Bahamas Country and Tourist Information
Location
Chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba.
Area
13,939 sq km (5,382 sq miles).
Population
305,655 (2007).
Population Density
21.9 per sq km.
Capital
Nassau.
Population: 331,000 (2007).
Government
Constitutional monarchy. Gained independence from Great Britain in 1973.
Language
English is the official language. Bahamian patois is widely spoken.
Religion
Predominantly Christian with Baptist, Anglican and Roman Catholic
the main denominations and Methodist, Church of God and other Protestant faiths minority groups.
Time
GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).
Electricity
120-volts AC, 60Hz. US-style plug sockets and outlets are standard.
Head of Government
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, since May 2007.
Head of State
HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor-General Arthur D Hanna since 2006.
Recent History
Hubert Ingraham of the Free National Movement (FNM) won parliamentary elections in May 2007, ousting the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP). Ingraham, a lawyer, served two terms as prime minister between 1992 and 2002. The FNM had campaigned on issues of trust, criticising the ruling PLP over a series of scandals. Ingraham's predecessor, Perry Christie, took office in May 2002.
Telephone
Country code: 1 242. Phone cards are sold island-wide for discounted international calls.
Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with a few international mobile phone companies. Coverage is average. Handsets can be hired locally and prepaid SIM cards are sold.
Internet
Many hotels have Internet access and there are plenty of Internet cafes, as well as a few Wi-Fi hotspots. Only 30% of the population is connected, despite growing e-commerce activities.
Media
A US report, entitled Freedom of the Press 2008: A Global Survey of Media Independence, assessed the degree of press freedom in the Bahamas to rank it 37th in the world.
Although the constitution of the Bahamas guarantees press freedom, pressure has been applied to the media in the past. Newspapers and magazines are mostly privately owned with the government operating a radio network. It also runs the island’s only TV service.
Post
Postal service to Europe takes up to 10 days.
Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700 and Sat 0900-1230.
Press
• The four daily newspapers are The Bahama Journal, Freeport News, The Nassau Guardian, and The Tribune.
• The Punch is published twice a week.
• Both Bahamas Tourist News and What’s On Magazine are printed once a month.
• International newspapers are available.
Radio
• Private and commercial stations include Love 97 FM and 100 Jamz.
• ZNS Bahamas, run by BCB, oversees Inspiration 1240, Northern Service, Power 104.5 and Radio Bahamas.
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2010-December 2011 period.
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.
2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
10 Apr Good Friday.
13 Apr Easter Monday.
1 Jun Whit Monday.
5 Jun Labor Day.
10 Jul Independence Day.
3 Aug Emancipation Day.
12 Oct National Heroes' Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.
2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
2 Apr Good Friday.
5 Apr Easter Monday.
24 May Whit Monday.
4 Jun Labor Day.
10 Jul Independence Day.
2 Aug Emancipation Day.
12 Oct National Heroes' Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2010-December 2011 period.
1 Jan New Year's Day.
2 Apr Good Friday.
5 Apr Easter Monday.
24 May Whit Monday.
4 Jun Labor Day.
10 Jul Independence Day.
2 Aug Emancipation Day.
12 Oct National Heroes' Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.
1 Jan New Year's Day.
22 Apr Good Friday.
25 Apr Easter Monday.
13 Jun Whit Monday.
3 Jun Labor Day.
10 Jul Independence Day.
3 Aug Emancipation Day.
12 Oct National Heroes' Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.
Contact Information:
Bahamas High Commission in the UK
10 Chesterfield Street, London W1J 5JL, UK
Tel: (020) 7408 4488 or 7659 0829 (visa enquiries).
Website: www.bahamas.co.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1730.
Bahamas Tourist Office in the UK
10 Chesterfield Street, London W1J 5JL, UK
Tel: (020) 7355 0800.
Website: www.bahamas.co.uk
Embassy of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas in the USA
2220 Massachussetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 319 2667.
E-mail: bahemb@aol.com
Bahamas Tourist Office in the USA
60 East 42nd Street, Suite 1850, New York, NY 10165, USA
Tel: (212) 758 2777.
Website: www.bahamas.com
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
PO Box N-3701, Nassau, Bahamas
Tel: 302 2000.
Website: www.bahamas.com
Caribbean Tourism Organization in the UK
22 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1BP, UK
Tel: (020) 8948 0057.
