The Commonwealth of the Bahamas occupies a 13,940 sq km (5,382 sq mi) archipelago which extends 950 km (590 mi) SE–NW and 298 km (185 mi) NE–SW between southeast Florida and northern Hispaniola. Comparatively, the area occupied by the Bahamas is slightly smaller than the state of Connecticut. There are nearly 700 islands, of which about 30 are inhabited. New Providence, 207 sq km (80 sq mi), although not the largest, is by far the most populous and most densely populated island. The total coastline is 3,542 km (2,201 mi).
The Bahamas occupy a strategic location adjacent to the United States and Cuba.
The Bahamas' capital city, Nassau, is located on New Providence Island in the center of the island group.