Synopsis of the Bahamas
|
| Location: |
24 15 N, 76 00 W |
|
Area: |
13,940 km2 (land= 10,070 km2,
water= 3,870 km2) |
|
Coastline: |
3,542 km |
|
Climate: |
Tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf
Stream |
|
Terrain: |
Long, flat coral formations with some low rounded
hills The country
is
made up of over 200 hundred islands and over two
thousand rocks and cays. |
|
Lowest Point: |
Caribbean Sea 0 m |
|
Highest Point: |
Mt. Alvernia on Cat Island (63 m) |
|
Natural Resources: |
Salt, aragonite, timber, arable land |
|
Population: |
299,697 (Jul 2004 est) |
|
Ethnic groups: |
Black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3% |
|
Languages: |
English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants) |
|
Natural hazards: |
Hurricanes and other tropical storms
cause extensive flood and wind damage |
|
Environmental issues: |
Coral reef decay; solid waste disposal |
|
