Andros, Bahamas

Andros with Tongue of the Ocean to the east
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tongue_of_the_Ocean_with_Andros.jpg
Author: NASA


Andros is the largest island of the Bahamas. It covers a wider area than the other 700 islands of the Bahamas combined. Andros measures 167 km from end to end. It is actually not one island, but comprises an archipelago of 26 islands, many of which are inhabited. The total population of Andros stand at around 7,800 people (2012 estimate).

The main islands that form Andros include North Andros, Mangrove Cay and South Andros. Of these, North Andros is the biggest island, covering 5,957 sq km (2,300 sq mi). On its own, it is the 153rd largest island in the world, but if the three main islands are counted as one, then Andros is the fifth biggest island in the Indies, comparable in size to the state of Rhode Island. The northern tip of Andros is 233 km (138 mi) south of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

An area of mangrove swamps stitch together the different islands that form Andros. The archipelago is located to the west of the Tongue of the Ocean, a deep ocean trench. From a depth of 115 ft (35 m) on Andros' east offshore, the ocean floor drops to over 6,000 ft (1.8 km).

South Andros, Bahamas
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Andros_island2978.jpg
Author: Rs3


Today tourism forms the mainstay of Andros's economy and the main employer on the island. At the moment it is the least developed of the Bahamian islands. Most of the visitors to Andros are scuba divers attracted to the dive spots on the barrier reef. The Andros Barrier Reef is the third longest coral reef in the world after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia and the Belize Barrier Reef.

Andros is also a popular destination for bonefishing. In fact, it is regarded as the bonefish capital of the world. The islands themselves have a diverse ecology supporting various land eco-systems including saltwater marsh, mangroves, sandy beaches, scrub, pine savannas and others.

Dolly's Cay
There are many islets, called cays, around Andros Island. One of them is Dolly's Cay, also called Dolly's Rock. It is on the Great Bahama Bank, a submerged carbonate platform. The cay is home to many birds including the Bridled Tern, Sooty Tern, Sandwich Tern and Royal Tern.

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