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The People
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The pride of The Bahamas is its people. Known for a warm heart and a bright smile, Bahamians, as the local people are called, have always shared their home with travellers. Their history speaks of visitors from far and wide stopping by and never wanting to leave. This is why you will find them friendly and accommodating.
Estimated at 338,300 in 2008, Bahamians live on 29 of the 700 Bahama Islands. Nearly two-thirds of them call the capital city Nassau their home. Most Bahamians can trace their ancestry to West Africa where they were enslaved and brought to the islands to work on cotton plantations. Some, however, descended from English settlers, and to Loyalists who sought refuge in The Bahamas during the American Revolution.
The annual population growth is at 1.8 percent. According to the latest censure about three in 10 Bahamians are under 15, while 62.7 percent are between 15 and 59 years. Only 7.9 percent of the Bahamians are 60 years and older.
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