas one of the most stable and innovative financial centers in the world. Palm-fringed white and pink sandy beaches washed by the warm, turquoise waters of the Gulf Stream and cooled by southerly trade winds have made The Bahamas legendary as a premier tourist destination. This idyllic setting enjoys another distinction. With an asset base in excess of $200 billion, the Bahamas' banking centre is positioned among the top 10 countries of the world. This achievement is the result of the Bahamian government's long tradition of maintaining social stability within an economic environment supportive to both domestic and international business. The Bahamian chain of some 700 islands and cays stretches across 80,000 square miles of ocean from Florida to Cuba. However, most of the population of about 300,000 lives on two of the largest islands, Grand Bahamas and New Providence, site of the capital city of Nassau. These islands were colonized by the British in 1648 and Bahamians established their first democratic parliament in 1729. That tradition has been maintained ever since. When the islands became fully independent in 1973 the Bahamian parliament was already one of the oldest in the world. The independent judiciary system is founded on English Common Law, with a right of final appeal to the Privy Council in London.
Geography:
In 1648, a group of dissident English Puritans (known as the "Eleutheran Adventurers") arrived here in their quest for religious freedom. Although the adventurers gave the island its name, the island didn't give much back, and the settlers experienced food shortages, a lack of proper supplies and internal strife that split the group into separate communities along Governor's Harbour and Preacher's Cave in Eleuthera. Seeking peace, the Eleutheran's leader, Captain William Sayles, set sail for the American colonies and succeeded in obtaining survival supplies from the Massachusetts Bay Colony and then returned to the struggling outpost. To better guard against marauding Spanish troops in the area, another settlement was then established on the nearby - and more easily defended - Harbour Island. Piracy was at its height from the late 1600s to the early 1700s. The Islands Of The Bahamas was a popular "stopping off" point for many of the world's most infamous pirates. Explore this section for details. More than a century later, another major influx of newcomers arrived in Eleuthera when American colonists still loyal to the British flag left the newly independent nation, many bringing with them the slaves they held in America. These Loyalists also brought their Colonial building skills, as well as their agricultural and shipbuilding expertise, all of which became major influences in Eleutheran life. To solidify their independence, in 1783, the former Loyalists, assisted by the South Carolina militia, took up arms and forced the retreat of Spanish forces from the entire region - even as far away as Nassau and Bermuda - without a shot being fired.
Related Links:
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News The Nassau Guardian Online Bahamas News Bahamians Onlien Archive |
Offical Sites Offical Bahamas Site Bahamas Net Government Page |
Country Guides Bahamas.com The Bahamas Guide Whats on Bahamas |
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