Exumas islands

The islands Exumas are an archipelago of the the Bahamas which is composed of more than 360 islands or small islands.

The largest island is called Great Exuma, and measures more than 60 kilometers length. Principal agglomeration of the island east George Town (1080 hab. with the census of 1990), founded 1793 and located on Great Exuma. The Tropic of Cancer crosses this city. George Town was thus called in the honor of George III.

The whole chain of island is long of more than 200 kilometers for a surface of 193 km ².

These islands shelter a terrestrial and maritime national park, the Exuma National Land and Sea Park .

History

The Exumas islands are the cradle of the Indians Arawak S, who were completely tiny room in slavery at the beginning of XVIe century then off-set, leaving the islands uninhabited until the XVIIIe century. Meanwhile, the Exumas islands were reference marks for the pirates who wandered in the Caribbean.

The Exumas islands were colonized towards 1783 by American loyal supporters driven out by the American revolution, who developed the culture of cotton on the island.

John Poker, a colonist important loyal supporter of Exumas, is an important historical figure of the islands. To its death, in 1835, it bequeathed all its grounds to its slaves. In its honor, many towns of Great Exuma were baptized of its name (like Rolleville and Rolletown).

District

Exuma is one of the 32 districts of the the Bahamas. It is composed of the whole of the Exumas islands except for the district of Black Point. It carries number 12 on the chart.

Sources

Tourist office of the Bahamas - Islands Exumas
Government bahaméen - Islands Exumas

External bonds

Seen sattelite of Exumas

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