We are visiting the Bahamas, a beautiful country made up of over 700 islands scattered across the clear blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. There are around 400,000 people living here, and the capital is Nassau, located on the island of New Providence. The official language is English, spoken with a lovely island lilt.

The Bahamas covers about 13,878 square kilometers, or 5,358 square miles. To imagine its size, the total land area of all the islands combined is roughly the same size as the state of Connecticut in the U.S., or about half the size of Belgium. Because it is an archipelago, you need a boat or a plane to visit different parts of the country!

The most popular sport is Basketball, though many people also love Football and Sailing. Their national animal is the Flamingo, a bright pink bird with long, skinny legs that can be found in huge groups on the island of Inagua.

The flag features a black triangle on the left side to represent the strength of the people, pointing into three horizontal stripes of aquamarine and gold that stand for the beautiful water and the shining sun.

The food is famous for its fresh seafood, especially Conch (pronounced “konk”). This is a large sea snail that lives in a beautiful pink shell; people use it to make salads, fritters, and stews. They also love Guava Duff, which is a sweet, spongy cake roll filled with tropical fruit.

On an island called Big Major Cay, you can find a beach full of Wild Pigs that love to swim in the ocean and paddle out to meet boats for snacks! The water in the Bahamas is so clear that in some places, you can see all the way to the bottom, even if it is 200 feet deep. The islands are also home to the Dean’s Blue Hole, which is one of the deepest underwater sinkholes in the world, plunging down like a giant blue chimney under the sea.

From the coral reefs to the swimming pigs, the Bahamas is a tropical wonderland of sun and sand.