Christopher Columbus' first landfall in the New World in 1492 was on the island of San Salvador, possibly located in the Bahamas. He encountered friendly Arawak (also known as Lucayan) Amerindians and exchanged gifts with them. The British settled on the islands in the 17th century, and made it a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1973, the Bahamas has prospered through tourism, international banking and investment management.

The largest island of the Bahamas is Andros, in the west. Andros is not promoted as a tourist destination.It features flatlands with palm trees, woodlands filled with palmettos, pine and mahogany trees. It's an uncultivated island that still attracts visitors who wish to observe birds in their natural surroundings, divers, and those who appreciate the beach.

The island of New Providence, east of Andros, is the site of the capital city Nassau and home to about two-thirds of the total population. Other important islands are Grand Bahama in the north and Inagua in the south.

Most of the islands - coral formations - are relatively flat, with some low rounded hills, the highest of which is Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island, at 63 m. The local climate is tropical, moderated by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, with occasional hurricanes or tropical storms.

Gorgonian Coral, Bahamas

Shirley Vanderbilt

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