Bahamas Weather, climate and geography

Weather and climate

Geography

Comprising 700 low-lying islands, mostly islets (cays or keys), atolls and rocks, the Bahamas archipelago extends 970km (500 miles) southeastward from the coast of Florida. Sparkling, clear waters are home to vibrant underwater gardens on the world's third longest barrier reef, which contains about 14.5% of the coral on the planet. Fertile marine plains are split between two oceanic facets, the Little Bahama Bank and the Great Bahama Bank, where visibility of around 60m (197ft) is the norm. Exotic flowers, pine forest, rugged shoreline, barren savannahs, marshlands and sandy beaches typify the landscape, on a bed of limestone and coral rocks.