Location: Caribbean, in the western North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida and northwest of Cuba

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area:
total area: 13,940 sq km
land area: 10,070 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3,542 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Terrain: long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber

Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 32%
other: 67%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood and wind damage
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

Note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain

NOTE: The information regarding The Bahamas on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of The Bahamas Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about The Bahamas Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.