Nassau, Bahamas

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For other uses of "Nassau", see Nassau (disambiguation).

Nassau is the capital city and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 210,832 (2000 census), nearly 70 percent of the entire population of the Bahamas (303,611). Lynden Pindling International Airport, the major airport for the Bahamas, is located about 16 kilometres or 10 miles west of downtown Nassau, and has daily flights to major cities in the USA, Canada, the UK, and the Caribbean.

Located on New Providence island, Nassau has an attractive harbour, a colourful blend of old world and colonial architecture and a busy port. The tropical climate and natural beauty of the Bahamas has made Nassau a popular tourist destination, with a reputation for relaxing days and an exciting nightlife.

Summertime temperatures rarely exceed 33 degrees Celsius (92 degrees Fahrenheit) and the winter months are very comfortable with daytime temperatures between 20 and 26 °C (68 and 80 °F), rarely falling below 10 °C or 50 °F.

The city's proximity to the United States (180 miles or either 330 km or 290 km east-southeast of Miami, Florida) has also contributed to its popularity as a vacation spot, especially after the banning of American travel to Cuba. Attracting the majority of tourists and employing over 6,000 Bahamians—the largest outside of government—is the world famous Atlantis resort on nearby Paradise Island.

The city also boasts of Junkanoo, an energetic, colourful street parade of brightly costumed people dancing to the rhythmic accompaniment of cowbells, drums and whistles. The celebration occurs on December 26th and January 1st, beginning in the early hours of the morning (1:00 a.m.) and ending at dawn.

[edit] History

Nassau was founded by the British in the mid-17th century as Charles Towne, but it was renamed Nassau after William III of Orange-Nassau in 1695. During the 18th century, it was a popular hideaway for pirates of the Caribbean, notably Blackbeard. So popular, in fact, that most upstanding citizens fled. Pirates dubbed Nassau the Privateer's Republic, and Blackbeard became its leader. With lawlessness rampant, the British appointed former privateer Woodes Rogers as Royal Governor and sent him to restore order. Rogers offered the pirates pardons from King George I, under the condition that they immediately mend their ways. Most of them accepted the deal, but Blackbeard and handful of other notorious pirates refused. By 1718, all the dissenters had either been driven out or killed.

In spite of the campaign against piracy, the British government still sanctioned privateering in the area, so attacks continued on Spanish and American vessels. Due to this, the Spanish attempted numerous invasions of Nassau during the late 18th century, burning down the small city several times. In 1776, Nassau was also captured and briefly held by American revolutionaries.

During the Prohibition era (1919-1934) in the United States, smuggling scotch whiskey through Nassau became a lucrative enterprise for the Bahamas.