Английская Википедия:Freeport, Bahamas

Материал из Онлайн справочника
Перейти к навигацииПерейти к поиску

Шаблон:Other uses Шаблон:More citations needed Шаблон:Infobox settlement Freeport is a city, district and free trade zone on the island of Grand Bahama of the northwest Bahamas. In 1955, Wallace Groves, a Virginian financier with lumber interests in Grand Bahama, was granted Шаблон:Convert of pineyard with substantial areas of swamp and scrubland by the Bahamian government with a mandate to economically develop the area. Freeport has grown to become the second most populous city in the Bahamas.

The main airport serving the city is the Grand Bahama International Airport, which receives domestic flights from various islands of the Bahamas as well as several international flights from the United States, Italy, and Canada. Freeport is also served by domestic Bahamian ferry services to other islands, and an international ferry connection to Miami.

The Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) operates the free trade zone, under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement signed in August 1955 whereby the Bahamian government agreed that businesses in the Freeport area would pay no taxes before 1980, later extended to 2054.[1] The area of the land grants within which the Hawksbill Creek Agreement applies has been increased to Шаблон:Convert.[2]

History

Freeport is a Шаблон:Convert free trade zone on Grand Bahama Island, established in 1955 by the government of The Bahamas. The city of Freeport emerged from a land grant comprising Шаблон:Convert of swamp and scrub to become a cosmopolitan centre. The Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) operates the free-trade zone, under special powers conferred by the government under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement,[3] which was recentlyШаблон:When extended until August 3, 2054. The agreement also increased the land grants to Шаблон:Convert.

The city was severely impacted by Hurricane Dorian with damage still being assessed as of 12 September 2019.[4]Шаблон:Update-inline

Geography

Freeport is located just Шаблон:Convert off the coast of Palm Beach, Florida, and on the major EW–NS shipping routes. This has positioned it as an ideal centre for international business. Consequently, a growing number of international companies use Freeport for a business site.

National parks

Parks include the Rand Nature Centre, named after its founder James Rand; Petersons Cay, a small isle about 300 yards off the shore of Grand Bahama; and the Lucayan National Park founded by Peter Barratt, a former architect and town planner of Freeport. The Lucayan National Park is Шаблон:Convert in extent and includes five ecological zones stretching from the south shore to the pineyard.[5] There is an extensive underwater cave system beneath the park. One cave entrance is accessible by stairs at the national park, while other caves are accessible for certified scubas.

Climate

Freeport features a tropical rainforest climate, similar to South Florida's. According to Köppen Climate Classification (Af)Шаблон:Citation needed, more specifically with hot humid conditions that vary only a little throughout the year. Seldom do temperatures drop below Шаблон:Convert. Average temperatures are around Шаблон:Convert, with water temperature varying between Шаблон:Convert. The winters are usually mild and dry (with the exception of some rainfall due to cold fronts), while the summers are usually hot and wet. Although a freeze has never been reported in the Bahamas, snow was reported to have mixed with rain in Freeport in January 1977, the same time that it snowed in the Miami area. The temperature was about Шаблон:Convert at the time.[6] The temperature of Шаблон:Convert was tied, on 30 January 2022.[7]

Шаблон:Weather box

Economy

Tourism draws more than 1 million visitors per year, but has diminished since 2004, when major hurricanes Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Jeanne made landfall; in 2016, Hurricane Matthew hit the island. In early September 2019, Hurricane Dorian moved over the area and stalled for over a day, causing extensive devastation. Several cruise ships stop weekly at the island. Much of the tourist industry is centered on the seaside suburb of Lucaya, owing its name to the pre-Columbian Lucayan inhabitants of the island evidence of whom has been found on the island. Freeport features at least two Junkanoo festivals near New Year's.

The city is often promoted as Freeport/Lucaya. Most hotels on the island are located in Lucaya along the southern shore facing the Northwest Providence Channel. The primary shopping venue for tourists is the Port Lucaya Marketplace in Lucaya. Recovery from the 2004 Hurricanes Jeanne and Frances took nearly a decade and led to closure of the older shopping venue International Bazaar and neighboring Bahamas Princess Resort and Casino.

Notable natives and residents

Twin towns – sister cities

Freeport is twin towns and sister cities with Lucaya

Gallery

See also

References

Шаблон:Reflist

Further reading

  • Barratt, Peter. Grand Bahama. IM Publishing, Freeport, 2002 (3rd edition) Шаблон:ISBN

External links

Шаблон:Sister project links

Шаблон:Districts of the Bahamas Шаблон:The Bahamas topics Шаблон:Authority control

Партнерские ресурсы
Криптовалюты
Магазины
Хостинг
Разное

  1. ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
  2. ↑ Шаблон:Cite encyclopedia
  3. ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
  4. ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
  5. ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
  6. ↑ ^ Walker, N. D., Roberts, H. H., Rouse, L. J. and Huh, O. K. (1981, November 5). Thermal History of Reef-Associated Environments During A Record Cold-Air Outbreak Event. Coral Reefs (1982) 1:83–87
  7. ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
  8. ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
  9. ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
Источник — http://wikihandbk.com/ruwiki/index.php?title=Английская_Википедия:Freeport,_Bahamas&oldid=14798829