|
 The
Bahamas is a coral archipelago consisting of some 700
low-lying islands, and over 2,000 cays (pronounced
“keys”). The highest hills, on Cat Island, are less
than 400 feet and most islands have a maximum height of
100 feet. The total area of the islands is about 5,400
square miles, roughly the same as Jamaica. The whole
archipelago extends for about 600 miles southeast from the
Mantanilla shoal off the coast of Florida to 50 miles
north of Haiti. Some of the smaller cays are privately
owned but most of them are uninhabited. Nassau, the
capital, on New Providence Island, is 184 miles by air
from Miami. Freeport, on Grand Bahama island is 60 miles
from Florida. The other islands, known as the “Family
Islands”, or “Out Islands”, include Bimini, the
Berry Islands, Abaco, Eleuthera (these two are
particularly attractive), the Exumas, Andros, Cat Island,
Long Island, San Salvador, Rum Cay, Inagua, Acklins and
Crooked Island.
The
islands are made up of limestone over 5,000 meters deep,
most of it Oolite, laid down for more than 150 million
years on a gradually sinking sea bed. New material
accumulated constantly and the seas of the Bahamas
Platform remained remarkably shallow, often only a few
meters deep. From the air, the different shades of
turquoise, ultramarine and blue in these shallow waters
are spectacular. On land, the soil is thin and infertile
except for a few pockets of fertile soil. In many places,
bare limestone rock is exposed at the surface while much
land is swampy, impenetrable and uninhabitable. There are
many large cave systems, including the impressive blue
holes, formed when sea levels were lower and since
flooded. There are no rivers or streams on any of the
islands, but there is some freshwater, found close to the
surface but resting on underlying saltwater. If wells are
drilled too deep, they produce brackish or saltwater.
Andros has a surplus of freshwater, which is barged to
Nassau. Most people drink bottled water. Desalination
plants are being built. About 15 island areas have been
developed. They have a total population of about 287,000;
about two thirds live in New Providence and 16% in Grand
Bahama. The weather can be pleasant in the winter season
although cold fronts from the North American continent can
bring strong north winds, heavy rain and surprisingly low
temperatures. The summer months are hot, humid and often
windless, with frequent thunderstorms. In August 1992
Hurricane Andrew hit the Bahamas, making over 1,200
homeless, killing four people and causing damage of over
US$250mn. North Eleuthera was badly damaged. In October
1996 Hurricane Lili destroyed houses and crops and cut
power lines in Exuma, Long Island and other islands after
passing over Cuba. In June 1997 unprecedented rainfall and
a spring tide caused flooding in New Providence while a
tornado struck Hope Town, damaging boats and power
supplies. Businesses soon got back to normal, however, and
there is little evidence of storm damage now.
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