The Bahamas has a long, rich history that extends back many centuries with the original inhabitants, the Arawak Indians, who had migrated through the Antilles from South America. In 1492, Christopher Columbus landed in San Salvador, an island in The Bahamas, on his voyage to the “New World”. The Arawak name for the island was Guanahani, but the Spaniards renamed it “San Salvador” and claimed the islands as a colony of Spain. The Arawaks welcomed the Spaniards to their islands, but the Spanish quickly enslaved and transported them to other islands, including Hispaniola (Dominican Republic/Haiti), for their labour. During this time, many died working in mines and from diseases brought to the islands by the Europeans; over time, the entire population died out.

Some centuries later, around the 17th and 18th centuries, piracy flourished in the islands because of their proximity to vital shipping lanes for the then-imperial powers. Several renowned British pirates used the islands as their base of operations for many years. Also, in 1648, a group of refugees fleeing religious persecution in England took up residence in one of the islands and named it Eleuthera, meaning “freedom”.

The American War of Independence (1775 - 1783) led several American loyalists to settle in The Bahamas with their slaves and indentured servants, thus introducing the ‘plantation economy’ based on African slave labour. Their arrival made for a significant increase in the population.

Formerly a colony of the United Kingdom, The Bahamas became an independent nation on July 10, 1973, and is now a fully independent, sovereign nation, a member of the Commonwealth, as well as a member of the United Nations (UN), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Organisation of American States (OAS) and other international organizations.