Bahamas The Geography - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Location

chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba; note - although The Bahamas does not border the Caribbean Sea, geopolitically it is often designated as a Caribbean nation

Geographic coordinates

24 15 N, 76 00 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total: 13,880 sq km

land: 10,010 sq km

water: 3,870 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Coastline

3,542 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Terrain

long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Elevation

highest point: 1.3 km NE of Old Bight on Cat Island 64 m

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Natural resources

salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Land use

agricultural land: 1.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 0.2% (2018 est.)

forest: 51.4% (2018 est.)

other: 47.2% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land

10 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

most of the population lives in urban areas, with two-thirds living on New Providence Island where Nassau is located

Natural hazards

hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage

Geography - note

strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited

NOTE: The information regarding Bahamas The on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Bahamas The 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Bahamas The 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.