Bahamas Travel Guide

The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is an independent nation and former British colony located in the Atlantic Ocean. About 80 km east of Florida and 200 km north of Cuba, the Bahamas is made up of over 700 picturesque islands, 23 of which are inhabited.

The Bahamas is a popular tourist destination for divers, sailors, and beach-lovers from around the world, and its semi-tropical weather, beautiful white-sand beaches, and crystal clear water make it a popular destination year round.

The islands were sparsely populated by Taino tribes in 1492 when Columbus arrived there, but subsequent visits by Spanish slave traders resulted in the complete depopulation of the islands. When British Puritans arrived in the 1647, they had the islands virtually to themselves. Pirates soon followed the religious settlers however and used the Bahamas as a base for naval raids for several decades.

In 1717, the Bahamas became a British colony and by 1729 a parlimentary government was established. In 1973, the Bahamas became an independent nation but remains a member of the British Commonwealth.

Tourism is its key industry, but the Bahamas also houses important offshore-banking and financial institutions.