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Geography of Bahamas The

Location:Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
Geographic coordinates:24 15 N, 76 00 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 13,940 sq km
land: 10,070 sq km
water: 3,870 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:3,542 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Terrain:long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
Natural resources:salt, aragonite, timber, arable land
Land use:arable land: 0.58%
permanent crops: 0.29%
other: 99.13% (2005)
Irrigated land:10 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage
Environment - current issues:coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited

Bahamas The Quickstats

  • Population: 305,655
  • Area: 13,940 sq km
  • Density: 23.27 /km² (181st)
  • GDP (total): $6.524 billion (145th)
  • GDP (per capita): $17,8432 (38th)
  • Literacy: 95.6%

Languages of Bahamas The

Useful to know

  • Currency: Dollar (BSD)
  • Dial code: +1-242

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