The Bahamas, a Commonwealth nation, is among the wealthiest countries in the Caribbean and has a long history of political stability. This former British colony gained independence in 1973 and enjoys strong diplomatic relationships with the United Kingdom and the United States. Its economy is based primarily on offshore finance, ship registry, and tourism.
The official language in The Bahamas is English. Bahamian Creole, an English-based creole language, is also spoken.
As part of the government’s efforts to foster high-end tourism and vacation homeownership, foreign investors enjoy a number of incentives, including the ability to buy property in The Bahamas without restrictions; take ownership is in fee-simple title. Residence permits are granted for investments of USD $500,000 or more, and real property is exempt from taxes for 20 years.
The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with Elizabeth II as queen.
Citizens of the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the United Kingdom are not required to have a visa for short stays in The Bahamas.
There are numerous direct, non-stop flights to The Bahamas from major cities along the Eastern Seaboard as well as major Midwestern and Southern cities including Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, Houston, and Dallas Fort Worth.
The Bahamas is a 20-minute flight or a one- to two-hour boat ride across the Bahamian Channel from Miami. In addition to commercial flights on Silver Airways, Aztec Air, Tropic Ocean Airways’ charter seaplanes make the trip in approximately 30 minutes.
The Bahamas has a tropical savanna climate with typical temperatures from the high 60s to high 80s Fahrenheit year-round. The hot/wet season is from June to October, with the average daily high temperature above 86°F. The cool/dry season is from December to March, with an average daily high temperature below 78°F.
