View source for Geography of the Bahamas

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{{Country geography 
|name= the Bahamas
|map = Bahamas 2009.jpg
|continent = [[North America]]
|region = [[Atlantic Ocean]]
|coordinates = {{Coord|24|15|N|76|00|W|display=title}}
|area ranking = 155th
|km area = 13,878
|percent land = 72.12
|km coastline = 3542
|borders = None
|highest point = [[Cat Island, Bahamas|Cat Island]] <br /> {{convert|63|m|feet}}
|lowest point = [[Atlantic Ocean]] <br /> 0 m 
|longest river = 
|largest lake = 
|exclusive economic zone = {{convert|654,715|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}
}}

[[File:Cuba and the Bahamas.ogv|thumb|upright=1.2|This short video shows moist clouds over the island of Cuba and the Bahamas as the [[International Space Station|ISS]] flies from the [[Caribbean Sea]] north-east to the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. In the video, Cuba is mostly covered by clouds, but the reefs in the Bahamas stand out.]]

[[The Bahamas]] are a group of about 700 [[island]]s and [[cay]]s in the western [[Atlantic Ocean]], of which only between 30 and 40 are inhabited. The largest of the islands is [[Andros Island]], located north of [[Cuba]] and {{convert|200|km|abbr=off}} southeast of [[Florida]]. The [[Bimini]] islands are to its northwest. To the North is the island of [[Grand Bahama]], home to the second-largest city in the country, [[Freeport, Bahamas|Freeport]]. The island of [[Great Abaco]] is to its east. In the far south is the island of [[Great Inagua]], the second-largest island in the country. Other notable islands include [[Eleuthera]], [[Cat Island (Bahamas)|Cat Island]], [[San Salvador Island]], [[Acklins]], [[Crooked Island (Bahamas)|Crooked Island]], and [[Mayaguana]]. [[Nassau, Bahamas|Nassau]] is the capital and largest city, located on [[New Providence]]. The islands have a tropical savannah climate, moderated by the [[Gulf Stream]]. The total size is {{convert|13,878|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}. Due to the many widespread islands it has the 41st largest [[Exclusive Economic Zone]] of {{convert|654,715|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}.

The islands are surface projections of two oceanic [[Bahama Banks]] - the Little Bahama Bank and the Great Bahama Bank.<ref name=":0">{{Cite encyclopedia|title=Islands of the Commonwealth Caribbean: a regional study|publisher=[[Federal Research Division]], [[Library of Congress]]|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/88600483/|last=Sullivan|first=Mark P.|date=1987|editor1-last=Meditz|editor1-first=Sandra W.|pages=525–526|language=English|oclc=49361510|postscript=. {{PD-notice}}|editor2-last=Hanratty|editor2-first=Dennis M.|entry=The Bahamas: Geography}}</ref> The highest point is only {{convert|63|m|abbr=off}} above sea level on Cat Island; the island of New Providence, where the capital city of Nassau is located, reaches a maximum elevation of only thirty-seven meters. The land on the Bahamas has a foundation of fossil [[coral]], but much of the rock is [[Oolite|oolitic]] [[limestone]]; the stone is derived from the disintegration of [[coral reef]]s and seashells.<ref name=":0" /> The land is primarily either rocky or [[mangrove swamp]].<ref name=":0" /> Low scrub covers much of the surface area.<ref name=":0" /> [[Bahamian pineyards|Pineyards]] are found on four of the northern islands: Grand Bahama, Great Abaco, New Providence, and Andros.<ref name=":0" /> On some of the southern islands, low-growing tropical hardwood flourishes.<ref name=":0" /> Although some soil is very fertile, it is also very thin.<ref name=":0" /> Only a few freshwater lakes and just one river, located on Andros Island, are found in the Bahamas.<ref name=":0" />

==Climate==
{{Wettest tropical cyclones in the Bahamas|align=right}}
[[File:Koppen-Geiger_Map_v2_BHS_1991–2020.svg|thumb|upright=1.35|The Bahamas map of Köppen climate classification.]]

The climate of the Bahama islands is mostly [[Tropical savanna climate|tropical savanna]], with two seasons, a hot and wet summer (wet season) and dry winter (dry season).

