Country Word Document/Class Activity

The Bahamas

The Bahamas are made up of about 700 islands. Only about 30 of the islands have people living on them. The most important of them is New Providence. This is where the capital, Nassau, is located. The population is about 316,182.

The Arawak Indians were the first people to live in the Bahamas. Columbus first encounter of the new world was when he landed on the Bahamian island of San Salvador. In the 17 century the British built settlements on the islands. By the early 18 century the Bahamas were a favorite pirate haunt. During the 18th-century slave trade, many Africans were brought to the Bahamas as laborers.

The Bahamas have a unique culture. The ethnic makeup of the Bahamas is about 85% black, 12% white, and 3% Asian and Hispanics. English is the official language of the Bahamas however, creole is used among Haitian immigrants. Bahamians are known for being friendly, outgoing, and informal. They are also very polite. They have a good sense of humor and love to make jokes.

Religion is taken very seriously by the Bahamians. Most are devote Christians. Sunday is a day for church going and prayer. The week after Christmas is a long party in the Bahamas. Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%,and  other Christian 15.2%.