Grand Bahama
Geography | |
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Location | UTC-4) |
ISO code | BS-EG BS-FP BS-WG |
Grand Bahama is the northernmost of the islands of
Climate
Grand Bahama Island has a tropical monsoon climate, with a hot and wet season from May through October, and warm and dry season from November through April.
In Freeport the summer high temperatures average 31 °C (88 °F), with average lows of 26 °C (79 °F). During the winter, the average high temperature is 28 °C (82 °F), and the average low is 19 °C (66 °F).[6] The rainy season in the Bahamas is from May to October. The hurricane season runs from June through November, with the greatest risk in the months of August, September, and October.[7]
History
Early Spanish contact
The indigenous
British rule
In 1670,
A brief smuggling boom occurred during the years of prohibition in the United States, when West End, Grand Bahama, and Bimini served as waystations for illicit imports of liquor to the U.S.[12]
The major settlement that developed on the island was Freeport-Lucaya, but other hamlets and settlements emerged, including Russell Town, Williams Town, Smith's Point, Mather Town, Pinder's Point, Lewis Yard, Hunter's, and Mack Town.[13]
Hawksbill Creek Agreement era
By the mid-20th century, Grand Bahama's population numbered around 500 and the island was one of the least developed of the Bahamas' islands. However it finally gained a stable source of income when in 1955 a
Hurricane Dorian effects
On September 1, 2019,
Economy
One aspect that contributes to the economy of the Bahamas is what they directly
There are two airports on the island:
Administrative regions
This article appears to contradict the article Local government in the Bahamas#Elections. (January 2024) |
Grand Bahama is divided into three
- East Grand Bahama
- West Grand Bahama
- The City of Freeport
Elections are held every 5 years in the Bahamas. The two principal parties are the Progressive Liberal Party and the Free National Movement.[citation needed]. Grand Bahama also is a part of the islands outside of New Providence and operate under Local Government; this allows for a greater allowance for people to have a more direct rule. The intention of Local government is to not have direct connections to any political party.[citation needed]
Main settlements
- Freeport is the main city of Grand Bahama. It holds the commercial ship harbour and the main airport.
- Lucayais a tourist destination on the island, with beaches and hotels.
- West End is the capital of Grand Bahama. It first achieved notoriety as a rum-running port during the Prohibition.
- In the 1950s, West End became home to the Jack Tar marina and club. However, over the years the marina fell into disrepair, and the whole city of West End was of little economic import to Grand Bahama. In 2001, the resort was reopened as Old Bahama Bay Resort & Yacht Harbour.[21]
- Eight Mile Rock stretches out over eight miles of rocky shore, hence its name. It is home to Bahamian NBA and WNBA players, Buddy Hield and Jonquel Jones.
- McLean's Town is the easternmost settlement of Grand Bahama. It is within a 30-minute ferry ride of the northernmost settlement, the neighboring island of Abaco.
Flora and fauna
Grand Bahama Island is populated with a variety of plants, birds, mammals and fish.
The Bahamas is home to many different species of
The Bahama woodstar is a non-migratory hummingbird found in brushy habitats, including forest and undergrowth, areas of low-growing, and scrubby vegetation.[23]
The Bahama swallow is a medium-sized bird native to the Bahamas. This endangered bird breeds in the islands' pine woodland, but is threatened due to human development. This swallow has a green head and back, blue wings with a black tail, and a white belly and chin.[24]
The tiger shark is a species that gets its name from the vertical stripes that line its body. They are often found near canals, harbours and shallow reefs of Grand Bahama Island.[25]
The yellow elder is a shrub native to the Bahamas. It is densely branched with bright green leaves and yellow flowers that usually attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
The casuarina is an invasive species to the Bahamas. It is a flowering shrub or tree with fine leaves that can grow to a height of 65 feet. The casuarina is common along the islands' shorelines, due to its salt-tolerance and ability to thrive in sandy soils.[26]
References
- ^ "Census population and housing" (PDF). Bahamas Gov. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ "West End". Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ "Grand Bahama Island | island and district, The Bahamas". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2018-10-28.
- ^ Ramon Espinosa; Danica Coto; Michael Weissenstein (September 3, 2019). "'Total devastation': Hurricane slams parts of the Bahamas". Associated Press. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
- CNN.com. Retrieved 2019-09-05.
- ^ "Weather in the Bahamas". The Islands of the Bahamas. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
- ^ "Best Times to Visit Bahamas". U.S News and Daily Report. Archived from the original on 2011-04-18.
- ISBN 978-0-85261-947-6.
- ISBN 0-8173-1416-4.
- ^ Stephanie Hackert, Urban Bahamian Creole: System and Variation (John Benjamins Publishing Co.: 2004), p. 35.
- ^ Michael Craton & Gail Saunders, A History of the Bahamian People (Vol. 1: From Aboriginal Times to the End of Slavery: University of Georgia Press, 1992: 1998 paperback ed.), p. 383.
- ^ Michael Craton & Gail Saunders, A History of the Bahamian People (Vol. 2: From the Ending of Slavery to the Twenty-first Century: University of Georgia Press, 1998), p. 237.
- ^ Michael Craton & Gail Saunders, A History of the Bahamian People (Vol. 2: From the Ending of Slavery to the Twenty-first Century: University of Georgia Press, 1998), p. 333.
- ^ In 1955, the second most populated city of The Bahamas was little more than a pine forest http://www.grandbahamavacations.com/about-the-island/history-of-grand-bahama-island/ Over 30 years later, the result is a community completely tailored to the getaway tourist, a premeditated paradise offering almost every kind of vacation activity imaginable.
- ^ "- Bahamas (BHS) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners". atlas.media.mit.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-28.
- ISBN 978-0-7876-3912-9.
- ISBN 978-1-4103-3898-3.
- ^ Buckeye Partners, L.P. "BORCO". Retrieved 2013-02-21.
- ^ Statoil ASA. "Bahamas - South Riding Point". Retrieved 2013-02-21.
- ^ "The Government of Bahamas - Landing Page".
- ^ "Hotel Online Report". Archived from the original on 2017-06-29. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
- ^ "Common Bats of the Bahamas" (PDF).
- ^ "Bahama Woodstars | Beauty of Birds". www.beautyofbirds.com. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
- S2CID 216419425. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
- ^ "Tiger Sharks, Galeocerdo cuvier". MarineBio.org. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
- ^ "Invasive Species of the Bahamas – Casuarina | CIASNET.ORG". www.ciasnet.org. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
External links
- Official Tourism Site of The Islands of the Bahamas
- Official Site of the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board
- https://bs.usembassy.gov/hurricane-season-alert/
- https://www.thebahamasguide.com/business-investment/agriculture/
- http://legacy.iica.int/Eng/regiones/caribe/bahamas/Lists/News%20%20IICA%20Bahamas/Attachments/16/The%20Top%2030%20Crops%20L.%20Minns.pdf