During the wet season, which extends from May through October, the climate is dominated by warm, moist tropical air masses<ref name=":0" /> as the [[Bermuda High]] brings a southeasterly flow from the deep tropics. Daily high temperatures are in the {{convert|31|°C|1}} range, with a dew point temperatures in the {{convert|75-77|F|1}} range, creating the typical hot and sultry island weather. Brief but intense thundershowers are common with thunder and lightning. In the wet season, tropical storms and weak tropical lows may also contribute to the seasonal rainfall.

In the dry season, extending from November through April, the subtropical high retreats, and a mix of drier northeast trade winds and occasional westerlies coming down from the North American mainland impact the Bahamas. Sunny, arid conditions prevail in the Bahamas in the dry season, and at times drought conditions can impact farming and agriculture. High temperatures during the dry season are in the {{convert|25|°C|1}} range.

Annual rainfall averages {{convert|132|cm}} and is usually concentrated in the May–June and September–October periods.<ref name=":0" /> Rainfall often occurs in short-lived, fairly intense, but brief thundershowers accompanied by strong gusty winds, followed by a return to clear skies.<ref name=":0" />

Winds are predominantly easterly throughout the year but tend to become northeasterly from October to April and southeasterly from May to September.<ref name=":0" /> These winds seldom exceed twenty-four kilometres per hour except during hurricane season.<ref name=":0" /> Although the hurricane season officially lasts from June to November, most hurricanes in the Bahamas occur between July and October.<ref name=":0" />  The strongest storm to strike the country was [[Hurricane Andrew]] in 1992, until [[Hurricane Dorian]] struck in 2019. Damage was estimated at US$250 million and mainly affected agricultural products.

The most intense hurricane to strike the Bahamas was [[Hurricane Dorian]] in 2019, with wind gusts of up to {{convert|355|km/h|mph}} being recorded. 84 people died (74 of whom were from the Bahamas), and there was catastrophic damage to buildings, homes, and boats, and sometimes complete destruction. Preliminary damage estimates are in the US$7 billion range.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.npr.org/2019/09/05/757858192/in-bahamas-officials-assess-generational-devastation-from-hurricane-dorian | title=In Bahamas, Officials Assess 'Generational Devastation' from Hurricane Dorian | website=NPR | date=5 September 2019 | last1=Booker | first1=Brakkton }}</ref>

{{Weather box
|width=auto
|location=Nassau ([[Lynden Pindling International Airport]]), elevation: {{cvt|7|m|disp=or}}, extremes 1980-2012
|metric first=Yes
|single line=Yes
|collapsed=Yes
|Jan record high C=32.1
|Feb record high C=33.0
|Mar record high C=33.0
|Apr record high C=34.0
|May record high C=38.0
|Jun record high C=38.0
|Jul record high C=36.0
