The national flag

The national flag of the Bahamas was adapted the 10 of July of 1973. The flag consists of three horizontal lists, of blue celestial, yellow and blue celestial, that represent sands of the nation and the waters encircle that it. A black triangle, based in tralha, symbolizes the unit.

Atlantis Resort.

The Atlantis Paradise Island is a resort and waterpark located on Paradise Island, The Bahamas. Officially opening in 1997. The resort was created by South African hotel magnate Sol Kerzner and Kerzner International Limited. Paradise Island first opened its Coral and Beach Towers as the Trump Plaza, then changed its name to Atlantis when the Royal Towers were built. The Coral and Beach Towers were later refurbished to match the theme of the Royal Towers. On 28 March 2007 a 600-suite luxury hotel named The Cove Atlantis opened on Paradise Island. Another tower, the 497-room Reef Atlantis, opened 19 December 2007.
Many Celebrities visit this resort annually, some record clips or scenes from movies and TV shows or concerts or just until they go on holiday in this magnificent hotel. Shows like "Friends," "Ugly Betty" and singers like Michael Jackson and Katy Perry are names that have already passed through the island.

Origin Language

English is the official language of The Bahamas whereas, a vast majority of the population speaks "broken" English known as “Bahamian Creole”.

There are some minor regional differences from island to island in terms of pronunciation, but generally all are the same. The second most spoken language is Haitian creole which is spoken by the 30,000 - 60,000 Haitian Migrants in The Bahamas which also include a vast number of illegal Haitian Immigrants.

Politic

The Bahamas is a sovereign independent nation. Political and legal traditions closely follow those of the United Kingdom and the Westminster system. The Bahamas is a parliamentary democracy with two main parties, the Free National Movement and the Progressive Liberal Party.

The Bahamas is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state represented by a Governor-General (Sir Arthur Foulkes).

Economy

 

The Bahamas relies on tourism to generate most of its economic activity. Tourism as an industry not only accounts for over 60% of the Bahamian GDP, but provides jobs for more than half the country's workforce. An example of Tourism in the Bahamas is the number of cruise ships that land in the capital of Nassau. After tourism, the most important economic sector is financial services, accounting for around 15 percent of GDP.

By the terms of GDP per capita, the Bahamas is the third richest country in the Americas (following the United States and Canada), the richest one that lies south of the Mexico - US border as well as the richest one in the world, whose population is predominantly black.

Geography





All the islands are low and flat, with ridges that usually rise no more than 15 to 20 m (49 to 66 ft). The highest point in the country is Mount Alvernia, formerly called Como Hill, which has an altitude of 63 metres (207 ft) on Cat Island.

The climate of the Bahamas is subtropical to tropical, and is moderated significantly by the waters of the Gulf Stream, particularly in winter.[19] Conversely, this often proves very dangerous in the summer and autumn, when hurricanes pass near or through the islands.

While there has never been a freeze reported in the Bahamas, the temperature can fall as low as 2–3 °C (35.6–37.4 °F) during Arctic outbreaks that affect nearby Florida.

Culture

 

Bahamian culture is a hybrid of African and European cultures. Though increasingly influenced by commercialisation (due to tourism) and American music and television, but dipiete this Bahamian culture retains much of its uniqueness.

Bahamian culture is related to other creole cultures throughout the Caribbean Basin, but also to the Gullah culture in coastal South Carolina and Georgia in the United States. Many Gullah people were taken to the Bahamas after the American Revolutionary War.

Religion:



St. Peter Church in Long Island, Bahamas.



 Most Bahamians are adherents to Christianity and attend Mass on a weekly basis. . It is believed that if one dies "in christ" ,he goes to rest and can help the living; if one who is ungodly dies, thier spirit wanders frightening and hurting people. Religion is givien the utmost importance within Bahamian society.

 In addition, the largely hidden and rarely-mentioned practice of Obeah, is still said to persist. Obeah is a type of sorcery, which is sometimes compared with Haitian Voodoo.



Junkanoo Festival.



Music:
Junkanoo music is indigenous to the Bahamas. It is associated primarily with Junkanoo, a type of street carnival which occurs on Boxing Day (December 26) and New Year's Day (January 1). The parades are characterized by spectacular costumes and powerful rhythms beaten traditionally on goatskin drums as well as rich brass bands and shaking cow bells. Bahamian music also incorporates other Caribbean forms such as Calypso, Trinidadian Soca and Jamaican Reggae, as well as American-inspired Rap and Hip Hop.
Bahamian music has clear connections to African forms, drums and dances such as the fire dance and the ringplay can be traced to Africa.

Curiosity

Dolphin: Many famous people and tourists who visit the Bahamas is renowned for dolphin presence in parks and on beaches.

Surname

More than half the population carries the surname Rolle, Denys Rolle of English Heritage, who in the 18th century, won the British cut more than 2,800 hectares of those lands.

Storytelling is one of the cultures taken from the African cultures, Storytelling and folklore played a large role in traditional entertainment in Bahamian communities.

Bush Medicine has been practised since the time of the slaves in the Bahamas. It is still used today to cure many diseases using the naturally occurring plants found.

Straw weaving

Traditional crafts include straw work on most islands (each one having a unique plaiting or braiding style) creating beautiful hats and baskets.

Festivals and celebration play an important role in Bahamian culture, and events such as the Fox Hill Festival and the All Andros Crabfest include food and lively music.

Independence from United Kingdon in 1964.

Population: 309,156.

Ethnic groups: 86% Black, 10% White, 4% Other.

Religions: Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 13,4%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6% and others.

Currency: Bahamian dollar.

Capital: Nassau.

Extension: The Bahamas are made up of 700 islands in an area of 13,000 km².

Woman’s Foibles:

Black women are always neat and impeccable hair, filled with gel and decorated

huge parade with coke. One of the foibles of women in the Bahamas are the braids with beads.