Population: Approx. 15,000
Island Size: 120 miles long, 10 miles wide
Area: 650 sq. miles
Highest Point: 134.5 ft.
Location: Great Abaco: Lat. 26.45° N | Long. 77.30° W
Little Abaco: Lat. 26.87° N | Long. 73.37° W
Distance from Nassau: 106 miles north of Nassau
Distance from Florida: 175 miles east of Palm Beach
Abaco is the second largest island in the Bahamas and has a reputation as the 'sailing capital of the world'. Boating and sailing are Abaco's top activities. Consisting of Great Abaco, Little Abaco, & several smaller cays scattered across 650 square miles, Abaco is located on the northern end of the Bahamas. The area, with its vast array of cays and shelted waters is commonly referred to as the Sea of Abaco and was used as a safe harbour by British Loyalists during the American Revolution.
Walker's Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Great Guana Cay, Man-O-War Cay and Elbow Cay are the five major inhabited cays in the Abaco chain.
Great Abaco, often referred to as the mainland, has good roads that extend from one tip to the other.
Marsh Harbour, a hilly, seaside town, is the third largest city in the Bahamas and Abaco's commercial hub. Centrally located, about half of the island's entire population live there. It is the business district of Abaco and has international banks, hardware stores, law and real estate offices, insurance companies, gas stations, supermarkets, an abundance of restaurants, marinas and just about everything else, but only one stop light. Marsh Harbour is also home to the Abacos' only radio station and UPS office. And if there is anything that can't be found there, it can be brought in. There are more import-export companies in Marsh Harbour than in any of the Family Islands.
Broadband internet connectivity is available via Cable Bahamas. There is an internet cafe and even computer sales and service companies. Marsh Harbour also supplies electricity to settlements and offshore cays as far south as Cherokee Sound and as far north as Green Turtle Cay. 24-hour medical and dental services are available at the Marsh Harbour clinic, as well as various private practitioners and several pharmacies that maintain good supplies.
The Major Cays
Elbow Cay
Elbow Cay is one of Abaco's largest and most popular cays. It is where Hope Town is located and the site of the famous red and white striped Hope Town lighthouse.
Man-O-War Cay
Quiet and uncommercialized, Man-O-War Cay has a strong boat building and maintenance base. Aside from the boatyards Man-O-War Cay has a few shops, small grocery stores, a hardware store and a few marinas.
Great Guana Cay
Great Guana Cay is the longest of the Abaco cays, stretching seven miles and it boasts a beach of unsurpassed beauty, that runs the full length. The cay is home to about 150 residents, most of whom are descended from loyalists. In recent years the island has seen more development, with beach and marina communities like Orchid Bay, spurring the local economy. Other developments such as Discovery Land Company's Baker's Bay are also in progress.
Green Turtle Cay
About 600 people call Green Turtle Cay home and most of them are involved in tourism and construction. Investors have recognized the potential of this cay also and are buying property and building.
Walker's Cay
Walker's Cay is the northern most island of the entire Bahamas chain. It is a small island but holds a marina, a hotel and an airstrip. The cay has its own customs office, which is a point of entry for both boats and aircraft.
