The Bahama Islands are an archipelago of over 700 islands in the Western Atlantic Ocean. The Bahamas has a reported population of 353,658, with 249,948 of those reported living in Nassau,the Capital City. Nassau is located on New Providence Island where 70% of the island’s population lives. The country's largest port and is hosued in the Capital City. Nassau is located only 185 miles from Miami.
The Bahamas has over 270 years of democratic rule and is one of the most politically stable countries in the world. The main exports from the Bahamas are pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish and refined petroleum. Tourism generates 50% of the total gross domestic product and directly or indirectly employs half of the total work force. Nassau is the commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
Nassau's modern growth began in the late eighteenth century, with the influx of thousands of American Loyalists and enslaved Africans to the Bahamas following the American War of Independence. Many of them settled in Nassau and eventually came to outnumber the original inhabitants.
The Atlantis resort on nearby Paradise Island currently accounts for more tourist arrivals to Nassau than any other hotel property. The mega-resort also employs over 6,000 Bahamians, and is the largest employer outside of government. This, however, may change as Nassau sees the opening of Baha Mar, the colossal $2.6 billion project that is under construction on Cable Beach in Nassau. Baha Mar is the largest single-phase resort in the history of the Caribbean. Both resorts will undoubtedly result in economic growth for Nassau, as there will be job creation, major tourist attractions and business development.
As more and more development projects are born in Nassau, Bahamas it is becoming increasingly clear that this City is becoming an economic force.
