A vibrant street parade with music, dance, and elaborate costumes that takes place on Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
| | Details | | :--- | :--- | | Capital | Nassau (located on New Providence Island) | | Official Language | English | | Government | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy | | Monarch | King Charles III | | Prime Minister | Philip Davis (as of 2026) | | Area | 13,880 km² (5,360 sq mi) | | Population | ~416,200 (2026 est.) | | Currency | Bahamian dollar (BSD), at par with the U.S. dollar | Bahamas
The world-famous swimming pigs of the Bahamas live on Big Major Cay, also known as Pig Beach. In a place with no human inhabitants, a colony of feral pigs has become the islands' most iconic and beloved attraction. These friendly, charismatic animals wade out into the crystal-clear water, greeting visitors who arrive by boat, eager for a treat. Watching these pigs swim and play is a surreal and unforgettable experience that has captivated the world and put the Exumas on the global map. A vibrant street parade with music, dance, and
: The Bahamas became a British crown colony in 1718. Following the American Revolution, thousands of British Loyalists settled there with enslaved Africans, deeply influencing the culture. The country gained full independence on July 10, 1973, and remains a member of the Commonwealth. Culture and Lifestyle In a place with no human inhabitants, a
The Bahamian economy is heavily dependent on tourism, which accounts for approximately 50% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs roughly half of the workforce. Each year, the country welcomes over one million stopover visitors and about three million cruise passengers, the vast majority of whom come from the United States. The financial services sector is another pillar of the economy, contributing nearly 20% of the GDP. The Bahamas has a tax-neutral environment, meaning there is no income, corporate, capital gains, or inheritance tax, making it an attractive destination for business and investment.
A chaotic, colorful hub where locals weave straw hats, bags, and dolls. Haggling is expected. Queen's Staircase: A historical monument carved out of solid limestone by slaves in the late 18th century. Paradise Island: Connected by two bridges, this is home to the infamous Atlantis Paradise Island . The resort dominates the skyline with its massive water slides, open-air marine habitats (containing over 50,000 aquatic animals), and the largest casino in the Caribbean.
Famous for the "Pink Sand Beach." The sand gets its rosy hue from crushed red foraminifera shells. The three-mile beach is often ranked #1 in the world by travel magazines. Andros: The largest island but least populated. It is the bonefishing capital of the world. Anglers wade through shallow flats to catch this "gray ghost" of the sea. Andros is also home to the third-largest barrier reef in the world. Cat Island: Dominated by "The Hermitage," a stone monastery perched atop Mount Alvernia (206 feet—the highest point in the Bahamas ). The view of the Atlantic on one side and the Caribbean on the other is breathtaking. Bimini: Just 50 miles from Miami. Known for the "Bimini Road" (an underwater rock formation that some believe is the road to Atlantis) and legendary big game fishing (Ernest Hemingway wrote much of Islands in the Stream here).