Andros (Bahamas)

Andros
South Andros, at Tiamo
Waters	Atlantic Ocean
Geographical location	24 ° 40 ′  N , 77 ° 55 ′  W Coordinates: 24 ° 40 ′  N , 77 ° 55 ′  W
Main island	North Andros
Total land area	5957 km²
Residents	7386 (2010)
Map of Andros

Andros is the largest archipelago in the Bahamas at 5957 km² . It is 167 km long and 64 km wide at its widest point. Andros has the third largest barrier reef in the world, it is over 225 km long.

The most extensive islands of the group are North Andros (3439 km², sixth largest island in the Caribbean), South Andros (1447 km²) and Mangrove Cay. Andros, whose main islands are very close to each other, is also often referred to as a single island.

history

The Spaniards landed on Andros in 1550 in search of slaves and wiped out the native population of the Lucayer, a tribe of the Arawak Indians, through acts of violence and disease. The archipelago was named Espíritu Santo (Island of the Holy Spirit) by the Spanish, but was also referred to as San Andreas Island on a map from 1782. The current name is said to go back to Sir Edmund Andros , who was commandant of the royal forces in Barbados in 1672 and was subsequently governor of New York, New England, Virginia, Maryland and Guernsey.

It is also possible that Andros could have got its name after the inhabitants of St. Andro Island (see: San Andrés (Colombia) ) on the Mosquito Coast , as 1400 of them settled on Andros in 1787.

During the 1700s the island was occupied by pirates . In the late 18th century, loyalists settled on Andros and brought slaves with them.

population

The population of Andros is around 7,000. The archipelago has the lowest population density of all the Bahamas islands. Most of the residents live in three larger towns on the east coast of the island: Nicholls Town , Congo Town , and Andros Town .

nature

Andros is of great natural beauty. In front of the archipelago lies the second largest reef in the northern hemisphere with a length of 225 km and the third largest in the world. The reef is on average four meters below the surface of the water. On Andros there are over 104 km² of rainforest and marshland , which is populated by more than 50  species of orchids . Andros consists of numerous islands that are connected by this marshland. Two hundred species of birds are native to the island. Andros is also believed to be home to the Chickcharnies, believed by some to be an extinct species of wingless owls, but more likely it is just a mythical creature.

Unlike most of the Bahamas islands, the interior of the island has largely been spared tourist buildings and has retained much of its scenic beauty.

Andros has large amounts of fresh water, nearly 20 million liters of which are shipped to Nassau every day . On Andros there are numerous springs that are fed from underground caves and water-bearing rock layers in which rainwater collects inland.

Andros is hit by a hurricane every two and a half years on average .

economy

Androsia , the regional fashion of the Bahamas, which is usually kept in very bright and strong colors, is made on Andros. Andros is also the headquarters of the Bahama Lumber Company, which supplies lumber throughout the Bahamas.

The archipelago attracts thousands of visitors every year. Anglers come from all over the world to fish off Andros. The flats off the islands (shallow water zones, sometimes only knee-deep) are considered by fly fishermen to be the very first choice for fishing for bones (Albula vulpes). Divers visit Andros for scuba diving on the reef with all of its coral formations and marine life. There are many vacation spots and hotels on Andros.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Michael Carr: Water, Precious Water. September 2, 2004, accessed July 13, 2010 . 

Web links

Commons : Andros, Bahamas  - Collection of images, videos and audio files