|Aug record high C=39.9
|Sep record high C=36.0
|Oct record high C=35.0
|Nov record high C=33.0
|Dec record high C=32.0
|Jan record low C=6.0
|Feb record low C=7.0
|Mar record low C=7.0
|Apr record low C=9.0
|May record low C=9.0
|Jun record low C=15.0
|Jul record low C=17.0
|Aug record low C=18.0
|Sep record low C=18.0
|Oct record low C=15.0
|Nov record low C=11.0
|Dec record low C=7.6
|Jan high C=25.6
|Feb high C=26.1
|Mar high C=26.9
|Apr high C=28.1
|May high C=29.9
|Jun high C=31.4
|Jul high C=32.4
|Aug high C=32.4
|Sep high C=31.9
|Oct high C=30.2
|Nov high C=27.9
|Dec high C=26.4
|year high C=29.1
|Jan mean C=21.6
|Feb mean C=21.9
|Mar mean C=22.7
|Apr mean C=23.9
|May mean C=25.8
|Jun mean C=27.7
|Jul mean C=28.5
|Aug mean C=28.5
|Sep mean C=27.9
|Oct mean C=26.6
|Nov mean C=24.5
|Dec mean C=22.6
|year mean C=25.2
|Jan low C=17.4
|Feb low C=17.9
|Mar low C=18.6
|Apr low C=19.8
|May low C=21.6
|Jun low C=23.6
|Jul low C=24.4
|Aug low C=24.4
|Sep low C=24.1
|Oct low C=23.0
|Nov low C=20.9
|Dec low C=18.9
|year low C=21.2
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm=49
|Feb precipitation mm=50
|Mar precipitation mm=65
|Apr precipitation mm=63
|May precipitation mm=115
|Jun precipitation mm=223
|Jul precipitation mm=150
|Aug precipitation mm=217
|Sep precipitation mm=182
|Oct precipitation mm=137
|Nov precipitation mm=79
|Dec precipitation mm=52
|year precipitation mm=1382
|unit precipitation days=1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days=8
|Feb precipitation days=6
|Mar precipitation days=7
|Apr precipitation days=6
|May precipitation days=10
|Jun precipitation days=15
|Jul precipitation days=17
|Aug precipitation days=18
|Sep precipitation days=17
|Oct precipitation days=14
|Nov precipitation days=9
|Dec precipitation days=8
|year precipitation days=135
|Jan sun=226
|Feb sun=224
|Mar sun=251
|Apr sun=282
|May sun=282
|Jun sun=240
|Jul sun=267
|Aug sun=260
|Sep sun=222
|Oct sun=236
|Nov sun=219
|Dec sun=211
|source 1=Ogimet<ref name=ogimetnassau>{{cite web |url=https://www.ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gclimat?lang=en&mode=0&ind=78073&ord=DIR&year=2017&mes=12&months=12 |title=CLIMAT summary for 78073: Nassau Airport (The Bahamas) – Section 2: Monthly Normals |work=CLIMAT monthly weather summaries |publisher=Ogimet |access-date=February 4, 2018 |archive-date=June 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602081742/https://www.ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gclimat?lang=en&mode=0&ind=78073&ord=DIR&year=2017&mes=12&months=12 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|source 2=Climatebase.ru (extremes)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://climatebase.ru/station/78073?lang=en |title=Nassau, Bahamas #78073 |website=climatebase.ru |access-date=2019-07-29 |archive-date=2019-07-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729163911/http://climatebase.ru/station/78073%3Flang%3Den |url-status=live }}</ref>
|date=February 2011}}

