Inagua

Contrary to popular belief, Inagua is not an anagram for iguana. That herbivorous animal is found on several other islands, but is not common to Inagua's shores, nor has one ever been sighted there. Inagua is believed to be named after its original settler Heneagua, which means “water to be found here.”

Inagua is actually two separate islands, Great Inagua and Little Inagua, covering 645 square miles. Together, they form the most southern tip of The Islands Of The Bahamas, where they are positioned less than 60 miles from the coasts of Cuba and Haiti.

Great Inagua is an ideal destination for travelers who are interested in ecotourism. The Inagua National Park, which makes up almost half the island, is home to more than 80,000 flamingos and other exotic birds such as Bahama parrots, pelicans, herons, egrets and Bahama pintail ducks.

Also located on Great Inagua is The Morton Salt Company’s main facility. Known for seawater salt recovery, Morton Salt uses this facility to produce about a million pounds of salt per year — the second largest saline operation in North America. This has long been Inagua's main source of industry.

Little Inagua is five miles north of Great Inagua and is completely uninhabited except for herds of wild donkeys, goats and a wide variety of birdlife, including a rare species of heron.