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THE PERMANENT MISSION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS TO THE UNITED NATIONS

231 East 46th St. New York, NY 10017

Tel: (212) 421-6925 Fax: (212) 759-2135

Welcome to our Website! Here you can access Information on- The Bahamas and its activities at the The United Nations; Statements, speeches and other press releases; Information on The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and other related agencies; Historical Information on the Bahamas:- description of the Governmental structure, cultural activities and symbols of The Bahamas; Biographical Information on Principal Representatives of the Bahamas Government; Consular and Travel related concerns; Office hours and contact information.

Interesting Facts on The Bahamas

(Excerpts taken from The Bahamas Consulate- New York, Quick Information Guide)

Location

Although considered part of the Caribbean, the archipelago that encompasses the Islands of the Bahamas lies in the Atlantic Ocean, extending more than 650 miles from the eastern coast of Florida to the southeastern tip of Cuba stretched across roughly 100,000 miles of ocean.

The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is a group of some 700 Islands and nearly 2,500 small islets or cays. Approximately 28 of these Islands are inhabited.
The Tropic of Cancer runs through the Great Bahamas Bank and through the Island of Great Exuma.
The two major population centers are the capital, Nassau which is located on New Providence Island and Freeport, located on Grand Bahama Island. The other populated Islands and cays are officially called Family Islands but commonly known as Out Islands.
The islands are mostly flat with miles of white and pink sand beaches. The highest point in the country is Mount Alvernia on Cat Island, which is 206 feet about sea level.

Time

The Bahamas operates on Eastern Time, which is five hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. From the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October, The Bahamas operates on daylight saving time.

Climate

The Bahamas has a tropical maritime climate, which makes for generally year-round good weather. The Bahamas does not experience extremes of temperatures. In centrally situated New Providence, winter temperatures seldom fall much below 60F degrees and usually reach about 75F degrees in the day. In summer, temperatures usually fall to 78F degrees or less at night and seldom rise above 90F degrees during the day. (For further information visit www.bahamasweather.org )

History

Columbus made his first landing in the New World at San Salvador, a small island in the east central part of The Bahamas chain on October 12, 1492.
The Arawaks, said to be the original inhabitants of The Bahamas, had originally come from the South American mainland. Being peaceful by nature they were forced northwards by the more warlike Caribs. It is believed that they arrived in The Bahamas between AD500 and AD600, settling from Cuba and Hispaniola. The Lucayans, as the Arawaks came to be known in The Bahamas, had no written language -only a spoken one.
The Eleutheran Adventurers, led by William Sayle from Bermuda, settled in Eleuthera from 1647 to approximately 1658.
New Providence, the capital city, was initially known as Sayle's Island and was settled about 1666.
In 1670, The Lord Proprietors of England were granted the Bahamas by King Charles and the settlement on the harbour of Providence was named Charles Town.
Pirates soon inhabited the new town, which was destroyed by the Spanish several times from 1684 to 1702.
After the Queen Anne’s War ended in 1713, Nassau became a '"Nest of Pirates” and became notorious for drinking and wenching by Blackbeard, Charles Vane and Calico Jack Rackham.
These pirates were expelled by Woodes Rodgers, the first Royal Governor, who was appointed by King George I and his anti piratical zeal inspired the memorable motto for our country, EXPULSIS PIRATIS. RESTITUTA COMMERCIA (Piracy expelled, Commerce restored).

Bahamian Currency

Legal currency of The Bahamas is the Bahamian dollar, although the U.S dollar is accepted throughout the islands. The Bahamian dollar is on par with the U.S. dollar.

People

Bahamians are mainly of African descent, 85 percent Black and 15 percent White and mixed. The White population is descended mainly from the early English settlers who arrived on the Island of Eleuthera in 1648.

Many can also trace their roots back to the American Loyalists who after 1783 fled the newly independent States with their slaves.

Culture

One of the greatest and most popular expressions of our culture is the junkanoo festival, which is a significant aspect of the folklore of the people and has its origin in Africa.
Junkanoo came to The Bahamas through the Black slaves who were brought from Africa to work on the plantations in The Bahamas.
It has been described as “and annual outpouring of brilliant colour and design, strange music and rhythm and is something of which The Bahamas can be proud.” Junkanoo is the soul of the Bahamians.
Junkanoo itself is a throbbing rhythm from cowbells, goatskin drums, whistles, horns, and brass instruments that vibrate through the street.
The rhythm cannot be resisted as the pulsating music brings movement to the most staid person. The revelers or group members are dressed in a variety of colorful costumes and some carry large pieces depicting a particular theme. The work of planning and creating the intricately designed and stunning crepe paper costumes takes months at times.
www.junkanoo.com

National Symbols

Coat of Arms: The Coat of Arms of The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is designed to free the spirits of Bahamians and liberate their energies and efforts into building a new nation, creating a new and better life and achieving new heights. Columbus’ ship, the Santa Maria, is a reminder that the country has roots going back far into the past and that it is associated with great events. Both flora and fauna stress the reliance the people have had and continue to have on the natural resources of the island, while the sea and sun have proven to be magnets for new developments affecting the economic growth of the country. Finally, an exhortation of the Bahamian people is embodied in the words of the motto: FORWARD, UPWARD, ONWARD, TOGETHER.
National Tree- Lignum Vitea: The lignum vitea, or tree of life, is the national tree. It is the heaviest of all woods with clusters of small blue flowers at the branch tips.
National Bird-The Flamingo: The national bird of The Bahamas is unmistakable, slender, long-legged and long necked, rose pink water bird with black tipped winds. Flamingos are highly gregarious birds and are rather wary and seldom allow one a close approach. When feeding, they wade out into shallow water, scrape up mud and sit with dancing movement and immersing head and neck, turn the bill inwards. To a large extent, their food consists of mollusks.
National Flag: The colors embodied in the design of the Bahamian flag symbolize the image and aspirations of the people of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas; the design reflects aspects of the natural environment, sun, sand and sea, and the economic and social development. The flag is a black equilateral triangle against the mast, superimposed on a horizontal background made up of two colors on three equal stripes of aquamarine, gold and aquamarine. The symbolism of the flag is a follow: Black, a strong color, represents the vigor and force of a united people, the triangle pointing towards the body of the flag represents the enterprise and determination of the Bahamian people to develop and possess the resources of land and sea symbolized by gold and aquamarine respectively.
National Flower: This flower blooms between October and December, on a tree that may grow as high as 20 feet. The evergreen stands out because of its clusters of brilliant yellow, bell-shaped blossoms. They are about an inch across and two inches long, with red stripes lightly etched in the corolla. The little bells are held in a five-point calyx, and there are nine to 13 leaflets composing the odd pinnate leaf. Just before the blooms flare open, bag-like buds pop noisily if squeezed.

Selection of the yellow elder over many other flowers was made through the combined popular vote of members of all four of New Providence's garden clubs of the 1970s – the Nassau Garden Club, the Carver Garden Club, the International Garden Club, and the YWCA Garden Club. They reasoned that other flowers are grown here – such as the bougainvillea, hibiscus, and Poinciana – had already been chosen as the national flowers of other countries. The yellow elder, on the other hand, was unclaimed (although it is now also the national flower of the United States Virgin Islands).

National Fish: The blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) is the majestic fish that is found in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, with reports of the largest sizes found in the latter. However, many persons first encounter the fish in Ernest Hemingway's book "Old Man and the Sea." Mr. Hemingway was a frequent visitor to The Bahamas, especially the island of Bimini, where the blue marlin is highly prized among the strong game-fishing community.

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