Caribbean Sea

Central America and the Caribbean (detailed pdf map)

The Caribbean, (Spanish: Caribe) or the West Indies is a group of countries and islands in the Caribbean Sea. These countries or islands are located from the southeastern areas of Mexico to the northwest of Venezuela in South America. There are at least 7,000 islands, islets, reefs, and cayes in the region. They are organized into 25 territories including sovereign states, overseas departments, and dependencies.

The name "West Indies" originates from Christopher Columbus' idea that he had landed in the Indies (then meaning all of south and east Asia) when he had in fact reached the Americas. The name "Caribbean" is named after the Caribs, one of the dominant Amerindian groups in the region at the time of European contact. The Caribbean consists of the Greater and Lesser Antilles, and is often considered part of North America.

At one time, there was a short-lived country called the Federation of the West Indies composed of the English-speaking Caribbean islands of the region.

The Caribbean area is also famous for its sea pirates. See the article piracy in the Caribbean.

The region known as "Caribbean" is usually restricted to the islands of the Caribbean Sea, although sometimes the continental American coastline is included.

Historical groupings

Main article: History of the Caribbean

Most islands at some point were, or still are, colonies of European nations:

British West Indies / Anglophone_Caribbean - Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands
Danish West Indies - present-day United States Virgin Islands
Dutch West Indies - present-day Netherlands Antilles and Aruba
French West Indies - Haiti and the French overseas départements of Guadeloupe and Martinique
Spain - Cuba, Hispaniola (present-day Dominican Republic and Haiti), Puerto Rico

The British West Indies were formerly united by the United Kingdom into a West Indies Federation. The independent countries which were once a part of the B.W.I. still have a unified composite cricket team that successfully competes in test matches and one-day internationals. The West Indian cricket team includes the South American nation of Guyana, the only former British colony on that continent.

In addition, these countries share the University of the West Indies as a regional entity. The university consists of three main campuses in Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, a smaller campus in the Bahamas and Resident Tutors in other contributing territories.

Present-day island territories of the Caribbean

Detail of tectonic plates from: Tectonic plates of the world.

See also: Caribbean South America, Caribbean_basin

Template:AIA (British dependency)
Antigua and Barbuda
- Antigua
- Barbuda
- Redonda
Template:ABW (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Bahamas
- Abaco
- Andros
- Cat Island
- Eleuthera
Barbados
- Barbados
- Culpepper Island
- Pelican Island (now absorbed into Barbados)
Template:IVB (British dependency, shares the Virgin Islands with the U.S. Virgin Islands.)
- Anegada
- Beef Island
- Bellamy Cay
- Cooper Island
- Great Camanoe
- Guana Island
- Jost Van Dyke
- Little Thatch
- Marina Cay
- Mosquito Island
- Nanny Cay
- Necker Island
- Norman Island
- Peter Island
- Prickly Pear Island
- Saba Rock
- Salt Cay
- Tortola
- Virgin Gorda
Template:CAY (British dependency)
- Cayman Brac
- Grand Cayman (with the capital George Town)
- Little Cayman
Cuba
- Cuba
- Isla de la Juventud
Dominica
- Bird Island (disputed territory with Venezuela located about 110 km (70 mi) west of the island of Dominica)
Grenada (shares the Grenadines group with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
- Carriacou
- Grenada
- Petite Martinique
Guadeloupe (overseas department of France)
- Basse-Terre
- La Désirade
- Grande-Terre
- Marie-Galante
- Iles de la Petite Terre
- Saint-Barthélemy (also Saint Barts)
- Saint-Martin (part of the island Saint Martin shared with the Netherlands Antilles; note the dash)
- Iles des Saintes
  - Terre de Haut
  - Terre de Bas
Hispaniola
- Dominican Republic
- Template:HAI
Jamaica
Template:MTQ (overseas department of France)
Montserrat (British dependency)
Navassa Island (U.S. insular area)
Template:ANT (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
- Bonaire
- Curaçao
- Saba
- Sint Eustatius
- Sint Maarten (part of the island Saint Martin shared with Guadeloupe)
Puerto Rico (U.S. commonwealth)
- Culebra
- Mona
- Puerto Rico
- Vieques
Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Nevis
- Saint Kitts
Saint Lucia
Template:VIN (shares the Grenadines group with Grenada)
- Bequia
- Canouan Island
- Mayreau
- Mustique
- Palm Island
- Petit Saint Vincent
- Saint Vincent
- Union Island
- Young Island
Template:TRI
- Tobago
  - Little Tobago
- Trinidad
  - Chacachacare
  - Gaspar Grande
  - Huevos
  - Monos
Turks and Caicos Islands (British dependency)
- Grand Turk
- Middle Caicos
- North Caicos
- Parrot Cay
- Pine Cay
- Providenciales
- Salt Cay
- South Caicos
United States Virgin Islands (U.S. territory, shares the Virgin Islands with the British Virgin Islands)
- Saint Croix
  - Buck Island
- Saint John
- Saint Thomas
  - Hassel Island
  - Thatch Cay
- Water Island

Continental countries with Caribbean coastlines

Belize
- Ambergris Caye
- Caye Caulker
- Glover's Reef
- Hicks Cays
- Lighthouse Reef
- South Water Caye
- Turneffe Islands
Colombia
- San Andres and Providencia
Costa Rica
Template:GUF
Guatemala
Guyana
Template:HON
- Islas de la Bahía Department
  - Guanaja
  - Roatán
  - Útila
- Cayos Cochinos
- Swan Islands
- Swan Islands
Mexico
- Cancún
- Isla Contoy
- Isla Cozumel
- Isla Mujeres
Nicaragua
- Corn Islands
- Cayos Miskitos
Panama
- San Blas Islands
- Bocas del Toro
Suriname
Venezuela
- Isla Margarita
- Los Monjes Archipelago
- Las Aves Archipelago
- Isla de Aves
- Los Hermanos Island
- Los Frailes Island
- Los Roques Archipelago
- La Sola Island
- La Tortuga Island
- La Orchila Island
- Los Testigos Island
- La Blanquilla Island
- Isla de Patos

The nations of Belize and Guyana, although on the mainland of Central America and South America respectively, were former British colonies and maintain many cultural ties to the Caribbean and are members of CARICOM. The Turneffe Islands (and many other islands and reefs) are part of Belize and lie in the Caribbean Sea.

The USA, Canada, China and the European Union play a large role in the Caribbean economy and politics. It is rare for any part of the US coastline to be considered part of the Caribbean as they are located in parts of the Gulf of Mexico.

Indigenous Tribes

Arawak
Carib
Ciboney
Garifuna
Lucayan
Taino

Credits

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Caribbean Sea

Contents

Historical groupings

Present-day island territories of the Caribbean

Continental countries with Caribbean coastlines

Indigenous Tribes

See also

Regional Institutions

Credits