The Bahamas is located in the Caribbean, and its capital is Nassau. It has a population of approximately 401,283 and covers an area of about 13,880 km². Its official currency is the Bahamian dollar (BSD).
What stands out
People & place
28.9 /km² across 13,880 km²
The Bahamas has a recorded population of 401,283 and a reported surface area of 13,880 km².
Economic snapshot
$15.83 billion nominal GDP
Nominal GDP is recorded at $15.83 billion and GDP per capita at $39,455 for 2024. These measures do not describe income distribution or household wealth.
Practical reference
Bahamian dollar (BSD)
The Bahamas uses Bahamian dollar (BSD), calling code +1, internet domain .bs.
About The Bahamas
The Bahamas is an archipelago of hundreds of islands and cays scattered across the clear waters of the western Atlantic, southeast of Florida. Renowned for powder-white beaches and shallow turquoise seas, it is one of the Caribbean region's premier tourism and banking destinations. Its capital, Nassau, sits on the island of New Providence.
The nation spans about 700 low-lying islands and thousands of cays, though only a few dozen are inhabited. The terrain is flat, formed of coral limestone, and the surrounding banks create the famously luminous shallow waters. The climate is tropical and tempered by trade winds, with a hurricane season in summer and autumn.
Bahamian culture is rooted in African and British heritage, expressed most vividly in Junkanoo, an exuberant street parade of music, costume and dance held around Christmas and New Year. Conch features heavily in the cuisine, and rake-and-scrape music, sailing and a relaxed island rhythm define daily life.
The islands were home to the Lucayan people when Christopher Columbus made his first New World landfall here in 1492. Later a British colony and a notorious haven for pirates, the Bahamas became independent within the Commonwealth in 1973, building a prosperous economy on tourism and financial services.
Key facts
Christopher Columbus made his first Atlantic landfall in the Bahamas in 1492.
The Junkanoo festival is the country's signature cultural celebration.
It became independent from the United Kingdom in 1973.
The archipelago includes around 700 islands, of which only about 30 are inhabited.
This overview is AI-assisted and grounded with available atlas facts and reference material. Treat linked primary data as authoritative. Read the methodology.
Population, area and economic figures use the latest available values from World Bank Open Data; reporting years can vary by country. See sources and methodology for indicator definitions, mapping attribution, and editorial limitations.
The Bahamas has a recorded population of approximately 401,283 people.
How big is The Bahamas?
The Bahamas covers an area of about 13,880 km².
What is the population density of The Bahamas?
The Bahamas has a population density of roughly 28.9 /km² (people per square kilometre).
What is the GDP of The Bahamas?
The Bahamas has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $15.83 billion as of 2024.
What is the GDP per capita of The Bahamas?
The Bahamas has a GDP per capita of approximately $39,455.
What currency is used in The Bahamas?
The Bahamas uses the Bahamian dollar (BSD), with the symbol B$.
Where is The Bahamas located?
The Bahamas is located in the Caribbean, Americas.
What is the native name of The Bahamas?
The native name of The Bahamas is Bahamas.
What are people from The Bahamas called?
People from The Bahamas are referred to as Bahamian.
What is the phone calling code for The Bahamas?
The international dialing code for The Bahamas is +1.
What is the internet domain for The Bahamas?
The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for The Bahamas is .bs.
What time zone is The Bahamas in?
The Bahamas uses the America/Nassau time zone.
What is The Bahamas known for?
The Bahamas is an archipelago of hundreds of islands and cays scattered across the clear waters of the western Atlantic, southeast of Florida. Renowned for powder-white beaches and shallow turquoise seas, it is one of the Caribbean region's premier tourism and banking destinations. Its capital, Nassau, sits on the island of New Providence.
Caribbean