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The People of Grand Bahama Island

Our most priceless treasures are the friendly faces, happiness and hospitality that comes from the heart of our local residents. Bahamians are among the friendliest, most easy-going people you'll find anywhere. They welcome life with a smile, love to celebrate and take great pride in the colorful history of the islands.

About 50,000 people live on Grand Bahama Islands, though most were born on other islands throughout the Bahamas. The population is comprised predominately of the descendents of West Africans brought to the Bahamas to work as slaves on the island's cotton plantations and decedents of the early English settlers who established those early plantations in the Bahamas.

Britain abolished slavery in 1834, a turning point for the economy of the island. The plantation lifestyle gave way to individual endeavors for sponging, agriculture and fishing, igniting the entrepreneurial spirit that is evident in the Bahamas today.