Nassau, The Bahamas

Nassau is the capital and largest city of The Bahamas. It is the centre of commerce, education, law, administration and media. In 2016, Nassau had a population of 274,400, or just over 70% of the entire population of the Bahamas. The name Nassau derives from the town of Nassaur in Germany.

About Nassau, The Bahamas in brief

Summary Nassau, The BahamasNassau is the capital and largest city of The Bahamas. It is the centre of commerce, education, law, administration and media of the country. Lynden Pindling International Airport, the major airport for the Bahamas, is located about 16 kilometres west of the city centre of Nassau. The city is located on the island of New Providence, which functions much like a business district. Nassau was considered historically to be a stronghold of pirates and was named in honour of William III of England, Prince of Orange-Nasau. In 1718, Captain Wood Rogers clamped down on the pirates and restored the civil administration and cleaned up the commerce. In 2016, Nassau had a population of 274,400, or just over 70% of the entire population of the Bahamas. The largest concentration of Africans historically lived in the suburbs of Grants Town and Bain Town to the south of theCity of Nassua. Most of New. Providence was uncultivated bush until Loyalists were resettled there following the American Revolutionary War; they established several plantations, such as Clifton and Tusculum. Slaves were imported as labour. After the British abolished the international slave trade in 1807, they resettling thousands of Africans liberated from slave ships by the Royal Navy on New Providence along with other islands such as Grand Bahama, Exuma, Abaco and Inagua. In 1841, slaves freed from American ships, like the Creole case in 1841,. were allowed to settle there. Today the city dominates the entire island and its satellite, Paradise Island.

The name Nassau ultimately derives from the town of Nassaur in Germany. It was founded in 1670 by British noblemen who brought British settlers with them to New Providence. They built a fort, and named it Charles Town in honour. of England’s King Charles II. In 1684 the town was burned to the ground during the Raid on Charles Town. It was rebuilt in 1695 under Governor Nicholas Trott and renamed Nassau in honourof William of Orange. By this time, the sparsely settled Bahamas had become a pirate haven known as New Providence and was too large to take on large battleships, though it could take around 500 vessels to accept them. By 1703 Spanish and French allied forces briefly occupied Nassau, and Nassau suffered greatly during the War of Spanish Succession and had witnessed Spanish incursions during 1703, 1704 and 1706. By the time of the 1718 attempted coup, there was no legitimate governor in the colony. Thomas Walker was the island’s last remaining appointed official and although evidence is scarce, it appears that he was acting in the role of deputy governor upon Benjamin Hornigold’s arrival in 1713. He proclaimed Nassau a pirate republic, recognising the island’S prosperous state in which it offered fresh fruit, meat and water and plenty of protection. He became the unofficial overlord of a veritable pirate republic which played host to the Flying Gang.