Bahamas

About Bahamas

Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a sovereign country located in North America, specifically within the Caribbean subregion. Its capital and largest urban centre is Nassau, and the country is home to approximately 398 thousand people. In its native language, the country is known as “Bahamas”. English serves as the primary official language, shaping daily communication, education, government, and media throughout Bahamas. The official currency in circulation is the Bahamian dollar ($), used for all domestic transactions and price-tagged goods. Bahamas is widely recognised for its turquoise waters, swimming pigs and pirate history. People from Bahamas are referred to as Bahamian.

Geography & climate

Bahamas covers approximately 13,943 km² of territory, making it a small country by land area. The country is an island nation (or otherwise lacks land borders), surrounded entirely by water and dependent on maritime and air links to reach its neighbours. Geographically, Bahamas sits in the Northern and Western Hemisphere, at roughly 25.0° N, 77.4° W. Standard civil time follows UTC-05:00 year-round, simplifying scheduling for residents and visitors alike. The prevailing climate of Bahamas can be summarised as: coral archipelago with subtropical & breezy. Local weather patterns naturally vary by altitude, latitude, and proximity to oceans or mountain ranges.

People, language & society

With roughly 398 thousand inhabitants, Bahamas is a small nation in terms of population. The principal spoken language is English, which dominates public life, schooling, signage, and the workplace. Citizens are formally known in English as Bahamian, a demonym that appears in passports, official documents, and international reporting. Economically, the Bahamian dollar ($) and the United States dollar ($) is the medium of exchange used by households and businesses, with exchange rates monitored by the country's central monetary authority.

Quick facts at a glance

• 🏙️ CapitalNassau
• 📛 Official nameCommonwealth of the Bahamas
• 🗣️ Native nameBahamas
• 🧑 DemonymBahamian
• 📍 RegionCaribbean
• 🌐 SubregionCaribbean
• 📐 Area13,943 km²
• 👥 Population398 thousand
• 🌡️ ClimateCoral archipelago · Subtropical & breezy
• 🗺️ Land borders0
• 💬 LanguageEnglish
• 💰 CurrenciesBahamian dollar ($), United States dollar ($)
• 📞 Calling code+1242
• 🌐 Internet TLD.bs
• 🚗 Drives onleft side
• 🕐 Time zoneUTC-05:00
• 🇺🇳 UN memberYes

Practical travel & daily-life info

Visitors planning a trip to Bahamas should familiarise themselves with the capital, Nassau, the local time zone (UTC-05:00), the local currency (Bahamian dollar / United States dollar). The international dialling prefix is +1242, which is required when phoning a Bahamas number from abroad. Vehicles drive on the left side of the road, an important detail for anyone renting a car or crossing a land border by vehicle. The country's top-level internet domain is .bs, used by local businesses, government sites, and many news organisations. The working week traditionally starts on Monday, which affects business hours, banking, and public holidays.

Government & global standing

Bahamas is recognised internationally as a sovereign, independent state. It is a member state of the United Nations, participating in the General Assembly and various specialised UN agencies. On the global stage, Bahamas is generally classified within the North America region and more specifically the Caribbean subregion, alongside neighbouring states with shared geographic, historical, or economic ties.

Did you know?

Feral pigs in the Exuma Cays have learned to swim out and greet boats — defying every expectation of what pigs should do.

Bahamas in the GlobeIQ atlas

Inside the GlobeIQ game, Bahamas appears as a tougher puzzle reserved for geography fans who can pick up subtler hints. When the daily puzzle selects this country, players progressively unlock six hints — silhouette, climate and terrain, number of land borders, region, "known for" tagline, and finally the capital city — before a flag reveal confirms the answer. On its trophy card, Bahamas carries the personality tags “🐖 Swimming Pigs” and “💎 Turquoise Waters”, short flavour labels chosen to evoke the country's most recognisable cultural signatures. Adding Bahamas to your personal atlas is one of 195 small wins on the road to a complete world map. Each correctly guessed nation also contributes to your running streak and unlocks milestone celebrations at 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 collected countries.