Today is the National Day of The Bahamas. Consisting of around 3,000 islands, islets, and cays, Bahamas is located in the Atlantic Ocean, east of Florida, United States of America, north of Cuba and the Caribbean, and northwest of the British overseas territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Nassau is the capital and largest city. Although the country is not actually located in the Caribbean, it is a member of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), an organization comprised of 15 Caribbean nations.

The Bahamas became a British crown colony in 1718. Some 8,000 American loyalists moved to the Bahamas after 1783 from New York, Florida, and the Carolinas. The Emancipation of the British West Indies United Kingdom Emancipation Act took effect on August 1, 1834.

The British made the islands internally self-governing in 1964. In 1973, the Bahamas declared independence, but retained membership in the Commonwealth of Nations.

Tourism is the most important economic activity of the Bahamas. It accounts for over 60 percent of the Bahamian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provides jobs for more than half the country’s workforce. Many cruise ships regularly visit the capital of Nassau where tourists visit the straw market to buy various items or have their hair braided Bahamas-style. After tourism, the most important economic sector is financial services, accounting for around 15 percent of GDP. The country’s GDP per capita is one of the highest in the Western Hemisphere.

The Manila Bulletin, led by its Chairman of the Board of Directors Dr. Emilio T. Yap, President and Publisher Atty. Hermogenes P. Pobre, Executive Vice President Dr. Emilio C. Yap III, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Cris J. Icban Jr., Business Editor Loreto D. Cabañes, Officers and Employees, congratulate the people and government of the Bahamas led by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and Their Excellencies, Governor-General Sir Arthur Foulkes, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Perry G. Christie, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Urban Development Philip Davis, and Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Frederick A. Mitchell, on the occasion of its National Day. CONGRATULATIONS AND MABUHAY!

This is an excerpt from The Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp as it appeared on July 9, 2013. For updates or to read the current version of this post in its entirety, please click here.

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