{|class="wikitable"
|+Average sea temperature at Nassau
|-
!Jan
!Feb
!Mar
!Apr
!May
!Jun
!Jul
!Aug
!Sep
!Oct
!Nov
!Dec
|-
|73&nbsp;°F
23&nbsp;°C
|73&nbsp;°F
23&nbsp;°C
|75&nbsp;°F
24&nbsp;°C
|79&nbsp;°F
26&nbsp;°C
|81&nbsp;°F
27&nbsp;°C
|82&nbsp;°F
28&nbsp;°C
|82&nbsp;°F
28&nbsp;°C
|82&nbsp;°F
28&nbsp;°C
|82&nbsp;°F
28&nbsp;°C
|81&nbsp;°F
27&nbsp;°C
|79&nbsp;°F
26&nbsp;°C
|75&nbsp;°F
24&nbsp;°C
|}

{{Weather box
|width = auto 
|location = Freeport (1971-2000)
|single line = Yes
|metric first = Yes
|collapsed = Yes 
|Jan high F = 75.8
|Feb high F = 75.9
|Mar high F = 78.4
|Apr high F = 81.3
|May high F = 85.4
|Jun high F = 88.2
|Jul high F = 90.0
|Aug high F = 90.2
|Sep high F = 89.0
|Oct high F = 85.4
|Nov high F = 81.2
|Dec high F = 77.2
|year high F = 83.2
|Jan low F = 60.7
|Feb low F = 60.0
|Mar low F = 63.5
|Apr low F = 66.6
|May low F = 69.9
|Jun low F = 73.8
|Jul low F = 75.1
|Aug low F = 75.1
|Sep low F = 74.0
|Oct low F = 70.5
|Nov low F = 66.9
|Dec low F = 62.6
|year low F = 68.2
|precipitation colour = green 
|Jan precipitation mm = 83.1
|Feb precipitation mm = 72.6
|Mar precipitation mm = 93.5
|Apr precipitation mm = 66.8
|May precipitation mm = 104.7
|Jun precipitation mm = 176.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 165.4
|Aug precipitation mm = 207.8
|Sep precipitation mm = 217.4
|Oct precipitation mm = 142.8
|Nov precipitation mm = 93.0
|Dec precipitation mm = 73.7
|year precipitation mm = 
|Jan rain days=10
|Feb rain days=9
|Mar rain days=9
|Apr rain days=7
|May rain days=12
|Jun rain days=17
|Jul rain days=18
|Aug rain days=19
|Sep rain days=19
|Oct rain days=16
|Nov rain days=11
|Dec rain days=10
|year rain days=
|Jan sun=217
|Feb sun=226
|Mar sun=279
|Apr sun=270
|May sun=279
|Jun sun=270
|Jul sun=279
|Aug sun=279
|Sep sun=240
|Oct sun=248
|Nov sun=210
|Dec sun=217
|year sun=
|Jand sun=7
|Febd sun=8
|Mard sun=9
|Aprd sun=9
|Mayd sun=9
|Jund sun=9
|Juld sun=9
|Augd sun=9
|Sepd sun=8
|Octd sun=8
|Novd sun=7
|Decd sun=7
|yeard sun=
|Jan percentsun=65
|Feb percentsun=71
|Mar percentsun=75
|Apr percentsun=70
|May percentsun=67
|Jun percentsun=65
|Jul percentsun=66
|Aug percentsun=69
|Sep percentsun=65
|Oct percentsun=70
|Nov percentsun=65
|Dec percentsun=67
|year percentsun=
|Jan uv=5
|Feb uv=7
|Mar uv=9
|Apr uv=10
|May uv=11
|Jun uv=11
|Jul uv=11
|Aug uv=11
|Sep uv=10
|Oct uv=8
|Nov uv=6
|Dec uv=5
|year uv=
|source 1 = WMO <ref name=WMOfreeport>
{{cite web
|url =http://worldweather.wmo.int/en/city.html?cityId=1633 |title =Climatological Information
|publisher=WMO
|year=2016
|access-date= November 24, 2011}}</ref>
|date=November 2011
|source 2 = Weather Atlas (rain days, sun, and uv)<ref name="weather-atlas.com freeport">
{{cite web
|url=https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/the-bahamas/freeport-climate
|title=Monthly weather forecast and climate - Freeport, The Bahamas
|publisher=Weather Atlas
|access-date=March 29, 2020}}</ref>
}}

=== Climate change ===
{{See also|Climate change in the Caribbean}}[[Climate change]] is causing temperature increases in the Bahamas. The average temperature has increased by approximately 0.5&nbsp;°C since 1960. The rate of the temperature increase varies seasonally, with average daily maximum temperatures for July recently increasing at a rate of 2.6&nbsp;°C per 100 years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal |title=Bahamas |url=https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/bahamas/climate-data-historical |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org |language=en}}</ref> Global temperature rise of 2&nbsp;°C above preindustrial levels can increase the likelihood of extreme [[Tropical cyclone|hurricane]] rainfall by four to five times in the Bahamas.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Berardelli |first=Jeff |date=2020-08-29 |title=Climate change may make extreme hurricane rainfall 5 times more likely, study says - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/climate-change-may-make-extreme-hurricane-rainfall-five-times-more-likely-study-says/ |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=L Vosper |first=E |last2=M Mitchell |first2=D |last3=Emanuel |first3=K |date=2020-10-01 |title=Extreme hurricane rainfall affecting the Caribbean mitigated by the paris agreement goals |url=https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ab9794 |journal=Environmental Research Letters |volume=15 |issue=10 |page=104053 |doi=10.1088/1748-9326/ab9794 |issn=1748-9326|hdl=1721.1/133619.2 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> The [[Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change|IPCC]] expects the 20-year average global temperature to exceed +1.5&nbsp;°C in the early 2030s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 August 2021 |title=Climate Change 2021 - The Physical Science Basis |url=https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_Full_Report.pdf#page=955 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405072633/https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_Full_Report.pdf#page=955 |archive-date=5 April 2024 |website=Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change |id=IPCC AR6 WGI}}</ref>

