The Bahamas (officially named The Commonwealth of The Bahamas) or The Bahama Islands, is an archipelago consisting of many islands. There are about 2,000 islands if you include the cays which are small islands that are formed on coral reefs. The word Bahamas is of Spanish descent and means 'Shallow Water'. They are located in the Atlantic Ocean, not the Caribbean Sea.
The official language spoken in the Bahamas is English, however the dialect and slang is difficult for most Westerners and Europeans to understand, especially on the "out islands."
The locals speak very fast and use indigenous phrases. They are very friendly though, and will always help. With the exception of Nassau, violent crimes, and crimes in general, are almost non-existent in the Bahamas.
The populace is predictably friendly and more religious than one might expect: the Bahamas have one of the highest ratios of churches per capita in the world, with Baptists being the largest single group. Local newspapers will reveal religious references by elected officials in a manner that exceeds what would be found in the United States. This devotion does nothing to prohibit the activities of visitors nor is it intended to. There is a very "libertarian" attitude about personal morals.
