The capital and largest city of the Bahamas, on the northeast coast of New Providence Island in the Atlantic Ocean east of Miami, Florida. Settled in the 17th century, it was a haven for pirates in the 18th century. Population: 210,000.
Nassau
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Nas·sau (năs'ô')  |
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Nassau (nă'sô), city (1990 pop. 172,196), capital of the Bahamas. A port on New Providence island, it has a large and beautiful harbor and is the commercial and social center of the islands. Its warm, healthful climate and colorful atmosphere have made it a popular resort. Formerly called Charles Towne, it was renamed Nassau in 1695. In the 18th cent. it was a rendezvous for pirates, among them Blackbeard. Three forts, Nassau (1697), Charlotte (1787-94), and Fincastle (1793), were built to ward off the numerous Spanish invasions. American revolutionists in 1776 captured and held it a short time.
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More on Nassau and New Providence
- History
- Getting There
- Getting Around
- Shopping
- The Atlantis Resort and Casino
- Beaches
- Ardastra Gardens
- Pirates of Nassau
- The Cloisters
- The Water Tower
- The Queens Staircase
- Pompey Museum
- Historical Society Museum
- Junkanoo Expo Museum
- Changing of the Guard Ceremony
- The Retreat
- Guided Walking Tours
- The Botanical Gardens
- Fort Fincastle
- Fort Montague
- Fort Charlotte
- Adventures on Land
- Dolphin Encounters
- Hartley's Undersea Walk
- Seaworld Explorer Semi-submarine
- Sport Fishing
- Powerboat Adventures
- Diving and Snorkeling
- Where to Stay and Eat
New Providence was first settled by the English in 1656. The colony was administered, somewhat loosely, by the colonial government on the North American mainland. During the early years, the people of the little settlement of Charles Town lived their lives without much interference from the outside world. Then the island became a haven and base of operations for pirates, who raided the Spanish fleets plying the seas homeward to Cadiz laden with the king's treasures from the New World. It wasn't long before the Spanish Governor General decided that enough was enough, and Spain invaded the island. Spanish occupation of the island was, however, short-lived; there was a new king on the English throne, who was ready to exert his power.
Charles Town was renamed Nassau in honor of King William of Orange-Nassau, and the pirates returned to the island. Men like Blackbeard, Major Bonnet and Calico Jack Rackham set up shop and soon became more active than ever. Privateers sailing under royal sanction from the Netherlands, France and England soon joined them, making the voyage from the New World to Spain extremely hazardous.
Finally, however, the pirates were driven off the island by Woodes Rogers, a ruthless and dedicated man who became governor in 1718. Things then settled down for awhile.
Slavery had long been established on New Providence. After the native Lucayan Indians died out, sometime shortly after Europeans arrived on the islands, men like Sir John Hawkins and Sir Francis Drake made their early fortunes slave trading in the West Indies and other islands of the Caribbean. By the turn of the 18th century, the black population on the island had more than tripled. Emancipation came to the Bahamas in August 1834 and the newly liberated slaves left Nassau and moved "over the hill" to establish settlements of their own.
The outbreak of the American Civil War brought new activity to New Providence, Nassau in particular, and with it a new era of prosperity. Nassau became second only to Bermuda as a center for blockade-running activities. Both English and Confederate companies established agencies on New Providence, and the large numbers of blockade runners operating out of Nassau harbor became a matter of grave concern for US authorities.
The blockade runners brought much-needed supplies to the Confederacy, arms and medical supplies especially, but their motives were not all patriotic. Profit was the driving force, and from Nassau just as many luxury items were carried into Southern ports as were essential supplies. It was a two-way street. Ships returning from Confederate ports carried cargoes of cotton, turpentine, and tobacco for sale in European markets. The profits were enormous – often exceeding 800%.
With the end of the Civil War in 1865, Nassau and New Providence returned to their quiet ways. But by the turn of the 19th century the island was discovered again, this time as a playground for the rich and famous. This new period of prosperity began after the laying of the international telephone cable from what is now Cable Beach to Jupiter, Florida. Cable Beach, with its magnificent stretch of unspoiled sand, drew the wealthy from around the world like a magnet. This period saw its peak during the Duke of Windsor's tenure as Governor of the island.
Today, New Providence, and Nassau in particular, is the center of the thriving Bahamian tourist industry. There is more to do, more to see, and more to enjoy on New Providence, tiny though it is, than on all the other islands of the Bahamas combined.
| Wikipedia: Nassau, Bahamas |
| Nassau | |
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| Country | Commonwealth of the Bahamas |
| Island | New Providence |
| Rebuilt/Renamed | 1695 |
| Population (2008) | |
| - Total | 260,000 |
| - Metro Density | 1,019/km2 (2,639.2/sq mi) |
| Area code(s) | 242 |
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 260,000 (2008 census), nearly 80 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas (330,000). Lynden Pindling International Airport, the major airport for The Bahamas, is located about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) west of Nassau city centre, and has daily flights to major cities in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and the Caribbean. The city is located on the island of New Providence, which functions much like a federal district. While there is no local government, it is governed directly as an administrative division of the national government. Nassau is considered a historical stronghold of pirates.[1]
Contents |
History
See also: Piracy in the Caribbean
Nassau was formerly known as Charles Town; it was burned to the ground by the Spanish in 1684, but later rebuilt and renamed Nassau in 1695 in honour of Dutch King William III of England and Ireland from the Dutch House of Orange-Nassau. In 1703 Spanish and French allied forces briefly occupied Nassau.
