Freeport, Bahamas

Freeport is a ceety an free trade zone on the island o Grand Bahama, locatit approximately 100 mile (160 km) east-northeast o Fort Lauderdale, Florida an is a destrict o the Bahamas.

In 1955, Wallace Groves, a Virginian financier wi lumber interests on the island, wis grantit 50,000 acres (200 km2) o pineyard wi substantial auries o swamp an scrubland bi the Bahamian govrenment wi a mandate tae economically develop the aurie. The ceety of Freeport wis built, which haes grown tae be the second maist populous ceety in The Bahamas (26,910 in 2000) efter the caipital, Nassau. The main airport servin the ceety is the Grand Bahama International Airport.

The Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) operates the free trade zone, unner the Hawksbill Creek Agreement signed in August 1955 whaurbi the Bahamian Govrenment agreed that businesses in the Freeport aurie will pay nae taxes afore 2054. The aurie o the land grants haes been increased tae 138,000 acres (558 km²).