Bahamas The Geography - 2024

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

Area comparison map:

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