Bahamas, The officially Commonwealth of The Bahamas
Archipelago and state, northwestern edge of the West Indies, lying south¬ east of Florida and north of Cuba. It consists of about 700 islands and numerous cays. Area: 5,382 sq mi (13,939 sq km). Population (2005 est.): 323,000. Capitaclass="underline" Nassau (on New Providence Island). The people are of African and European ancestry, a legacy of the slave trade. Language: English (official). Religion: Christianity (mostly Protestant; also Roman Catholic, other Christians). Currency: Bahamian dollar. Chief among the islands, from north to south, are Grand Bahama, Abaco, Eleuthera, New Providence, Andros, Cat, and Inagua; New Providence has most of the population. All are composed of coralline limestone and lie mostly only a few feet above sea level; the highest point is Mount Alvernia (206 ft [63 m]) on Cat Island. There are no rivers. The country’s market economy is heavily dependent on tourism, for which gambling is a particular attrac¬ tion, and on international financial services. Most foodstuffs are imported from the U.S.; fish and rum are significant exports. The Bahamas is a con¬ stitutional monarchy with two legislative houses; its chief of state is the British monarch, represented by a governor-general, and the head of gov¬ ernment is the prime minister. The islands were inhabited by Arawak Indians when Christopher Columbus sighted them on Oct. 12, 1492. Many scholars believe Columbus landed on San Salvador (Watling) Island, though others contend his first landfall was on Samana Cay (Cat Island). The Spaniards made no attempt to settle but carried out slave raids that depopulated the islands; when English settlers arrived in 1648 from Ber¬ muda, the islands were uninhabited. They became a haunt of pirates and
Walter Bagehot, mezzotint by Norman Hirst, after a photograph.
COURTESY OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM; PHOTOGRAPH, J.R. FREEMAN & CO. LTD.
© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
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buccaneers, and few of the ensuing settle¬ ments prospered. The islands enjoyed some prosperity following the American Revolution, when loyalists fled the U.S. and established cotton plantations there.
The islands were a centre for blockade runners during the American Civil War. Not until the development of tourism after World War II did perma¬ nent economic prosperity arrive. The Bahamas was granted internal self- government in 1964 and became independent in 1973.
Bahia \ba-‘e-a\ State (pop., 2003 est.: 13,435,612), eastern Brazil. It covers an area of 218,029 sq mi (564,693 sq km), and its capital is Sal¬ vador. The major river is the Sao Francisco. The Portuguese first entered the region in 1501, through the bay where Salvador is now located. Colo¬ nization began in the coastal region; the discovery of gold and gems in the Diamantina Upland attracted more settlers in the 18th century. A state since 1889, Bahia is rich in mineral resources, including petroleum, natu¬ ral gas, lead, copper, chromium, and tin. Its heavy industries include petroleum refining and ironworks. It is also an important agricultural pro¬ ducer.
Bahia See Salvador
Bahr al-Ghazal See Ghazal River
Bahr al-Jabal See Jabal River
Bahrain \ba-‘ran\ officially Kingdom of Bahrain Country, Middle East, southwestern Asia. Area: 278 sq mi (720 sq km). Population (2005 est.): 715,000. It occupies an archipelago consisting of Bahrain Island and about 30 smaller islands lying along the Arabian Peninsula in the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia lies to the west across the Gulf of Bahrain, and the Qatar peninsula lies to the east. The capital is Manama. Most of the popu¬ lation is Arab. Language: Arabic (official). Religion: Islam (official). Cur¬ rency: Bahraini dinar. Bahrain Island, which is about 30 mi (50 km) long and 10 mi (16 km) wide, accounts for seven-eighths of the country’s total area and, with the islands of Al-Muharraq and Sitrah off its northeastern coast, constitutes the population and economic centre of the country. Since 1986 the main island has been connected to Saudi Arabia by a 15-mi (24- km) causeway. The highest point of elevation is Al-Dukhan Hill (440 ft [134 m]). Bahrain has a developing mixed (state and private enterprise) economy based largely on natural gas and petroleum production and refin¬ ing. Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy. The chief of state is the king, and the head of government is the prime minister. The area has long been an important trading centre and is mentioned in Persian, Greek, and Roman references. It was ruled by various Arab groups from the 7th cen¬ tury ad but was then occupied by the Portuguese (1521-1602). Since 1783 it has been ruled by a family group known as the A1 Khallfah, though
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(through a series of treaties) its defense long remained a British responsibility (1820-1971). After Britain withdrew its forces from the Persian Gulf (1968), Bah¬ rain declared its independence (1971). It served as a centre for the allies in the First Persian Gulf War (1990-91). Since 1994 it has experienced periods of political unrest, mainly among its large ShTite population. Constitutional revisions, ratified in 2002, made Bahrain a constitutional monarchy and enfranchised women; parliamen¬ tary elections (the first since 1975) were held in October 2002.
Bai River See Yongding River
Baibars I See Baybars I
Baikal, Lake Russian Ozero Baykal \bl-'kal\ Lake, southern Sibe¬ ria, Russia, in Asia. With a length of 395 mi (636 km) long and an area of some 12,200 sq mi (31,500 sq km), it is the largest freshwater basin in Eurasia. It is also the deepest continental body of water on Earth (5,315 ft [1,620 m]), containing one-fifth of the fresh water on Earth’s surface. More than 330 rivers and streams flow into it; on its east it receives the Barguzin and Selenga rivers, and most of its outflow is through the Angara at the northern end. The island of Olkhon is in its centre. Plant and ani¬ mal life are rich and various; at least 1,500 species are unique to the lake. Growing industrialization along its shores has produced threatening pol¬ lution. In 1996 the Lake Baikal Coastal Protection Zone was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
bail Temporary release of a prisoner in exchange for security given to guarantee the prisoner’s appearance at a later hearing. It also refers to the actual security given (e.g., cash). Its main use today is to secure the free¬ dom, pending trial, of someone arrested and charged with a criminal offense. Its use in civil (noncriminal) cases is far less common, as most do not involve imprisonment. The amount of bail is generally set in rela¬ tion to the gravity of the offense, though other factors, such as the strength of the evidence, the character of the accused, and the accused’s ability to secure bail may also be considered. See also bond, recognizance.