The Lucayan Archipelago, also known as the Bahamian Archipelago, is an island group comprising the sovereign nation of the Bahamas and the British Overseas Territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. The archipelago is in the Caribbean region, stretching from south-east of Florida in the mainland United States to northern Hispaniola. There are about 740 islands and 2,400 cays, of which only 38 are inhabited.
History The Lucayan Archipelago was first inhabited by the Lucayan people, a branch of the Taíno, who settled the islands from the 8th century CE to 16th century CE. They were the first Indigenous Americans encountered by Christopher Columbus in October 1492. Shortly after the contact, the Spanish started enslaving the Lucayans, leading to their complete eradication from some of the islands by 1520. The Lucayan culture had its own language, government, customs, and traditions, and they engaged in extensive trade routes using dug-out canoes.
Geography The Lucayan island group comprising the sovereign nation of Bahamas and the British Overseas Territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands is located in the North Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Caribbean region, it stretches over from south-east of Florida in the mainland United States to northern Hispaniola, and lies to the north of Cuba and the Antilles. The archipelago consists of about 740 islands and 2,400 cays, with only 38 inhabited. About 700 of these islands and most of the cays are part of Bahamas, covering an area of . These include 30 populated islands including the New Providence Island, home to the largest city of Nassau, and Andros, the largest island in the chain. The Turks and Caicos Islands comprises 40 islands and cays, eight of which are inhabited. It spans about , and include the major islands of Providenciales, North Caicos, and Grand Turk.
The Mouchoir Bank, the Silver Bank, and the Navidad Bank are a submerged continuation of the archipelago, to the southeast of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The islands are situated on two large landforms consisting of limestone and coral formations. Most of the islands are low lying with the highest point, Mount Alvernia on Cat Island, reaching above the sea level. It has a tropical climate, characterized by warm temperatures, high humidity, and distinct wet and dry seasons. The archipelago also encounters tropical cyclones and hurricanes, which often restructure the geography of the islands.
Islands The Lucayan Archipelago was named for the original native Lucayan people. Julian Granberry and Gary Vescelius suggest the following Lucayan (Taíno) etymologies for various Lucayan islands.
Indigenous name Modern name Lucayan form Meaning Inagua Inagua i+na+wa Small Eastern Land Baneque Inagua ba+ne+ke Big Water Island Guanahaní Little Inagua wa+na+ha+ni Small Upper Waters Land Utiaquia Ragged Island huti+ya+kaya Western Hutia Island Jume(n)to Crooked/Jumento ha+wo+ma+te Upper Land of the Middle Distance Curateo Exuma ko+ra+te+wo Outer Far Distant Land Guaratía Exuma wa+ra+te+ya Far Distant Land Babueca Turks Bank ba+we+ka Large Northern Basin Cacina Big Sand Cay ka+si+na Little Northern Sand Canamani Salt Cay ka+na+ma+ni Small Northern Mid-Waters Cacumani Salt Cay ka+ko+ma+ni Mid-Waters Northern Outlier Macareque Cotton Cay Ma+ka+ri+ke Middle Northern Land Amuana Grand Turk aba+wa+na First Small Land Caciba South Caicos ka+siba Northern Rocky Guana East Caicos wa+na Small Country Aniana Middle Caicos a+ni+ya+na Small Far Waters Caicos North Caicos ka+i+ko Nearby Northern Outlier Buiana Pine Cay bu+ya+na Small Western Home Boniana Pine Cays bo+ni+ya+na Small Western Waters Home Yucanacan Providenciales yuka+na+ka The Peoples Small Northern [Land] Ianicana Providenciales ya+ni+ka+na Far Waters Smaller [Land] Macubiza West Caicos ma+ko+bi+sa Mid Unsettled Outlier Mayaguana Mayaguana ma+ya+wa+na Lesser Midwestern Land Amaguayo Plana Cays a+ma+wa+yo Toward the Middle Lands Yabaque Acklins Island ya+ba+ke Large Western Land Samana Samana sa+ma+na Small Middle Forest Yuma Long Island yu+ma Higher Middle Manigua Rum Cay ma+ni+wa Mid Waters Land Guanahaní San Salvador wa+na+ha+hi Small Upper Waters Land Guateo Little San Salvador wa+te+yo Toward the Distant Land Guanima Cat Island wa+ni+ma Middle Waters Land Ayrabo Great Guana Cay ay+ra+bo Far Distant Home Nema New Providence ne+ma Middle Waters Ciguateo Eleuthera siba+te+wo Distant Rocky Place Lucayoneque Great Abaco luka+ya+ne+ke The People's Distant Waters Land Bahama Grand Bahama ba+ha+ma Large Upper Middle [Land] Habacoa Andros ha+ba+ko+wa Large Upper Outlier Land Canimisi Williams Island ka+ni+misi Northern Waters Swamp Bimini Bimini bimini The Twins
Flora and fauna The Lucayan Archipelago has a marine ecosystem that supports varies aquatic resident communities including large species such as spotted dolphins, common bottlenose dolphins, and humpback whales. Various frogs, lizards, nonpoisonous snakes, and several species of bats can be found in coastal caves. The islands are also home to diverse birdlife.
See also
List of Caribbean islands West Indies
References