New Providence
, island (
80 sq mi/207 sq mi; 1990 pop.
172,196), central Bahamas, 170 mi/275 km ESE
of Miami, Fla.; 25°02'N 77°25'W. The most populous isl. in the
Bahamas, with ⅔ of the nation's residents, it is the
site of the capital, Nassau. Mostly flat, with low ridges and several
shallow lakes, notably L. Killarney and L. Cunningham. The urban center
of Nassau is on the NE coast, with suburban areas to the SE, S, and W.
Nassau Internatl. Airport is near the W end of the isl. The isl. has
become a major vacation resort, and the pine woodlands and swamps are
giving way to golf courses, beach resorts, and residential
developments. Some vegetables and tropical fruits are grown, and the
rum industry is important. Settled in the late 17th cent., when the
British built several forts. Fort Nassau was completed in 1697, and the
city laid out in 1729. During the 18th cent., the Spanish and French
made incursions into the area, although the isl. was eventually ceded
by treaty to Great Britain. In the 1780s Amer. loyalists took refuge
here. The British maintained an air base on the isl. during WWII.
Capital city or county seat is shown by the symbol
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