How Many Bahamas Islands? The Travel Virgin Answers -

How Many Bahamas Islands?: The Bahamas, located in the Atlantic Ocean, are made up of 700 islands. It is estimated that just roughly 30 of them are inhabited by humans. New Providence, one of the largest islands in the country and the site of the country’s capital, is home to more than 70% of the country’s total population.

Historically, humans have been inhabiting the islands of the Bahamas since around the fourth century. Pirates such as Blackbeard and Calico Jack frequented the region throughout the 1600s. These daring pirates pillaged cargo ships as they sailed along the commercial routes that ringed the Caribbean islands. The region was placed under British administration in 1718 and remained under British administration until 1973 when the Bahamas achieved their freedom. Today, the area is a significant tourist attraction, with more than five million visitors every year coming to see the country’s wildlife and culture.

Despite being about an hour from Miami and so situated directly in the Atlantic, the Bahamas have the spectacular sparkling seas that one may associate with the Caribbean. These waters maybe some of the purest in the world, so it’s no surprise that it’s a popular snorkeling and scuba diving destination. What lies under the sea is maybe even more stunning than the water itself: the Bahamas are teeming with colorful marine life and a plethora of shipwrecks just waiting to be discovered.

Who were the first occupants of the Bahamas?-How many Bahamas islands?

The Arawak Indians were the first occupants of the Bahamas, who arrived via the Antilles. Following Columbus’ arrival at San Salvador in 1492, the Spanish depopulated the islands within a few decades by transporting peaceful Arawaks to slavery in the mines of Hispaniola and Cuba, where they perished in their millions.

The Company of Eleutheran Adventurers, a group of English immigrants from Bermuda who founded a hamlet on the island of Eleuthera in 1647 in search of religious freedom, is credited with establishing the first permanent settlement in the Bahamas.

According to historians, the islands were a hotbed of piracy throughout the late 17th and early 18th centuries because of their closeness to key trade channels. Woodes Rogers, the first Royal Governor, was instrumental in putting an end to the power of the buccaneers by establishing orderly behavior in 1718.

In 1776, a naval fleet from the United States conquered the island of Nassau but retreated after just one day. A total of 6,000 American loyalists and their slaves landed in The Bahamas following the American Revolutionary War. While The Bahamas benefited from the American Civil War, it also functioned as a transfer point for armaments and medical supplies shipped over the northern blockade of Confederate ports. Cotton from the southern United States was the primary product traded.

Thanks to its closeness to the mainland, the Bahamas saw a resurgence in prosperity during the prohibition era in the United States. This time, the islands provided booze to rumrunners in the United States. During World War II, the Royal Air Force utilized The Bahamas as a flight training center, taking advantage of the colony’s exceptional meteorological conditions. British and American soldiers also used the islands on the lookout for German submarines during World War II.

Which are the major islands in the Bahamas?-How many Bahamas islands

There are the most significant islands:

Spanish Wells
San Salvador
Rum Cay
Ragged Island
New Providence
Mayaguana
Long Island
Harbour Island
Grand Bahama
Exuma
Eleuthera
Crooked Island
Cat Island
Bimini
Berry Islands
Andros Acklins
Abaco

The Bahamas’ highest point is 206 feet above sea level.

The Most Populous Island In The Bahamas

The island of New Providence, which has a land area of 207 square kilometers and is the most populated in the Bahamas, has over 200,000 people. According to the most recent census data, approximately 274,400 people live on the island, accounting for more than 70 percent of the country’s entire population. New Providence Island is home to the capital and largest city of The Bahamas, Nassau, located on this island. As well as being a bustling seaport, Nassau is the country’s governmental, economic, educational, and commercial center. It is also home to the country’s primate population. A renowned tourist destination, the city is known for its stunning landscape and natural surroundings and its warm tropical temperature and closeness to the United States. Tourists from all over the globe come to see the city.

Biggest Islands Of The Bahamas-How many Bahamas islands

With a surface size of 5,957 square kilometers, Andros Island is the largest of the 700 Bahamian Islands. As an archipelago, Andros Island encompasses three large islands (North Andros, South Andros, and Mangrove Cay), several tiny cays, and islets connected by mangrove estuaries and tidal swamps. The island’s total land area is around 2,000 square miles. Politically, Andros is regarded as a single island, despite having a larger land area than the entire group of Bahamian islands put together. North Andros Island is the country’s most populous district, with a total population of 3,898 persons. It is the country’s largest district in terms of land area.

Inagua is the southernmost Bahamas district and is comprised of the islands of Great Inagua and Little Inagua. It is amongst the most southern of the seven Bahamas districts. The Great Inagua Island is the second-largest island in the Bahamas, with 1,544 square kilometers. There are several lakes on the island and a giant bird sanctuary home to over 80,000 West Indian flamingoes. Matthew Town is the island’s capital and only harbor, and it is also the island’s commercial center. Grand Bahama is the northernmost and third-largest island, with 1,400 square kilometers (400 square kilometers).

How many islands are Inhabited in the Bahamas-How many Bahamas islands

It is estimated that approximately 30 of the Bahamas’ 700 islands and 2,400 cays are populated.

Andros
Great Abaco
Acklins
New Providence
Great Inagua
Mayaguana
Berry Islands
Crooked Island
Ragged Island
Bimini Islands
Long Island
San Salvador Island
Grand Bahama
Cat Island
Eleuthera and other islands are among the most populous inhabited islands in the Bahamas, except for Eleuthera.

