Geography |
The Commonwealth of the Bahamas, located in the West Indies, consists of a chain of about 700 islands and islets and many more cays, reefs and rocks, extending for about 1200 km from a point off the east coast of Florida to the north-eastern tip of Cuba. The principal islands include Acklins, Andros, Cat, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, Great Abaco, Great Exuma, Great Inagua, Little Abaco, New Providence, and San Salvador. Only about 40 of the islands are inhabited. Total area is estimated at 13 880 km2.
Most of the Bahamas are long, narrow strips of limestone, covered by a thin layer of stony, infertile soil. Pine forests cover parts of many of the islands.
The Bahamas have a mild oceanic climate. Temperatures average about 22° C during the winter and about 29° C in the summer. Rainfall averages about 1 100 mm annually.
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.