Freeport, Bahamas

Freeport is a city and free trade zone on the island of Grand Bahama, located approximately 100 mi (160 km) east-northeast of Fort Lauderdale, South Florida and gives its name to a district of the Bahamas.

Related Topics:
Free trade zone - Grand Bahama - Fort Lauderdale - District of the Bahamas

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1955, Wallace Groves, a Virginian financier with lumber interests on the island, was granted 50,000 acres (200 km²) of swamp and scrubland by the Bahamian government. On this was built the city of Freeport, which has grown to be the second most populated city in The Bahamas (over 50,000 in 2004) after the capital, Nassau.

Related Topics:
1955 - Wallace Groves - Virginia - Swamp - Bahamian - Nassau

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) operates the free trade zone, under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement signed in August of 1955 whereby the Bahamian Government agreed that businesses in the Freeport area will pay no taxes before 2054. The area of the land grants has been increased to 138,000 acres (558 km²).

Related Topics:
Grand Bahama Port Authority - Hawksbill Creek Agreement - 2054

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Freeport Harbour is accessible by even the largest vessels, and has a cruise terminal, a container port, and a ship maintenance facility. Grand Bahama International Airport (IATA airport code: FPO, ICAO airport code: MYGF) handles nearly 50,000 flights each year.

Related Topics:
Cruise - Container port - Grand Bahama International Airport - IATA airport code - ICAO airport code

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Tourism complements trade as a revenue earner in Freeport, with over a million visitors each year. Much of the tourist industry is displaced to the seaside suburb of Lucaya, owing its name (but little else) to the pre-Columbian Lucayan inhabitants of the island. The city is often promoted as 'Freeport / Lucaya'.

Related Topics:
Tourism - Lucayan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~