The closest island to the United States is Bimini, which is also known as the gateway to the Bahamas. The island of Abaco is to the east of Grand Bahama. The southeasternmost island is Great Inagua. Other notable islands include the Bahamas' largest island, Andros Island, and Eleuthera, Cat Island, Long Island, San Salvador Island, Acklins, Crooked Island, Exuma and Mayaguana. Nassau, the Bahamas capital city, lies on the island of New Providence.
Club Med beach in Central Eleuthera.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, or Como Hill, which has an altitude of 63 metres (210 ft). To the southeast, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and three more extensive submarine features called Mouchoir Bank, Silver Bank, and Navidad Bank, are geographically a continuation of the Bahamas, but not part of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
The climate of the Bahamas is subtropical to tropical, and is moderated significantly by the waters of the Gulf Stream, particularly in winter. Conversely, this often proves very dangerous in the summer and autumn, when hurricanes pass near or through the islands. Hurricane Andrew hit the northern islands during the 1992 Atlantic hurricane season, and Hurricane Floyd hit most of the islands during the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricane Frances hit in 2004; the Atlantic hurricane season of 2004 was expected to be the worst ever for the islands. Also in 2004, the northern Bahamas were hit by a less potent Hurricane Jeanne. In 2005 the northern islands were once again struck, this time by Hurricane Wilma. In Grand Bahama, tidal surges and high winds destroyed homes and schools, floated graves and made roughly 1,000 people homeless, most of whom lived on the west coast of the island.
While there has never been a freeze reported in the Bahamas, the temperature can fall as low as 2-3°C during Arctic outbreaks that affect nearby Florida. Snow has been reported to have mixed with rain in Freeport in January, 1977, the same time that it snowed in the Miami, FL area. The temperature was about 5°C at the time.
Location:Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
Geographic coordinates:24 15 N, 76 00 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 13,940 sq km land: 10,070 sq km water: 3,870 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:3,542 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Terrain:long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
Natural resources:salt, aragonite, timber, arable land
Land use:arable land: 0.58% permanent crops: 0.29% other: 99.13% (2005)
Irrigated land:10 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage
Environment - current issues:coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
Environment - international agreements:partyto: 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
Geography - note:strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited
Courtesy of Wikipedia and CIA World Fact Book
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