Bahamas

The Bahamas - officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas - is a country consisting of more than 700 islands, cays, and islets in the Atlantic Ocean; north of Cuba and Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti); northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands; southeast of the U.S. state of Florida and east of the Florida Keys. Its capital is Nassau on the island of New Providence. The designation of "Bahamas" can refer to either the country or the larger island chain that it shares with the Turks and Caicos Islands. As stated in the mandate/manifesto of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Bahamas territory encompasses 470,000 km2 of ocean space.

Did you know that:
1. The name of the country comes from the Spanish word ‘bajamar’, meaning ‘shallow water’.
2. 80% of Bahamian natives are of African descent. Two-thirds of the population lives in the New Providence Island (the location of Nassau).
3. The original inhabitants of the Bahamas were the Taino people, from the 11th century AD, believed to have migrated from South America.
4. The yellow elder is the national flower (blooming throughout the year), the Lignum Vitae or Tree of Life is the national tree, the Flamingo is the national bird, and the Blue Marlin is the national fish.
5. Cuisine in the Bahamas is known for seafood, such as conch, rock lobster, land crabs, stew fish, and salt fish.  Other commonly used ingredients include coconut, peas, and dumplings.