When did Christopher Columbus first land in the Bahamas?
Christopher Columbus made his first landfall on an island he named San Salvador on the 12th of October 1492. The Lucayan people inhabited these islands for many centuries before that date.
Questions about The Bahamas
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who were the original inhabitants of the Bahamas before European arrival?
The Lucayan people, a branch of the Arawakan-speaking Taíno, inhabited the islands for many centuries before 1492. An estimated 30,000 Lucayans lived in the Bahamas at the time of Columbus' arrival.
What happened to the Lucayan population after Spanish colonization began?
Spanish colonists enslaved many Lucayans and sent them to Hispaniola as forced labor while most died from diseases like smallpox. Half of the Taíno population perished from smallpox alone leaving the islands mostly deserted from 1513 until 1648.
When did the Bahamas gain independence from Britain?
Her Majesty's Government gave the Bahamas its independence by an Order in Council dated the 20th of June 1973. The Order came into force on the 10th of July 1973 when Charles Prince of Wales delivered official documents to Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling.
How does climate change affect the geography of the Bahamas?
At least 80 percent of total land sits below 10 meters elevation making it highly vulnerable to sea level rise. Hurricane Dorian struck Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama at Category 5 intensity in September 2019 inflicting at least US$7 billion in damages.