The Bahamas is expected to be highly affected by [[sea level rise]] because at least 80% of the total land is below 10 meters elevation.<ref name="Lewsey2004">{{cite journal |author1=Clement Lewsey |author2=Gonzalo Cid |author3=Edward Kruse |date=2004-09-01 |title=Assessing climate change impacts on coastal infrastructure in the Eastern Caribbean |journal=Marine Policy |volume=28 |issue=5 |pages=393–409 |doi=10.1016/j.marpol.2003.10.016}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{cite journal |author1=Borja G. Reguero |author2=Iñigo J. Losada |author3=Pedro Díaz-Simal |author4=Fernando J. Méndez |author5=Michael W. Beck |year=2015 |title=Effects of Climate Change on Exposure to Coastal Flooding in Latin America and the Caribbean |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=10 |issue=7 |article-number=e0133409 |bibcode=2015PLoSO..1033409R |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0133409 |pmc=4503776 |pmid=26177285 |doi-access=free}}</ref> As a [[Small Island Developing States|small island developing state]], the Bahamas is vulnerable to escalating disease outbreaks, and climate change could affect the seasonality of outbreaks and transmission of disease.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Health and climate change: country profile 2021: the Bahamas |url=https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-HEP-ECH-CCH-21.01.03 |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=www.who.int |language=en}}</ref>

Although the country's [[greenhouse gas emissions]] are comparatively small (2.94 million tonnes of green house gases emitted in 2023),<ref name=":6">{{Cite journal |last=Jones |first=Matthew W. |last2=Peters |first2=Glen P. |last3=Gasser |first3=Thomas |last4=Andrew |first4=Robbie M. |last5=Schwingshackl |first5=Clemens |last6=Gütschow |first6=Johannes |last7=Houghton |first7=Richard A. |last8=Friedlingstein |first8=Pierre |last9=Pongratz |first9=Julia |last10=Le Quéré |first10=Corinne |date=2023-03-29 |title=National contributions to climate change due to historical emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide since 1850 |journal=Scientific Data |volume=10 |issue=1 |doi=10.1038/s41597-023-02041-1 |issn=2052-4463|pmc=10060593 }}</ref> the Bahamas is reliant on imported [[fossil fuel]]s for energy generation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=World Data |title=Energy consumption in the Bahamas |url=https://www.worlddata.info/america/bahamas/energy-consumption.php |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=Worlddata.info |language=en}}</ref> The government plans to increase [[solar energy]] capacity to 30% of the country's total energy production by 2033.<ref>{{Cite web |last=The Bahamas Ministry of Economic Affairs |title=The Bahamas set to aggressively expand its use of solar energy by 2033 |url=https://moea.gov.bs/the-bahamas-set-to-aggressively-expand-its-use-of-solar-energy-by-2033/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2024-12-09 |language=en-US}}</ref> The Bahamas has pledged to reduce its emissions by 30% by 2030, if international support is received.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bahamas  Climate Change Data {{!}} Emissions and Policies |url=https://www.climatewatchdata.org/countries/BHS?end_year=2021&start_year=1990 |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=www.climatewatchdata.org}}</ref>

==Geography==
{{unreferenced section|date=July 2021}}

===Location===
[[Image:BahamasOMC.png|thumb|upright=1.8|Map of the Bahamas]]
[[Atlantic Ocean]], chain islands in the North [[Atlantic Ocean]], southeast of [[Florida]], northeast of [[Cuba]] and northwest of the [[Turks and Caicos Islands]].

'''Geographic coordinates (capital city [[Nassau, Bahamas|Nassau]]):''' 25°4′N 77°20′W

===Area===
*total: 13,880&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
:''county comparison to the world:'' 161
*land: 3865 square miles;  10,010&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
*water: 3,870&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>

====Area comparative====
*[[Australia]] comparative: 6 times larger than the [[Australian Capital Territory]]
*[[Canada]] comparative: a little over twice the size of [[Prince Edward Island]]
*[[Poland]] comparative: slightly smaller than [[Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship]]
*[[United Kingdom]] comparative: slightly smaller than [[Northern Ireland]]
*[[United States]] comparative: slightly smaller than [[Connecticut]]
*[[France]] comparative: slightly larger than [[Île-de-France]]
*The [[Philippines]] comparative: slightly larger than [[Ilocos Region]]
*[[Germany]] comparative: slightly smaller than [[Schleswig-Holstein]]
*[[Russia]] comparative: slightly smaller than [[Karachay-Cherkess Republic]]
*[[Indonesia]] comparative: slightly smaller than [[North Sulawesi]]
*[[Ivory Coast]] comparative: slightly smaller than [[Comoé District]]

===Land ===

====Natural resources====
* [[salt]], [[limestone]], [[timber]], [[arable land]]

====Land use====
*arable land: 0.8%
*permanent crops: 0.04%
*other: 98.8% (2012)

