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Caribbean

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Based on the article in Wikipedia

The Caribbean (Spanish: Caribe; French: Cara?bes; Dutch : Cara?ben; Portuguese: Caribe or Cara?bas) is a region of the Americas consisting of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (most of which enclose the sea), and the surrounding coasts. The region is located southeast of Northern America, east of Central America, and to the north and west of South America.



Situated largely on the Caribbean Plate, the area comprises more than 7,000 islands, islets, reefs, and cayes. The West Indies consist of the Antilles, divided into the larger Greater Antilles which bound the sea on the north and the Lesser Antilles on the south and east (including the Leeward Antilles), and the Bahamas which are northeast of the sea. Bermuda lies much further to the north in the Atlantic Ocean and is sometimes included in the West Indies. Geopolitically, the West Indies are usually reckoned as a subregion of North America and are organised into 28 territories including sovereign states, overseas departments, and dependencies. At one time, there was a short-lived country called the Federation of the West Indies composed of ten English-speaking Caribbean territories.}

The name "Caribbean" is named after the Caribs, one of the dominant Amerindian groups in the region at the time of European contact during the late 15th century. The analogous "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 actually reached the Americas. The Spanish term Antillas was commonly assigned to the newly discovered lands; stemming from this, "Sea of the Antilles" is a common alternate name for the Caribbean Sea in various European languages.

Biodiversity

The Caribbean Islands are classified as one of Conservation International's biodiversity hotspots because they support exceptionally diverse ecosystems, ranging from montane cloud forests to cactus scrublands. These ecosystems have been devastated by deforestation and encroachment. The hotspot has dozens of highly threatened species, including two species of solenodon (giant shrews) and the Cuban crocodile. The hotspot is also remarkable for the diminutive nature of much of its fauna, boasting the [[bee hummingbird|world?s smallest bird]] and smallest snake.

Historical groupings



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

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



British dependency British dependency

  • * Bird Island (disputed territory with Venezuela located about 110 km (70 mi) west of the island of Dominica)
The Grenadines group with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Overseas department of France Netherlands Antilles U.S. commonwealth) Grenadines group with Grenada U.S. territory, shares the Virgin Islands with the British Virgin Islands
  • *Birsk Island
  • *Buck Island
  • *Capella
  • *Cas Cay
  • *Congo Cay
  • *Cow And Calf Island
  • *Dog Island
  • *Dry Rock
  • *Fish Cay
  • *Flat Cay
  • *Grass Cay
  • *Great Saint James
  • *Green Cay
  • *Hans Lollik
  • *Hassel Island
  • *Inner Brass
  • *Johnsons Reef
  • *Leduck
  • *Little Saint James
  • *Lovango Cay
  • *Mingo Cay
  • *Ningo
  • *Outer Brass
  • *Packet Rock
  • *Patricia Cay
  • *Saba Island
  • *Saint Croix
  • *Saint John
  • *Saint Thomas
  • *Savana Island
  • *South-West Rock
  • *Stranglers Island
  • *Thatch Cay
  • *Turtledove Cay
  • *Water Island
  • *Welk Rock

Continental countries with Caribbean coastlines and islands

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. Guyana participates in West Indies cricket tournaments and many players from Guyana have been in the West Indies Test cricket team. The Turneffe Islands (and many other islands and reefs) are part of Belize and lie in the Caribbean Sea.

Island territories near the Caribbean

Though not technically in the Caribbean Sea, the nearby Bahaman Archipelago is sometimes considered to be part of the Caribbean.

British Islands of the Bahamas and Islands of the Turks and Caicos for a full list of the islands of the Bahaman Archipelago.

Indigenous peoples of the Americas

See also



List of international organizations and institutions

Here are some of the bodies that several islands share in collaboration:

Many of the nations in the Caribbean play international Cricket World Cup 2007 as one team called the West Indies.