Key facts
Date of Membership in CARICOM: 4 Jul 1983 – Learn more about membership in CARICOM
Also Known as:The Place Where Worlds Meet (Source: The Heraldry of the Commonwealth Caribbean)
Status of Independence:Independent 1973/07/10
Area: 13,939 sq km
Capital City: Nassau
Population: 377,000 (2013)
Currency: Bahamian dollar B$
Highest National Award: Governor General Award
Economy
GDP Growth: 0.0% p.a. 2009–13
GNI: US$8.4bn
GNI PC: US$22,312
Key dates in history
SOME KEY DATES IN HISTORY
It is believed that the original inhabitants were Arawak people. They were followed by the Caribs.
1492 Christopher Columbus made his first landing in the New World on island Amerindians called “ Guanahani”, renames it San Salvador, now called Watling Island. `The Bahamas’ derived from `baja mar’ (low sea) based on Columbus’ observation of shallow seas surrounding islands
1629 the islands given their first constitution as part of the Carolinas (USA)
1648 First British settlers arrived
1717 Became a British Colony
1953 Progressive Liberal Party founded to represent black interests in a system still then dominated by whites.
1964 Internal self rule
1973 Independence achieved
