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.

Nassau
The famous Atlantis
Map of the Bahamas show Nassau
Country	Commonwealth of the Bahamas
Island	New Providence
Rebuilt/Renamed	1695
Population (2000)
- City

Nassau is the capital city and commercial center of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 210,832 (2000 census), nearly 70 percent of the entire population of the Bahamas (303,611). Lynden Pindling International Airport, the major airport for the Bahamas, is located about 16 kilometres or 10 miles west of downtown Nassau, and has daily flights to major cities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, 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.

Geography

Located on New Providence island, Nassau has an attractive harbour, a colourful 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 33 degrees Celsius (92 degrees Fahrenheit) and the winter months have daytime temperatures between 20 and 26 °C (68 and 80 °F), rarely falling below 10 °C or 50 °F.

The city's proximity to the United States (180 miles or 290 km east-southeast of Miami, Florida) has also contributed to its popularity as a vacation spot, especially after the banning of American travel to Cuba. The world famous 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.

History

Nassau was formerly Charles Town; it was burnt to the ground by the Spanish in 1684, but later rebuilt and renamed Nassau in 1695 to honor King William III of England (from the House of Orange-Nassau).

Demographic evolution

• 1980- 135.437 inhabitants
• 1990- 172.196 inhabitants
• 2006- 231.519 inhabitants

Miscellaneos

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 26th and January 1st, beginning in the early hours of the morning (1:00 a.m.) and ending around 10 a.m.

Sister cities

Nassau has three sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):^[1]

• Albany, New York, USA
• Detroit, Michigan, USA
• Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA

See also

• Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island
• Queen's College
• Nassau agreement
• Compass Point Studios

References

1. ^ "Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI)." Retrieved February 24, 2007.

External links

• BahamasB2B.com: The #1 News Website of The Bahamas
• Official Website for Bahamas Government
• Bahamas-Travel.info
• Bahamas Community Message Board

• Maps and aerial photos for 25°′″N 77°′″W / 25.06, -77.345Coordinates: 25°′″N 77°′″W / 25.06, -77.345
  • Maps from MapQuest, Multimap and Yahoo! Maps
  • Satellite images and maps from Google Maps and Live Search
  • Other mapping from GlobalGuide and WikiMapia

Capitals of North America

Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe – Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis – Belmopan, Belize – Bridgetown, Barbados – Castries, Saint Lucia – Charlotte Amalie, United States Virgin Islands – Cockburn Town, Turks and Caicos – Fort-de-France, Martinique – George Town, Cayman Islands – Guatemala City, Guatemala – Gustavia, Saint Barthélemy – Hamilton, Bermuda – Havana, Cuba – Kingston, Jamaica – Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Managua, Nicaragua – Marigot, Saint-Martin – Mexico City, D.F., Mexico – Nassau, Bahamas – Nuuk, Greenland – Oranjestad, Aruba – Ottawa, Canada – Panama City, Panama – Philipsburg, Sint Maarten – Plymouth, Montserrat – Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago – Port-au-Prince, Haiti – Road Town, British Virgin Islands – Roseau, Dominica – Saint-Pierre, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon – San José, Costa Rica – San Juan, Puerto Rico – San Salvador, El Salvador – Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – St. George's, Grenada – St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda – Tegucigalpa, Honduras – The Valley, Anguilla – Washington, D.C., United States of America – Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles

frp:Nassau (Bahamas)

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