An air trip between Nassau, the Bahamas Bank and its sand spits, the paradisiacal islands of the Exumas
The Bahamas have more than 700 islands and islets scattered over approximately 260,000 km2 and forming part of the Lucay Islands, the rest of this archipelago being occupied by the British overseas territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Only about twenty of these islands are permanently inhabited. The closest island to the United States, Bimini Sud, is just 83 km east of Miami Beach on the southeast coast of Florida. The southernmost island, Great Inagua, is located 89 km northeast of punta Azules, at the eastern end of Cuba.
The largest island in the Bahamas is Andros to the west. New Providence Island, east of Andros, is the site of the capital, Nassau, and accounts for two-thirds of the total population. The other major islands are Grand Bahama to the north and Inagua to the south.
Most of the islands - coral formations - are relatively flat, with a few low hills, the highest of which is Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island, at 63m. The climate is tropical, moderated by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, but is regularly hit by hurricanes or tropical storms.
