Freeport, The Bahamas Facts for Kids

This article is about Freeport (disambiguation)|Freeport. For other uses, see Freeport, The Bahamas (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids Freeport
City
City of Freeport

Nicknames: The Industrial Capital The Second City
The city of Freeport highlighted in red in Bahamas
Freeport Location in Bahamas
Country	The Bahamas
Island	Grand Bahama
District	City of Freeport
Established	August 4, 1955
Government
• Type	District Council
Area
• City	558 km² (215 sq mi)
Elevation	10 m (30 ft)
Population (2000)
• City	26,914
• Density	48/km² (125/sq mi)
• Metro	55,500
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern Time Zone)
Area code(s)	242
IATA airport code	FPO
ICAO airport code	MYGF
Website	http://gbpa.com/home/

Freeport is a city and district located on Grand Bahama island in the northwest part of The Bahamas. It is also a special free trade zone. This means businesses there get special benefits, like not paying certain taxes.

In 1955, a man named Wallace Groves was given a large area of land by the Bahamian government. His job was to help the area grow economically. Since then, Freeport has become the second-largest city in The Bahamas.

The city has its own airport, the Grand Bahama International Airport. It welcomes flights from other Bahamian islands and from countries like the United States, Italy, and Canada. You can also travel to Freeport by ferry from other Bahamian islands or from Miami, USA.

The Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) is the company that manages the free trade zone. They operate under an agreement called the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, signed in 1955. This agreement allowed businesses in Freeport to avoid taxes until 1980, and this was later extended to 2054. The special tax-free area has grown to cover about 56,000 hectares (138,000 acres) of land.

History of Freeport
Where is Freeport Located?
- Exploring National Parks in Freeport
What is the Climate Like in Freeport?
Economy and Tourism in Freeport
Famous People from Freeport
Sister Cities
Images for kids
See also

History of Freeport

Freeport was created in 1955 as a special free trade area on Grand Bahama Island. It started as 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres) of mostly swamp and scrubland. Over time, it grew into a modern city.

The Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) manages this free trade zone. They have special powers from the government under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. This agreement was extended and will last until August 3, 2054.

In September 2019, Hurricane Dorian caused a lot of damage to Freeport. The hurricane stayed over Grand Bahama for 12 hours. It brought very high storm surges and destroyed many homes.

Where is Freeport Located?

Freeport is located only 108 kilometres (67 mi) from Palm Beach, Florida, USA. It is also on important shipping routes. This makes it a great place for international businesses. Many companies from around the world choose Freeport as a business location.

Exploring National Parks in Freeport

Freeport is home to several beautiful parks. These parks help protect the natural environment.

Rand Nature Centre: This park is named after its founder, James Rand. It's a great place to learn about local plants and animals.
Petersons Cay: This is a small island located about 300 yards off the coast of Grand Bahama. It's a lovely spot to visit.
Lucayan National Park: Founded by Peter Barratt, this park covers 16 hectares (40 acres). It has five different natural areas, from the beach to the pine forests.

The Lucayan National Park also has a large system of underwater caves. You can visit one cave entrance using stairs in the park. Other caves are open for certified scuba divers to explore.

What is the Climate Like in Freeport?

Freeport has a tropical rainforest climate. This means it's usually hot and humid all year round. The weather is very similar to South Florida's.

Temperatures rarely drop below 16 °C (60 °F). The average temperature is around 27 °C (80 °F). The ocean water temperature stays between 22 and 26 °C (72 and 78 °F).

Winters are usually mild and dry, with some rain from cold fronts. Summers are typically hot and wet. It has never officially frozen in The Bahamas. However, in January 1977, snow mixed with rain was reported in Freeport. This happened when it also snowed in the Miami area.

Climate data for Freeport (1971-2000)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	24.3 (75.8)	24.4 (75.9)	25.8 (78.4)	27.4 (81.3)	29.7 (85.4)	31.2 (88.2)	32.2 (90.0)	32.3 (90.2)	31.7 (89.0)	29.7 (85.4)	27.3 (81.2)	25.1 (77.2)	28.4 (83.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	15.9 (60.7)	15.6 (60.0)	17.5 (63.5)	19.2 (66.6)	21.1 (69.9)	23.2 (73.8)	23.9 (75.1)	23.9 (75.1)	23.3 (74.0)	21.4 (70.5)	19.4 (66.9)	17.0 (62.6)	20.1 (68.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	83.1 (3.27)	72.6 (2.86)	93.5 (3.68)	66.8 (2.63)	104.7 (4.12)	176.0 (6.93)	165.4 (6.51)	207.8 (8.18)	217.4 (8.56)	142.8 (5.62)	93.0 (3.66)	73.7 (2.90)	1,496.8 (58.92)
Average rainy days	10	9	9	7	12	17	18	19	19	16	11	10	157
Mean monthly sunshine hours	217	226	279	270	279	270	279	279	240	248	210	217	3,014
Mean daily sunshine hours	7	8	9	9	9	9	9	9	8	8	7	7	8
Percent possible sunshine	65	71	75	70	67	65	66	69	65	70	65	67	68
Average ultraviolet index	5	7	9	10	11	11	11	11	10	8	6	5	9
Source 1: WMO
Source 2: Weather Atlas (rain days, sun, and uv)

Economy and Tourism in Freeport

Tourism is a big part of Freeport's economy. Over 1 million visitors come each year. However, the number of tourists has gone down since 2004 due to major hurricanes like Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Jeanne. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew also hit the island. In 2019, Hurricane Dorian caused a lot of damage.

Many cruise ships visit the island every week. A large part of the tourism industry is in the area called Lucaya. This area is named after the ancient Lucayan people who lived on the island long ago.

Freeport is often promoted as Freeport/Lucaya. Most hotels are located in Lucaya, along the southern shore. The main shopping area for tourists is the Port Lucaya Marketplace.