Karl WP Beyer The lie between the southeast coast of Florida and the north coast of Cuba Bahamas. The archipelago, which consists of more than 700 islets, extends in a north-south direction for about 650 kilometers and in a west-east direction for about 750 kilometers. The land area of the islands is almost 14.000 square kilometers. Only 30 of the islands are permanently inhabited. Although located in the Atlantic; they are geographically Central America and thus the Caribbean assigned.
According to the German Foreign Office, there were around 2015 inhabitants on the islands in 325.000. Most of the islanders live on New Providence Island, and there especially in the Island capital Nassau. - Freeport, the second largest city in the archipelago, is located on the island Grand Bahama. The population has grown continuously over the past 50 years. Most recently, the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010 caused a noticeable increase in population.
Bahamas - Half Moon Cay
Christopher Columbus discovered the archipelago in the autumn of 1492. From 1717 the islands were a British crown colony. This condition lasted until 1973 when the Bahamas gained sovereignty. Since then you have belonged to the Commonwealth of Nations. The head of state is the British Queen.
Bahamas - Half Moon Cay - Crystal clear sea and beach abound
From an economic point of view, the Bahamas are of minor importance. There is a shortage of raw materials to speak of and agriculture, if practiced, is quite inefficient due to inadequate irrigation systems and poor soils. Fishing is purely self-sufficient, and the islands have long enjoyed a rather dubious reputation as an international financial center.
Bahamas - Beach day on Half Moon Cay
The economy of the island state stands or falls with tourism. Tourism provides almost two thirds of the working population with wages and salaries; The booming cruise business in particular is an essential pillar of the tourism industry.
It relies on the archipelago's most valuable tourist resource: the environment. The third largest barrier reef in the world runs between the islands. To protect the islands and the sea around them, 22 national parks with a total area of more than 260.000 hectares were established.
Bahamas - Half Moon Cay - Bonefish Lagoon
Cruises go to Nassau and several private islands served by cruise lines. Ships of the Carnival group regularly navigate the barely 10 square kilometers Little San Salvador Island on. In the catalogs of the Carnival companies, the island Half Moon Cay called. We report on the activities that are offered on this island at Bahamas - A day on Half Moon Cay.