All the islands are low and flat, and they mainly were produced because of the breakup of coral reefs in the surrounding oceans. Mount Alvernia, located on Cat Island and rises to an elevation of 63 meters above sea level, is the highest peak in the Bahamas and the highest point in the Caribbean.

Islands to visit for vacation

San Salvador

San Salvador is a steep island with fascinating mythology that is worth learning about. It is believed to have been the first land that Christopher Columbus discovered and visited on his first journey in 1492. You may visit Long Bay and see a massive white cross that commemorates the precise location where Columbus first set foot on American soil.

Even though it is one of the Bahamas’ most sparsely populated islands, you will be able to locate a variety of activities and cultural treasures during your visit. There are kilometers of isolated beaches on San Salvador Island, surrounded by shallow coral reefs, allowing snorkelers to witness various aquatic species. Snow Bay Beach, Grotto Beach, and Long Bay Beach are some of the most popular sections. If you’re a seasoned diver, over 50 dive sites are just off the shore to choose from.

Eleuthera

Eleuthera is a component of the Bahamas’ Out Islands, including Harbour Island, Windermere Island, Current Island, and Man Island. It is a part of the Bahamas’ Out Islands. Gregory Town is the island’s principal town, and it is known for its pastel-colored houses that dot the steep hillsides surrounding it. Apart from that, the town is surrounded by acres of pineapple fields, earning it the moniker “Pineapple City.”

Like other Caribbean islands, Eleuthera boasts kilometers of golden beaches facing the Atlantic Ocean, a popular tourist destination. The Glass Window Bridge, a narrow strip of land that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Bight of Eleuthera, is one of the island’s most distinctive features. Bringing your camera will allow you to capture this one-of-a-kind scene of deep blue and vivid turquoise.

Exuma

Great Exuma and Little Exuma are the most well-known and inhabited islands in the Exuma group, yet they are also remote. Even though Big Major Cay is the primary attraction on Exuma, the other islands provide a diverse selection of accommodations, eating, and nightlife opportunities.

Visit Pig Beach on Big Major Cay for a chance to swim with some gorgeous Bahamian pigs around. Even though they are peaceful creatures, we do not recommend feeding them. Turtles may be seen at Bay Beach, nurse sharks at Compass Cay, and stingrays at Stocking Island, among other marine wildlife. You can also view whales and dolphins in the waters off the coast of Exuma.

Cat Island

Cat Island is one of the few regions of The Bahamas that tourists haven’t overrun in recent years. While many visitors come to this island to unwind and unwind, there is still much to see and do on this 150-square-mile island to keep them entertained. Hikers may ascend a stone stairway to the peak of Mount Alvernia, which is 206 feet above sea level and offers spectacular views.

Boiling Hole, Mermaid Hole, and Big Blue Hole are three of the island’s most unusual locations, each of which is supposed to be the home of mythological aquatic monsters. For those who prefer to spend their time in the sea, you may arrange diving trips to various spots off the coast of Cat Island. The ruin of the Santa Maria Teresa, a 360-foot Spanish battleship that sank in 1898, is a renowned tourist attraction.

Harbour Island

In the Bahamas, Harbour Island is one of the smallest islands, with around 2,000 people. Dunmore Town is the only settlement on the island, and it is characterized by British colonial-style buildings, pastel cottages, gourmet restaurants, and bougainvillea-lined alleys.

Pink Sands Beach is located on the island’s eastern shore, near the town of Port Stephens. It’s a beautiful sight, owing to a unique combination of foraminifera, coral, shattered shells, and calcium carbonate that makes this stretch of rose-colored sand stand out from the crowd. To learn more about the Atlantic Ocean, take a sailing or snorkeling excursion to Devil’s Backbone. This vibrant coral reef system is a terrific area to see turtles and stingrays, as well as other marine life.

Paradise Island

Paradise Island is the nearest island to New Providence due to two footbridges that connect the capital city of Nassau to this tropical haven. As the island’s focal point, the Atlantis Bahamas Resort & Casino has an oceanfront resort with a 24-hour casino and an aquarium, marine habitats, an 18-hole private golf course, and a marina, among other amenities. Aquaventure, the resort’s 153-acre waterpark with numerous lagoons, swimming pools, river rides, and waterslides, is a popular destination for children and families.

Paradise Island is one of the most luxurious resorts in the Bahamas, and it is located on the island of Eleuthera. At Marina Village, you’ll discover a variety of handicrafts and food options, as well as jewelers and designer retailers in Crystal Court Shops. Several attractive spots on the island, including Versailles Gardens and the French Cloister, Cabbage Beach, and Cove Beach.

The takeaway

Almost everyone who hears the phrase “The Bahamas” imagines kilometers of pristine white sand beaches, dazzling blue seas, palm palms, and endless hours of fun in the sun. The Bahamas are renowned for their turquoise seas that are stunningly pure. Can you view down to the ocean’s depths from the surface of the water? It is possible to view the ocean floor 200 feet below the water’s surface – nearly the same height as a 20-story skyscraper!

The Bahamas islands are a tropical hot spot consistently ranked as one of the world’s top holiday destinations.

The Andros Barrier Reef is unique in that it extends downward to a depth of 6,000 feet rather than lying flat on the ocean floor, making it the deepest barrier reef in the world. The Andros Barrier is one of the world’s longest barrier reefs, stretching more than 190 miles in length – and the world’s third-largest living object, according to the World Wildlife Fund. It is located on the edge of an underwater trench known as the Tongue of the Ocean.