By 1713, the sparsely settled Bahamas had become a pirate rendezvous. English pirate chieftains Thomas Barrow and Benjamin Hornigold proclaimed Nassau a pirate republic, establishing themselves as governors, and were joined by Charles Vane, Calico Jack Rackham, and Edward Teach, the infamous "Blackbeard", along with women pirates such as Anne Bonny and Mary Read.
In 1718, the crown sought to regain control and appointed Captain Woodes Rogers General and Governor in chief in and over the Bahama islands. He ousted Blackbeard from his position as Magistrate of the "Privateers Republic", reformed the civil government and successfully expelled the pirates. Rogers cleaned up Nassau and rebuilt the fort, even going as far to use his own money to try to overcome problems.
In 1776 the Battle of Nassau resulted in occupation by the Americans: in 1778 an overnight invasion saw the Americans leaving with ships, gunpowder and military stores after remaining in Nassau for only two days. In 1782 Spain captured Nassau, for the last time when Don Juan de Cagigal, Governor General of Cuba and the Havana attacked New Providence with 5000 men. Andrew Deveaux set forth to recapture Nassau with only 220 men and 150 muskets to face a force of 600 trained soldiers. Deveaux forced the Spanish to surrender on April 17, 1783, without a single shot fired. When Deveaux took down the Spanish flag, it marked the last time that a foreign banner was to fly over the Bahamian capital Nassau as a symbol of dominion.
Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre was opened in 1982 and was the first zoo in The Bahamas. It had previously been open as gardens in Nassau since 1937.
Geography
Located on New Providence Island, Nassau has an attractive harbor, a colorful blend of old world and colonial architecture and a busy port. The tropical climate and natural beauty of the Bahamas has made Nassau a popular tourist destination, with a reputation for relaxing days and an exciting nightlife.
Summertime temperatures rarely exceed 92 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Celsius) and the winter months have daytime temperatures between 68 and 80 °F (20 and 27 °C), rarely falling below 50 °F (10 °C).
| Weather data for Nassau | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Average high °C (°F) | 22.8 (73) |
23.2 (74) |
24.6 (76) |
26.5 (80) |
27.7 (82) |
29.5 (85) |
29.9 (86) |
28.3 (83) |
26.4 (80) |
24.8 (77) |
22.5 (73) |
21.5 (71) |
|
| Average low °C (°F) | 16.8 (62) |
17.0 (63) |
19.9 (68) |
21.6 (71) |
23.1 (74) |
24.5 (76) |
25.0 (77) |
24.6 (76) |
22.8 (73) |
20.4 (69) |
17.9 (64) |
16.2 (61) |
|
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 54.7 (2.15) |
51.7 (2.04) |
53.8 (2.12) |
52.4 (2.06) |
65.6 (2.58) |
92.9 (3.66) |
114.3 (4.5) |
155.5 (6.12) |
175.8 (6.92) |
109.1 (4.3) |
68.5 (2.7) |
56.9 (2.24) |
|
| Source: National Weather Service 2007 | |||||||||||||
The city's proximity to the United States (290 km east-southeast of Miami, Florida) has also contributed to its popularity as a holiday resort, especially after the banning of American travel to Cuba. The Atlantis resort on nearby Paradise Island accounts for more tourist arrivals to the city than any other hotel property. The mega-resort also employs over 6,000 Bahamians, the largest outside of government.
Junkanoo
The city also boasts of Junkanoo, an energetic, colourful street parade of brightly costumed people dancing to the rhythmic accompaniment of cowbells, drums and whistles. The celebration occurs on December 26 and January 1, beginning in the early hours of the morning (1:00 a.m.) and ending around 10 a.m.
In addition, the city celebrates Junkanoo June, a month-long festival akin to Mardi Gras. Festivities begin at sundown.
In popular culture
Nassau has featured as an important location in numerous James Bond novels and films. The most notable of the Bond films in Nassau is Thunderball, released in 1965. Most of the movie was based in Nassau, and the Junkanoo festival also figures prominently in the film, which starred Sean Connery. Nassau was again the location for the 1983 Bond film Never Say Never Again, (a remake of Thunderball) also starring Sean Connery, and it is was the setting for part of the action in the 2006 Bond film Casino Royale starring Daniel Craig. Nassau was also featured in the famous Beatles movie Help!.
At least one ship and one airplane from various James Bond movies has been sunk in the waters of Nassau. Stuart Cove offers dives to these.
Nassau is also heavily featured in the novel Tobin in Paradise by Stanley Morgan. The story is centered around the visit by the main character, Russ Tobin, to Nassau and Paradise Island, and the comedic events that ensue.
Nassau has also been the setting for several other recent movies including After the Sunset, Into the Blue and Flipper.
The capital hosted the games of the 2004 World's Strongest Man contest. Atlantis Paradise Island was the venue for the 2009 Miss Universe pageant.
References
- ^ Klausmann, Ulrike; Meinzerin, Marion; Kuhn, Gabriel (1997) (book). Women Pirates and the Politics of the Jolly Roger (1st ed.). C.P. 1258 Succ. Place du Parc Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2W2R3: Black Rose Books Ltd.. p. 192. ISBN 1-55164-058-9.
External links
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Learning resources from WikiversityCoordinates: 25°03′36″N 77°20′42″W / 25.06°N 77.345°W
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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