| The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is
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| | remained sparsely settled until the
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| located in the Atlantic Ocean, east of
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| | United States expelled thousands of
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| Florida, north of Cuba and the Caribbean
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| | American Tories and their slaves. About
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| and consists of 700 islands.The
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| | 8000 British Loyalists moved to the
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| archipelago of the Bahamas has a total
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| | Bahamas in the late 1700s from New York,
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| land area of 5,382 square miles and a
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| | Florida and the Carolinas.Internal
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| population of approx. 310,000
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| | self-government was granted by the
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| concentrated on the islands of New
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| | British in 1964. In 1973, Bahamians
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| Providence and Grand Bahama.The islands
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| | achieved full independence while
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| have a subtropical climate, moderated by
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| | remaining a member of the Commonwealth of
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| the Gulf Stream. Nassau is the capital
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| | Nations.The Bahamian economy has
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| and largest city, located on New
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| | prospered on tourism and financial
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| Providence. The largest island is Andros
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| | services. But the country still faces
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| Island. Freeport is the second largest
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| | challenges in areas such education,
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| city located on the island of Grand
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| | healthcare, correctional facilites and
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| Bahama. The Caicos Islands and the Turks
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| | violent crime and illegal immigration.
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| islands in the southeast, are not part of
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| | Today, the country enjoys the third
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| the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.The
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| | highest per capita income in the western
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| subtropical to tropical climate is
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| | hemisphere due to an urban renewal
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| moderated significantly by the waters of
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| | project to help impoverished urban areas
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| the Gulf Stream, particularly in winter.
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| | in social decline in the main
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| Summer and autumn is hurricane
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| | islands.Some say the name 'Bahamas'
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| season.It's believed that Christopher
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| | derives from the Spanish for "shallow
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| Columbus first landed on the island of
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| | sea". Others trace it to the Lucayan
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| San Salvador in the southeastern Bahamas
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| | word for Grand Bahama Island.About 85% of
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| and exchanged gifts with the Amerindians,
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| | the Bahamian population is black. The
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| (Taino, also known as Lucayan).Taino
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| | next largest population group are whites
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| Indians moved into the southern Bahamas
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| | at 12%. Nearly all inhabitants speak
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| about the 7th century AD and became the
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| | English, being the official language. A
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| Lucayans. They were deported to
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| | considerable number also speak Haitian
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| Hispaniola as slaves and Taino societies
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| | Creole, Spanish and
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| ceased to exist as a separate population
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| | Portuguese.Christianity is the main
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| due to forced labour, warfare, disease,
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| | religion on the islands, with Baptist
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| emigration and outmarriage within 2
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| | forming the largest denomination (about
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| decades.The Bahamian islands were
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| | one third), followed by the Anglican and
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| deserted, after the Lucayans were
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| | Roman Catholic churches.A large number of
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| destroyed, until English settlers arrived
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| | immigrants from Haiti, Cuba, Dominican
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| from Bermuda in 1650. These people
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| | Republic and Jamaica practice Obeah, a
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| established settlements on the island now
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| | spiritistic religion similar to Voodoo.
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| called Eleuthera.In 1718 the Bahamas
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| | While well-known throughout the Bahamas,
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| became a British crown colony. It
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| | obeah is shunned by many people.
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