Website: www.caribbean.co.uk
Chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba.
Area
13,939 sq km (5,382 sq miles).
Population
305,655 (2007).
Population Density
21.9 per sq km.
Capital
Nassau.
Population: 331,000 (2007).
Government
Constitutional monarchy. Gained independence from Great Britain in 1973.
Language
English is the official language. Bahamian patois is widely spoken.
Religion
Predominantly Christian with Baptist, Anglican and Roman Catholic
Time
GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).
Electricity
120-volts AC, 60Hz. US-style plug sockets and outlets are standard.
Head of Government
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, since May 2007.
Head of State
HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor-General Arthur D Hanna since 2006.
Recent History
Hubert Ingraham of the Free National Movement (FNM) won parliamentary elections in May 2007, ousting the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP). Ingraham, a lawyer, served two terms as prime minister between 1992 and 2002. The FNM had campaigned on issues of trust, criticising the ruling PLP over a series of scandals. Ingraham's predecessor, Perry Christie, took office in May 2002.
Telephone
Country code: 1 242. Phone cards are sold island-wide for discounted international calls.
Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with a few international mobile phone companies. Coverage is average. Handsets can be hired locally and prepaid SIM cards are sold.
Internet
Many hotels have Internet access and there are plenty of Internet cafes, as well as a few Wi-Fi hotspots. Only 30% of the population is connected, despite growing e-commerce activities.
Media
A US report, entitled Freedom of the Press 2008: A Global Survey of Media Independence, assessed the degree of press freedom in the Bahamas to rank it 37th in the world.
Although the constitution of the Bahamas guarantees press freedom, pressure has been applied to the media in the past. Newspapers and magazines are mostly privately owned with the government operating a radio network. It also runs the island’s only TV service.
Post
Postal service to Europe takes up to 10 days.
Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700 and Sat 0900-1230.
Press
• The four daily newspapers are The Bahama Journal, Freeport News, The Nassau Guardian, and The Tribune.
• The Punch is published twice a week.
• Both Bahamas Tourist News and What’s On Magazine are printed once a month.
• International newspapers are available.
Radio
• Private and commercial stations include Love 97 FM and 100 Jamz.
• ZNS Bahamas, run by BCB, oversees Inspiration 1240, Northern Service, Power 104.5 and Radio Bahamas.
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2010-December 2011 period.
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.
2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
10 Apr Good Friday.
13 Apr Easter Monday.
1 Jun Whit Monday.
5 Jun Labor Day.
10 Jul Independence Day.
3 Aug Emancipation Day.
12 Oct National Heroes' Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.
2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
2 Apr Good Friday.
5 Apr Easter Monday.
24 May Whit Monday.
4 Jun Labor Day.
10 Jul Independence Day.
2 Aug Emancipation Day.
12 Oct National Heroes' Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2010-December 2011 period.
1 Jan New Year's Day.
2 Apr Good Friday.
5 Apr Easter Monday.
24 May Whit Monday.
4 Jun Labor Day.
10 Jul Independence Day.
2 Aug Emancipation Day.
12 Oct National Heroes' Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.
1 Jan New Year's Day.
22 Apr Good Friday.
25 Apr Easter Monday.
13 Jun Whit Monday.
3 Jun Labor Day.
10 Jul Independence Day.
3 Aug Emancipation Day.
12 Oct National Heroes' Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.
Contact Information:
Bahamas High Commission in the UK
10 Chesterfield Street, London W1J 5JL, UK
Tel: (020) 7408 4488 or 7659 0829 (visa enquiries).
Website: www.bahamas.co.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1730.
Bahamas Tourist Office in the UK
10 Chesterfield Street, London W1J 5JL, UK
Tel: (020) 7355 0800.
Website: www.bahamas.co.uk
Embassy of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas in the USA
2220 Massachussetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 319 2667.
E-mail: bahemb@aol.com
Bahamas Tourist Office in the USA
60 East 42nd Street, Suite 1850, New York, NY 10165, USA
Tel: (212) 758 2777.
Website: www.bahamas.com
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
PO Box N-3701, Nassau, Bahamas
Tel: 302 2000.
Website: www.bahamas.com
Caribbean Tourism Organization in the UK
22 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1BP, UK
Tel: (020) 8948 0057.
Website: www.caribbean.co.uk
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