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Bahamas
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BAHAMAS (巴哈马), with an area of 13,935 sqkm, is an archipelago (群岛) country consisting of about 700 islands and cays (沙洲). Only 22 of the islands and cays are inhabited.
The islands got their name from the Spanish word bajamar, meaning shallow water since the islands are generally low and flat, and the highest point in the entire archipelago, on Cat Island, is only 63 m above sea level.
There are no running streams (常流河). Fresh water is procured from wells dug in underlying rocks. On New Providence Island is the capital, Nassau (拿骚), a popular winter resort (度假胜地). Other Bahama islands include Great Abaco, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama and Long Island.
The climate is mild, with an average winter temperature of about 21oC. Lacking natural resources other than their magnificent climate and dazzling (美丽的) beaches, the islands are economically dependent on tourism. The many attractions, including gambling casinos (赌场) that have opened in several areas, have brought a relatively high standard of living for the mostly native population. The economy is also dependent on banking.
Englishmen came to the Bahamas in the 1600s, and the island group later became a British colony. However, the society and culture that have developed in the Bahamas are an unusual blend of both the European settlement and the African heritage that are a legacy (遗传) of the islands' former slave trade.
The official language is English and the population is about 262,100.
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