| The Bahamas is a group of over 700 islands (including | | | | the contrary, Bahamians are very proud of their |
| some very small ones) in the West Indies. It has | | | | traditions. Their traditional music styles tend to involve |
| been an independent country since the 1970s, but it | | | | large brass bands, and you will often find brass bands |
| is still part of the Commonwealth and technically ruled | | | | playing in the streets. Traditional foods include |
| over by the British Queen. Its colonial heritage means | | | | pineapples and crabs, which are eaten at large |
| that the official language of the islands is still English, | | | | festivals around the time of the harvest. |
| and the widely-spoken English has been a key factor | | | | People in the Bahamas are also very fond of |
| in helping the country to flourish and become a | | | | regattas, enjoying boat racing and other boat-related |
| favourite with tourists from the United States. | | | | pastimes, as well as sports like cricket and athletics. |
| The two biggest islands in the Bahamas are Grand | | | | On the smaller islands, traditional arts and crafts are |
| Bahama and New Providence, where the capital, | | | | still practiced, largely for sale to tourists nowadays, |
| Nassau, is situated. Over half the population is | | | | meaning that you can get very beautiful hand-woven |
| employed in tourism, and the two largest islands | | | | baskets and other items for a very good price in |
| especially, for better or worse, feel like one big | | | | some places. |
| tourist resort. If you prefer your holidays to be | | | | However, if you do go to visit the Bahamas, make |
| comfortable, then stick to the bigger islands, and if | | | | sure that there aren't any hurricanes predicted in the |
| you want more of an adventure, try the smaller | | | | area in the near future. The Bahamas was struck by |
| ones. | | | | hurricanes in 1992, 1999, 2004 and 2005, and many |
| Of course, that doesn't mean that you won't see | | | | people lost their lives. |
| anything traditional if you go to the largest islands. On | | | | |