The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean. It contains 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and 88% of its population. The archipelagic country consists of more than 3,000 islands, cays, and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, and is located north of Cuba and northwest of the island of Hispaniola and the Turks and Caicos Islands, southeast of the U.S. state of Florida, and east of the Florida Keys. The capital is Nassau on the island of New Providence. The Royal Bahamas Defence Force describes the Bahamas' territory as encompassing 470,000 km2 (180,000 sq mi) of ocean space.
Local government in the Bahamas exists at two levels: 32 districts and 41 towns. The boundaries of districts are defined by the First Schedule of The Bahamas Local Government Act 1996, defined with reference to parliamentary constituency boundaries. The Second Schedule lists 13 districts which are divided into town areas. Towns are governed by directly elected town committees. Second Schedule districts are governed by nine-person district councils composed of the chairs of the town committees, and if numerically required, additional people elected by the town committees. The 19 Third Schedule districts are unitary authorities which cannot be divided into towns. They are governed by nine-person district councils which are directly elected by voters. The powers of Second Schedule and Third Schedule councils are slightly different, and the Third Schedule district known as the City of Freeport has a slightly different list of enumerated powers.
Eleuthera refers both to a single island in the archipelagic state of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and to its associated group of smaller islands. Eleuthera forms a part of the Great Bahama Bank. The island of Eleuthera incorporates the smaller Harbour Island. "Eleuthera" derives from the feminine form of the Greek adjective ἐλεύθερος (eleútheros), meaning "free". Known in the 17th century as Cigateo, it lies 80 km east of Nassau. It is long and thin—180 km long and in places little more than 1.6 km wide. At its narrowest point, the Glass Window Bridge, which has been called the narrowest place on earth, Eleuthera stands 30 feet wide. Its eastern side faces the Atlantic Ocean and its western side faces the Great Bahama Bank. The topography of the island varies from wide rolling pink sand beaches to large outcrops of ancient coral reefs and the highest elevation point is 200 feet. The population is approximately 11,000 and the principal economy of the island is tourism.
Ragged Island is a 23 km2 (8.9 sq mi) island and district in the southern Bahamas. Ragged Island is part of the Jumentos Cays and Ragged Island Chain. The crescent-shaped chain measures over 180 km (110 mi) in length and includes cays known as Raccoon Cay, Hog Cay and Double-Breasted Cay. Island ownership is stated to have been granted to William George Lockhart some time in the 18th century. On 8 September 2017, Duncan Town took a direct hit from Hurricane Irma.
Central Eleuthera is one of the districts of the Bahamas, on the island of Eleuthera.
North Eleuthera is one of the districts of the Bahamas, on the island of Eleuthera. It has a population of 3,247.
South Eleuthera is one of the districts of the Bahamas, on the island of Eleuthera.
Alvin Smith is a Bahamian politician who was the Speaker of the House of Assembly from 2007 to 2012. He was the MP for the Constituency of North Eleuthera from 1997 to 2012.
General elections were held in the Bahamas on 16 September 2021 to elect all 38 members of the House of Assembly.
Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, or simply Lookout Cay, is a private peninsula in The Bahamas which serves as an exclusive port for the Disney Cruise Line ships. It is located in the south-eastern region of Bannerman Town, South Eleuthera. In March 2019, The Walt Disney Company purchased the peninsula from the Bahamian government, giving the company control over the area.
Clay Glennford Sweeting is a Bahamian politician from the Progressive Liberal Party currently serving as MP for Central and South Eleuthera.
James Oswald Ingraham was a Bahamian businessman and politician and former Speaker of the House of Assembly.
Central Grand Bahama is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Assembly of the Bahamas. It elects one member of parliament (MP) using the First past the post electoral system. It has been represented by Iram Lewis from the Free National Movement since 2017.
Elizabeth is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Assembly of the Bahamas. It elects one member of parliament (MP) using the First past the post electoral system. It has been represented by JoBeth Coleby-Davis from the Progressive Liberal Party since 2021.
North Abaco is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Assembly of the Bahamas. It elects one member of parliament (MP) using the first past the post electoral system. It has been represented by Kirk Cornish from the Progressive Liberal Party since 2021.
North Eleuthera is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Assembly of the Bahamas. It elects one member of parliament (MP) using the first past the post electoral system. It has been represented by Sylvannus Petty from the Progressive Liberal Party since 2021.
Sea Breeze is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Assembly of the Bahamas. It elects one member of parliament (MP) using the first past the post electoral system. It has been represented by Leslia Miller-Brice from the Progressive Liberal Party since 2021.
South Beach is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Assembly of the Bahamas. It elects one member of parliament (MP) using the first past the post electoral system. It has been represented by Bacchus Rolle from the Progressive Liberal Party since 2021.
Southern Shores is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Assembly of the Bahamas. It elects one member of parliament (MP) using the first past the post electoral system. It has been represented by Leroy Major from the Progressive Liberal Party since 2021.
