Bahamas packages and Bahamas travel deals include complete information about this famous North American tourist destination. The Arawak Indians were the first inhabitants of the Bahamas. Columbus's first encounter with the New World was on Oct. 12, 1492, when he landed on the Bahamian island of San Salvador. The British first built settlements on the islands in the 17th century. In the early 18th century, the Bahamas were a favorite pirate haunt.
The Bahamas were a Crown colony from 1717 until they were granted internal self-government in 1964. The islands moved toward greater autonomy in 1968 after the overwhelming victory in general elections of the Progressive Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Lynden O. Pindling, over the predominantly white United Bahamians Party.

The Bahamas are an archipelago of about 700 islands and 2,400 uninhabited islets and cays lying 50 mi off the east coast of Florida. They extend for about 760 mi (1,223 km). Only about 30 of the islands are inhabited; the most important is New Providence (80 sq mi; 207 sq km), on which the capital, Nassau, is situated. Other islands include Grand Bahama, Abaco, Eleuthera, Andros, Cat Island, and San Salvador (or Watling's Island).

3,888 sq mi (10,070 sq km); total area: 5,382 sq mi 13,940 sq km)

303,770 (growth rate: 0.6%); birth rate: 17.6/1000; infant mortality rate: 24.7/1000; life expectancy: 65.6; density per sq mi: 78

Nassau, 222,200

Bahamian dollar

English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Baptist 35%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 14%, Pentecostal 8%, Church of God 5%, Methodist 4%, other Christian 15% (2000)

98.2% (1995 est.)

Citrus, vegetables; poultry.

Disagrees with the US on the alignment of the maritime boundary; continues to monitor and interdict Haitian refugees fleeing economic privation and political instability .

Required by all except the following:
(a) 3. nationals of EU countries for stays of up to three months (eight months for nationals of Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and the UK), except nationals of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia who do need a visa.
(b) 4. nationals of Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, Turkey and the USA for stays of up to eight months.
(c) 5. nationals of Commonwealth countries for stays of up to eight months, except a) nationals of the Gambia who can stay for three months; b) nationals of Brunei, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Mozambique, Nigeria and Pakistan who do need a visa
(d) 6. nationals of Chile, Israel, Japan, Korea (Rep), Martinique, Mexico, Norfolk Islands and Uruguay for stays of up to three months.
(e) nationals of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela for stays of up to 14 days.
(f) nationals of French, Dutch, Portuguese and Ecuadorean overseas territories, and of Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands, Curaçao, Gibraltar, Hong Kong (SAR), Macau (Portuguese passport), Monaco, St Maarten, Tahiti, Turks & Caicos, Vatican City and Zimbabwe (who should contact the Consulate to find out the maximum length of visit without a visa).
(g) transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or next connecting aircraft within three days, provided holding confirmed onward documentation and passport.