====Coastline====
* {{convert|3542|km|mi}}
* A recent global remote sensing analysis suggested that there were 1,354&nbsp;km² of tidal flats in the Bahamas, making it the 24th ranked country in terms of tidal flat area.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Murray |first1=N.J. |last2=Phinn |first2=S.R. |last3=DeWitt |first3=M. |last4=Ferrari |first4=R. |last5=Johnston |first5=R. |last6=Lyons |first6=M.B. |last7=Clinton |first7=N. |last8=Thau |first8=D. |last9=Fuller |first9=R.A. |title=The global distribution and trajectory of tidal flats |journal=Nature |date=2019 |volume=565 |issue=7738 |pages=222–225 |doi=10.1038/s41586-018-0805-8 |pmid=30568300 |s2cid=56481043 |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0805-8|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

====Sea territory====
* {{convert|654,715|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}

====Terrain====
* The terrain consists of long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills.

====Extreme points====
*Northernmost point – [[Walker's Cay]], [[Abaco Islands]]
*Southernmost point – [[Matthew Town]] [[Great Inagua]] island
*Westernmost point – [[Elbow Cays]], [[Bimini]]
*Easternmost point – [[Mayaguana]] Island
*Lowest point – Atlantic Ocean 0 m
*Highest point – [[Mount Alvernia]]: 63 m
*Closest point to [[Cuba]] - [[Cay Lobos]] 22.5&nbsp;km (14&nbsp;mi)

====Irrigated land====
* 10&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> (2003)

====Total renewable water resources====
* 0.02&nbsp;km<sup>3</sup> (2011)

==== Landforms ====
As an island nation, the Bahamas is made up of numerous [[archipelago]]s, [[beach]]es, [[strait]]s, [[blue hole]]s, and other landforms. The tallest mountain is [[Mount Alvernia]], at only 207 feet above sea level. Notable bodies of water include [[Dean's Blue Hole]], Lake Rosa, and the [[Goose River (Bahamas)|Goose River]]. The Bahamas also contains [[List of creeks of the Bahamas|many creeks]].

===Environment===

==== Forests ====
In the Bahamas [[forest cover]] is around 51% of the total land area, equivalent to 509,860 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, which was unchanged from 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 509,860 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 0 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 0% was reported to be [[primary forest]] (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 0% of the forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 80% of the forest area was reported to be under [[State ownership|public ownership]], 20% [[Private property|private ownership]] and 0% with ownership listed as other or unknown.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/a6e225da-4a31-4e06-818d-ca3aeadfd635/content |title=Terms and Definitions FRA 2025 Forest Resources Assessment, Working Paper 194 |publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |year=2023}}</ref>

====Natural hazards====
*Hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood and wind damage

====Environment - Current issues====
*Coral reef decay
*Solid waste disposal
{{see also|List of invasive marine fish in Florida{{!}}List of invasive marine fish in the Bahamas}}

====Environment - International agreements====
Party to these agreements: 
*Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-[[Kyoto Protocol]], [[Desertification]], Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetl

====Geography - note====
* The Bahamas is strategically located adjacent to the United States and Cuba (Cay Confites to 14 miles).
* The Bahamas is an extensive island chain of which 30 islands are inhabited.

==See also==
{{commons category|Geography of the Bahamas}}
*[[List of islands of the Bahamas]]
*{{wikiatlas|the Bahamas}}

{{Clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
*{{CIA World Factbook}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite journal |last=Chenoweth |first=Michael |year=1998 |title=The Early 19th Century Climate of the Bahamas and a Comparison with 20th Century Averages |journal=Climatic Change |volume=40 |issue=3&ndash;4 |pages=577&ndash;603 |doi=10.1023/A:1005371320672 |s2cid=150631324 }}
*{{cite book|last1=Carew|first1=James L.|last2=Mylroie|first2=John E.|title=Geology of the Bahamas|date=1997|url=http://users.clas.ufl.edu/jbmartin/website/Classes/Field%20Topics%20Bahamas/Readings/Carew%20&%20Mylroie%20-%201997%20in%20Vacher%20and%20Quinn%20Geology%20fo%20Bahamas.pdf|access-date=9 February 2017}}

{{Bahamas topics|state=uncollapsed}}
{{Geography of North America}}
{{North America topic|Climate of}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geography Of The Bahamas}}
[[Category:Geography of the Bahamas| ]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]