| The Bahamas was a British colony from 1718 and | | | | hands of the Spanish and they had all but destroyed |
| later became an independent country in 1973, while | | | | the native population of Arawak Indians. The British |
| remaining a part of the Commonwealth of Nations. | | | | stopped a lot of the trouble when they made the |
| They retain Queen Elizabeth II as their monarch and | | | | islands a British Crown Colony. |
| still sing God Save the Queen as a national anthem. | | | | The islands are mostly Christian, with a heavy leaning |
| The main language is English though some speak | | | | towards the Protestant church, other denominations |
| variants of English, Spanish and Portuguese. | | | | being present but in minority. A very small minority |
| The capital city is Nassau, which is located on the | | | | practise Obeah and Voodoo, both similar to each |
| island New Providence, though Andros Island is the | | | | other, as spiritualistic folk beliefs. |
| largest in the group. The city was a haven for the | | | | The Prime Minister of the Bahamas is Perry Gladstone |
| pirates that sailed the Caribbean, including the famous | | | | Christie, born 1944, and third Prime Minister of the |
| Blackbeard, and was fought over by several nations, | | | | nation. Christie has earned awards for his efforts in |
| notably Spain and England. The whole region was | | | | urban renewal and community policing, though has |
| notorious in legend for pirate activity, and is used as | | | | also been in scandal surrounding his political tactics. |
| a set for many books and films on the subject. | | | | The Bahamas' main industry is tourism, with the island |
| The pirates even disrupted the area's government at | | | | being a massive tourist spot for most western |
| one point by declaring an anarchic 'Privateer's Republic' | | | | countries. The tropical location and mysterious history |
| and ransacking Charlestown, which would later | | | | make for an ideal spot and a popular place for |
| become Nassau. The islands had been through the | | | | couples, families and partiers. |