Andros Island

Largest island in the Bahamas, in the Caribbean Sea; length 170 km/106 mi; width 64 km/40 mi; area 5,955 sq km/2,299 sq mi; population (1996) 8,115. The island's large network of oceanic and inland caves, known as ‘blue holes’, is considered to include the world's longest and deepest underwater caves (some are 20-30 m/66-98 ft below the surface). Several of the caves feature fresh water springs. The island has a large vegetable-growing industry, and tomatoes are exported. Tourism has been a growth industry throughout the 1990s.

The island is cut through by creeks and inlets and it has extensive mangrove swamps, pine and mahogany forests, and prolific birdlife. The main settlements, including Nicholl's Town, Andros Town (located on Fresh Creek, as is one of the island's oldest settlements, Coakley Town), and Mangrove Cay, are along the east coast of the island. The western side of the island is barren and largely undeveloped, the only settlement being Red Bays on the northwest coast. To the east of the island is the world's third-largest underwater coral reef and the seabed falls 1,830 m/6,000 ft into an ocean trench, known as the Tongue of the Ocean.

The ocean trench is used by the US and British navies for testing submarines and underwater weapons and the Atlantic Underwater Test and Evaluation Center is based near Fresh Creek. A local legend refers to the ‘Chickcharnie’, a mythical three-fingered, three-toed borrowing owl, which is said to live in the forests of Andros Island.