The Commonwealth countries from West Indies

· Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago

· In the 1960s and 1970s, many other countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific became independent. Some had fought wars for their freedom. Yet almost all joined the Commonwealth.

· became a British Crown colony in 1718

· slavery was abolished in 1834

· became an independent Commonwealth realm in 1973

· consists of more than 700 islands, in the Atlantic Ocean; north of Cuba and Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti), Geographically, the Bahamas lie near to Cuba, which is part of the Greater Antilles, along with Hispaniola and Jamaica.

· Capital is Nassau (on island New Providence)

· Currently, Afro-Bahamians are the largest ethnic group in The Bahamas, accounting for some 85% of the country's population. European Bahamians, or Bahamians of European descent, numbering about 38,000, are mainly the descendants of the English Puritans and American Loyalists who arrived in 1649 and 1783 respectively. They form the largest minority group in The Bahamas, making up some 12% of the population

· Official language: English

· places of interest: Fort Charlotte, Pirates of Nassau Museum, Queen’s Staircase [the staircase was carved out of solid rock by hand!!], Bacardi Distillery, Crystal Cay [combination zoo & aquarium]

· The Bahamas is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy headed by Queen Elizabeth II in her role as Queen of the Bahamas. Political and legal traditions closely follow those of the United Kingdom and the Westminster system. The two main parties are the Free National Movement and the Progressive Liberal Party.

· The Bahamas are stable, developing nations with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking.

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 868