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The Bahamas Facts & Worksheets

The Bahamas, officially known as the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is a country found in the Caribbean, specifically within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies.

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The Bahamas, officially known as the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is a country found in the Caribbean, specifically within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies. The Bahamas is an archipelagic state consisting of 700 islands, cays, and islets in the Atlantic Ocean.

See the fact file below for more information on The Bahamas or alternatively, you can download our 26-page The Bahamas worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

GENERAL FACTS

  • The motto of The Bahamas is “Forward, Upward, Onward, Together.”
  • The flag of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas features a black triangle on the hoist, and three horizontal bands of aquamarine, gold, and aquamarine.
  • The national flag of The Bahamas was adopted on July 10, 1973.
  • The flag was designed by Dr. Hervis Bain.
  • The Bahamas is a unitary, parliamentary, constitutional monarchy.
  • The monarch of the Commonwealth of Bahamas is Elizabeth II.

CAPITAL OF THE BAHAMAS

  • The largest and capital city of The Bahamas is Nassau, located on the island of New Providence.
  • It was founded as Charles Town in 1670, and in 1695, it was rebuilt aa Nassau.
  • Nassau has a total area of 207 square kilometers or 80 square miles.

GEOGRAPHY

  • The archipelagic state of The Bahamas is located in the Lucayan Archipelago, also known as the Bahama archipelago.
  • The Commonwealth of The Bahamas takes up 97% of the Lucayan archipelago land area.
  • The Bahamas is located to the north of Cuba and Hispaniola Island, northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, southeast of Florida, USA, and the east of Florida Keys.
  • The Bahamas has a total area of 13,878 square kilometers.

DEMOGRAPHICS

  • The official language of The Bahamas is English.
  • A vernacular language in The Bahamas is the Bahamian English.
  • The citizens of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas are called Bahamians.
  • According to a 2018 estimate, the Bahamian populace rose to 385,637.
  • Christianity is the leading religion in The Bahamas.
  • The major ethnic groups in The Bahamas are Afro-Bahamian, European, and Mulatto.

ETYMOLOGY

  • The name Bahamas has a high probability that it was derived from the Taíno term ba ha ma that means “big upper land.”
  • It is also possible that the name Bahamas came from the Spanish term baja mar which means “shallow water/sea” or “low tide,” as The Bahamas is surrounded by shallow waters.
  • It may also derive from the local term guanahani, however, the term has no clear meaning.

HISTORY

  • The first and pre-colonial inhabitants were the Taino people from Hispaniola and Cuba. They moved into the uninhabited Bahamian land between 800-1000 AD.
  • From South America to The Bahamas the first inhabitants of The Bahamas were called the Lucayan people.
  • At the time of Columbus’s arrival in 1492, The Bahamas was already inhabited by 30,000 Lucayans.
  • In 1629, the English forces became interested in The Bahamas.
  • In 1648, the first English settlers arrived in The Bahamas.
  • The English settlers were known as the Eleutherian Adventurers. They were led by William Sayle.
  • The settlers stayed on the island of New Providence, and named it Sayle’s Island.
  • Sayle’s team moved back to Bermuda after finding it difficult to live in New Providence. The remaining settlers salvaged goods from wrecks.
  • King Charles II granted proprietary rule to the Carolinas in North America over The Bahamas in 1670.
  • The Bahamas were threatened by pirates during the proprietary rule.
  • In 1684, Charles Town was raided by Juan de Alcon.
  • In 1703 and during the War of the Spanish Succession, Nassau was briefly occupied by the Franco-Spanish force.
  • The Bahamas was targeted by the U.S. naval forces in the 18th century, during the American War of Independence.
  • The U.S. Navy occupied Nassau in 1776.
  • The Bahamas was re-occupied by the British forces after independence from the U.S. in 1782.
  • The Bahamas declared independence from the United Kingdom on July 10, 1973 and joined the Commonwealth of Nations.

CULTURE

  • Bahamian culture features a mix of African, British, and American culture.
  • Obeah, a form of African based folk magic (and performance art), is done by some Bahamians on the out-islands of The Bahamas.
  • Obeah is illegal in The Bahamas and punishable by law.
  • Other Bahamians practice the tradition of basketry made from palm fronds.
  • Others weave “Voodoo dolls.” However, the dolls resulted from foreign influences.
  • Junkanoo is an Afro-Bahamian tradition consisting of music, dance, and art, held in Nassau, in order to celebrate certain holidays like Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
  • Cricket is the national sport in The Bahamas and has been played since 1846.
  • Bahamian cuisine has Caribbean, African, and European influences.
  • Some Bahamian settlements feature a traditional food or crop, such as the “Pineapple Fest” in Gregory Town and the “Crab Fest” in Andros.

LANDMARKS

  • Black Hole of Andros — located in the south of Andros. It’s a sinkhole 300 meters wide and 47 meters deep. It is filled with water with a violet jelly layer of bacteria.
  • Hamilton’s Cave — located on Long Island. A 460 meter cave system.
  • Peter and Paul Catholic Church — located on Long Island. A church built after 1946, built in Art Deco style.
  • Atlantis Paradise Island — located on New Providence. A large resort that features the first high rise buildings in The Bahamas.
  • The Healing Hole — located on the north of Bimini. A mineralized spring coming up from a cave, believed to have healing powers.

The Bahamas Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about The Bahamas across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use The Bahamas worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Bahamas, officially known as the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, which is a country found in the Caribbean, specifically within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies. The Bahamas is an archipelagic state consisting of 700 islands, cays, and islets in the Atlantic Ocean.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • The Bahamas Facts
  • Activity Chart
  • Did That Happen?
  • Question & Answer
  • Caribbean Beauty
  • Culture Trivia
  • Geography Sketch
  • Landmark Match
  • Bahamas or Bluff
  • My Dream Vacation
  • Bahama Acrostics

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Link will appear as The Bahamas Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 16, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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