You have probably heard about the Bahamas as most people have. The islands are known to be a beautiful and fun place to travel with family or friends. In this article, you will learn some fun facts about the islands and what to do when you visit.
The Water
The ocean surrounding the Bahamas is known to be a gorgeous and turquoise color. It is said to be a great place to go scuba diving and snorkeling due to it containing the third-largest barrier reef in the world. If you spend time in the water you are bound to see fish of all kinds.
If seeing the ocean up close is a goal of yours, you should consider taking a bahamas cruise. This will allow you to see many sights and explore. If you choose to get off of the ship when it stops at ports, you can shop and meet locals. You should enjoy cocktails while listening to ocean waves from your room’s balcony.
The History
The name Bahamas translates to “Baja mar.” In Spanish, this means a shallow sea. The bottom of the sea is literally made up of seashells which can be seen and reflected on the top of the water. It has also been known as the first landing place of Christopher Colombus. Many reliable sources state that the rush into the new world by the Europeans began in these islands.
The Bahamas are also known to be the third-largest country in the world. Right behind the United States and Canada, the country is wealthy because of its tourism. The Bahamian dollar converts one to one compared to the U.S. Dollar.
The Islands
Most people probably do not know this, but the Bahamas is made up of many islands. There are said to be 700 islands in the Bahamas. Each of them contains sand or some sort of limestone. However, out of the 700 islands, only about 30 are populated with people.
There are almost half a million people who live in the country and more than half of them live in the capital of Nassau, on the island of New Providence. The highest point of the Bahamas is only about 207 feet above sea level. The highest point is located on Cat Island, which is a tall reef.
The Location
Believe it or not, the Bahamas are actually not located in the Caribbean. The country is actually located north of the Caribbean in the West Indies. When looking at a map, it can be confusing because of how close the islands are to the Caribbean.
The islands were formed in a completely different process than the rest of the rocks and islands in the Caribbean, which sets them apart. It is often grouped with the Caribbean because of its similar climate and history.
The Name
The Bahamas is one of the eleven countries in the world with the word “the” in its name. The list of other countries are:
- Republic of the Sudan
- Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Republic of the Philippines
- Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Republic of the Gambia
- Republic of the Congo
- Union of the Comoros
- Republic of the Union of Myanmar
The Taxes
You may be excited to learn that there is no sales tax or income tax in the Bahamas. This means that the money the residents earn when they are working is not taxed by the government, so they get their full paycheck. As a tourist, the price of goods and services is not taxed. So when a business gives you the price on a product, you literally pay that price and nothing extra.
Because the Bahamas have such high tourism numbers, they do not need to collect money from taxes. They make plenty of income for their country on tariffs from imported goods and on the money that tourists spend themselves.
