Andros Island is the largest island in the Bahamas with an area of 5,957 km² (2,300 sq. Miles), 167 km (104 miles) long and 64 km (40 miles) wide at its widest point. The island has the third largest barrier reef in the world, whose length exceeds 225 km (140 miles).
| Andros | |
|---|---|
| English Andros island | |
 | |
| Characteristics | |
| Area | 5957 km² |
| Population | 7386 people (2010) |
| Population density | 1.24 people / km² |
| Location | |
| Water area | Atlantic Ocean |
| A country |
|
Content
- 1 Geography
- 2 History
- 3 population
- 4 Administrative divisions
- 5 Economics
- 6 notes
Geography
The nature of the island is very picturesque. Next to it is a barrier reef , the second largest in the Western Hemisphere and the third largest in the world, 225 kilometers long, and a cliff of over 1.8 km. The average depth of the water over the reef is 4 m. More than 104 km² of island area are tropical forest and swamps , in which more than 50 species of orchids grow. In fact, Andros consists of two different islands connected by deep swamps.
The island is home to two hundred different species of birds. Andros is the birthplace of the legendary “ Chickcharnie ”, which some consider an extinct species of flightless owls.
On average, Andros is exposed to a devastating storm every two and a half years.
History
The Spaniards landed on Andros in 1550 in search of slaves , while destroying the indigenous people of the Lucayans as a result of violence and disease. The Spaniards called the island “Espiritu Santo” ( Spanish: Espiritu Santo ), that is, the island of the Holy Spirit, but on the map of 1782 it is also called the island of San Andreas. It is believed that its modern name was given to him in honor of Sir Edmund Andros, commander of Her Majesty's troops in Barbados in 1672, and later the Governor of New York , Massachusetts and New England. It is also believed that the island could be named after the inhabitants of the island of San Andrés ( Spanish San Andrés ) on the Mosquito Coast ( English Mosquito Coast ), since 1400 of them settled on Andros in 1787.
In the 1700s, the island was occupied by pirates . At the end of the 18th century, loyalists also settled on the island.
Population
Andros has a population of 7386 (2010), with the lowest population density in all of the Bahamas. Most live on the east coast of the island in the three main cities of the island: Nicholl's Town , Congo Town and Andros Town .
Administrative Division
Administratively, Andros Island comprises four of the 31 areas of the Bahamas:
| No. | Areas of Andros [1] | Year of foundation | Administrative Center [2] | Other cities [1] | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| one | North Andros | 1999 | Nichols Town | Mastic Point (Mastic Point), Lowe Sound (Lowe Sound) | |
| 2 | Central Andros | 1999 | Fresh Creek | Canyll Creek (Staniard Creek), Cargill Creek (Cargill Creek) | |
| 3 | Mangrove Key | 1999 | Mangrove Key | no | |
| four | South Andros | 1999 | Kemps Bay | Bluff (The Bluff), Long Bay Cays (Long Bay Cays), Deep Creek (Deep Creek) |
Economics
Unlike most of the Bahamas, Andros has not been affected by commercial development for tourism purposes, and it preserves the beauty of untouched nature.
Andros Island attracts thousands of visitors every year. Fishing enthusiasts come from all over the world. It is called the “world capital of the white herring ” ( elopsa ). Scuba divers come to explore the large reef, coral and underwater flora and fauna. There are many hotels and resorts on the island.
The island serves as a supplier of drinking water, daily about 26 cubic meters of drinking water (seven thousand gallons ) is sent to Nassau . Andros has thousands of kilometers of rivers and streams with rainwater that accumulates in many of the island's caves.
On the island, “Androsia” is made, the local type of traditional clothing of the Bahamians, characterized by bright, juicy colors. The Bahama Lumber Company operates on the island, supplying all of the Bahamas with wood .
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 Family Island District Councillors & Town Committee Members . Date of treatment December 20, 2010. Archived January 20, 2013.
- ↑ Posting of Administrators As at 5th January, 2010 . Date of treatment December 20, 2010. Archived January 20, 2013.