BGCSE Social Studies cheat sheet

The Bahamas is an archipelago of about 700 islands and 2,000 cays in the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida and north of Cuba; only about 30 islands are inhabited.

The two major shallow limestone platforms are the Great Bahama Bank and the Little Bahama Bank; Andros is the largest island and New Providence holds the capital, Nassau.

Mount Alvernia on Cat Island is the highest point at about 63 metres (206 feet); most land is low-lying limestone with thin soils.

The climate is tropical maritime with a wet season from May to October and a dry season from November to April; the hurricane season runs from June to November.

Coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, and blue holes are key ecosystems; mangroves stabilize coastlines and serve as nurseries for fish and shellfish.

Fresh water is limited and stored in underground freshwater lenses; overextraction or saltwater intrusion can contaminate wells.

The Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current, flows near the islands and influences climate and weather; storm surge and coastal erosion are major hazards.

Population density = total population ÷ land area in square kilometres; it measures how crowded a territory is.

The Lucayans, an Arawak-speaking people, settled the islands by about AD 500–800; Columbus reached Guanahani (San Salvador) in 1492.

Spanish exploitation and disease devastated the Lucayan population; the islands were largely depopulated before English settlement began in the 17th century.

The Eleutheran Adventurers settled Eleuthera in 1648 seeking religious freedom; Nassau later became a base for pirates and privateers.

In 1718 Woodes Rogers became the first royal governor and suppressed piracy, making The Bahamas a British crown colony.

American Loyalists arrived after the American Revolution, especially after 1783, and established cotton plantations worked by enslaved Africans.

Britain abolished slavery in 1834 and ended apprenticeship in 1838; freedpeople established communities and sought wage work.

The 1967 election brought majority rule under the Progressive Liberal Party and Sir Lynden Pindling; The Bahamas became independent on 10 July 1973.

The Bahamas is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy; independence did not end the monarch's role as head of state.

The population is about 400,000; most people live on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport), while Family Islands are sparsely populated.

Natural increase = births − deaths; net migration = immigrants − emigrants; population change = natural increase + net migration.

Population density = total population ÷ land area; Nassau's density is far higher than that of most Family Islands.

Internal migration from Family Islands to Nassau and Freeport is driven by jobs, education, health care, and higher wages.

Emigration to the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom is significant; remittances from abroad support many households.

Dependency ratio = (population under 15 + population over 65) ÷ population aged 15–64 × 100.

Push factors include unemployment and limited services; pull factors include jobs, schools, hospitals, and family networks.

Settlement is mainly coastal because of trade, fishing, tourism, and transport; inland areas are less developed.

Tourism is the largest sector, contributing roughly half of GDP and employing many Bahamians; cruise and stopover visitors are the main markets.

Offshore financial services-banking, trusts, insurance, and investment-are the second major pillar; they are regulated by the Central Bank and Securities Commission.

GDP per capita = GDP ÷ population; it estimates average output per person but not the distribution of income.

Balance of trade = exports − imports; The Bahamas usually runs a trade deficit because it imports most food, fuel, and manufactured goods.

Major exports are limited and include crawfish, conch, salt, rum, and aragonite; the economy depends heavily on imports.

Agriculture is small-scale and includes citrus, pineapples, poultry, and livestock; fisheries are important for food and export.

Freeport on Grand Bahama has a free trade zone and industrial area; Nassau is the commercial and financial centre.

Economic growth = percentage change in real GDP; hurricanes and global recessions can cause sharp declines.

The Constitution is the supreme law; it establishes a constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy, and an independent judiciary.

The King is head of state and is represented by the Governor-General, who performs constitutional and ceremonial duties.

Parliament is bicameral: the House of Assembly is elected, and the Senate is appointed; the Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party in the House.

General elections must be held at least every five years; citizens aged 18 and over may vote in constituency elections.

The legal system is based on English common law; the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the final court of appeal.

Citizenship may be acquired by birth, descent, marriage, or naturalization under the Constitution and Citizenship Act.

Fundamental rights include life, liberty, security, expression, assembly, and fair trial; responsibilities include obeying the law and paying taxes.

Separation of powers means the executive (Prime Minister and Cabinet), legislature (Parliament), and judiciary (courts) have distinct functions.

The family is the primary social institution; extended kinship networks and the church provide support, childcare, and social control.

Christianity is the dominant religion, with many denominations; churches influence education, welfare, and public life.

Education is compulsory for children aged about 5–16; schools are run by the government and by private and religious bodies.

Junkanoo is a street festival held on Boxing Day and New Year's Day with costumes, drums, cowbells, and dancing.

Rake 'n' scrape is a Bahamian music style using a scraper and accordion; goombay and junkanoo rhythms also shape national culture.

Bahamian culture blends African, British, Loyalist, and Caribbean influences; English is official, and Bahamian dialect is widely spoken.

Social issues include crime, unemployment, inequality, drug trafficking, and domestic violence; institutions such as family, church, school, and police respond.

Sports such as cricket, athletics, swimming, and sailing are important for identity and youth development.

CARICOM was founded in 1973 by the Treaty of Chaguaramas; The Bahamas joined in 1983.

CARICOM goals include economic integration, coordination of foreign policy, and functional cooperation in health, education, and security.

The CSME allows free movement of goods, services, capital, and skilled labour; The Bahamas is a CARICOM member but has not joined the CSME.

CARICOM institutions include the Secretariat in Georgetown, the Conference of Heads of Government, and the Council of Ministers.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is based in Port of Spain; it hears CARICOM disputes and can act as a final appellate court, but The Bahamas uses the Privy Council.

Regional bodies include the University of the West Indies, Caribbean Development Bank, Caribbean Tourism Organization, and Association of Caribbean States.

The OECS is a separate sub-regional organization; The Bahamas is not a member.

Regional integration offers larger markets and cooperation but poses challenges from unequal size, trade imbalances, and limits on free movement.

The Bahamas became a United Nations member in 1973 and belongs to the Commonwealth, OAS, WTO, IMF, and World Bank.

As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), The Bahamas is vulnerable to climate change, sea-level rise, hurricanes, and narrow economic bases.

Climate mitigation reduces greenhouse gas emissions; adaptation involves coastal protection, water storage, resilient buildings, and reef conservation.

Globalization increases flows of trade, tourism, finance, people, and information; it creates opportunities and exposes the economy to external shocks.

International financial rules on tax transparency and anti-money-laundering affect Bahamian offshore services; compliance is monitored by the OECD, EU, and FATF.

Correspondent banking de-risking can restrict access to US-dollar clearing, remittances, and trade finance for Caribbean banks.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) guide policy on poverty, education, health, environment, and partnerships.

Bahamian foreign policy emphasizes multilateralism, peaceful settlement of disputes, and close ties with the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Caribbean.