Bahamas

The Bahamas has successfully promoted itself as a destination for US jetsetters, and a lot of it is Americanized. Yet there are still opportunities among its 700 islands and 2500 cays to disappear into a mangrove forest, explore a coral reef and escape the high-rise hotels and package-tour madness.

Overview

The 18th-century Privateers' Republic has become a modern banker's paradise, at least on New Providence and Grand Bahama. On the other islands - once known as the Out Islands but now euphemistically called the Family Islands - the atmosphere is more truly West Indian.

Destination Facts

Full Name:	Commonwealth of The Bahamas
Capital City:	Nassau
Population:	323,000
Area:	5,380 square kilometres
Language Spoken	English
Religion	Baptist (32%), Anglican (20%), Roman Catholic (19%), other Protestant (24%), other (5%)