CAS

Defining the Caribbean

Geographical Definition

• The Caribbean is defined geographically as the land area with coastlines washed by the Caribbean Sea.

  • Included Regions:

  • Greater Antilles:

    • Cuba

    • Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic)

    • Jamaica

    • Puerto Rico

  • Lesser Antilles:

    • Windward Islands:

    • Grenada

    • St. Vincent

    • St. Lucia

    • Guadeloupe

    • Dominica

    • Martinique

    • Leeward Islands:

    • Antigua and Barbuda

    • St. Kitts-Nevis

    • Montserrat

    • Anguilla

    • Virgin Islands

  • Netherland Antilles:

    • Aruba

    • Bonaire

    • Curacao (ABC Islands)

    • Saint Martin

    • Saba

    • St. Eustatius

  • Others:

    • Barbados

    • Trinidad & Tobago

    • Cayman Islands

• Excluded Regions:

  • Turks and Caicos Islands

  • Bahamas

  • Mainland territories:

  • Suriname

  • Guyana

  • French Guiana

• Included Mainland Countries:

  • Belize

  • Colombia

  • Venezuela

  • Costa Rica

  • Panama

  • Nicaragua

  • Honduras

Historical Definition

• The Caribbean has a historical context defined by European colonization (Spanish, British, French, Dutch).

  • Colonial Powers:

  • Spanish:

    • Used the Encomienda system, leading to the extermination of native populations.

  • British:

    • Introduced plantation systems, acquiring African slaves and indentured servants from China and East India.

  • Dutch and French:

    • Engaged in colonization and trade within the Caribbean region.

• Caribbean identity is often viewed through the lens of European colonial experiences, leading to a multiracial society marked by social stratification and racial hybridization.

Geological Definition

• Defined as the area that lies within the Caribbean Plate, which experiences specific tectonic, seismic, and volcanic features.

  • Geological Formations:

  • The Caribbean Plate moved beneath the North American Plate, melting in the Earth’s mantle, which caused volcanic activity.

  • Formation of Islands:

    • The Greater and Lesser Antilles are believed to be tops of submerged mountains linked to the Andean mountain range in Central America.

• Landscape Features:

  • All mainland territories include high mountain ranges, large rivers, and extensive lowland areas.

  • Cuba:

  • Characterized by elevated plains (plateaus) over 1000 meters in altitude.

  • Low-lying alluvial plains and steep limestone hills with caves are prevalent.

  • Eastern Caribbean Volcanic Islands:

  • Rugged and mountainous, past volcanic eruptions have occurred (e.g., Mount Pelee).

  • Recent volcanic activity in St. Vincent and Montserrat caused significant damage to nearby settlements.

  • These islands have a good water supply and fertile soils.

  • Limestone Islands:

  • Formed from coral polyp skeletal remains; generally flat with no large rivers and few lakes.

  • Soils on limestone rock are typically shallow and infertile.

  • Some limestone islands like Barbados rise significantly above sea level, while others, such as those in the Bahamas, are at sea level.

Political Structure of the Caribbean

• Three governmental systems are recognized within the Caribbean region:

  1. Independent States

  2. Associated States

  3. Colonial Dependencies

• Current Relationships with Former Colonial Powers:

  • France:

  • Guadeloupe, Martinique, and French Guiana are referred to as "departementes d'outre-mer," indicating they are part of France's sovereign territory and the European Union.

  • United Kingdom:

  • Remaining territories include Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, and Turks and Caicos, which are British crown colonies.

  • Kingdom of the Netherlands:

  • Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Saint Martin, and St. Eustatius are dependencies.

  • United States:

  • Puerto Rico is classified as an associated state of the USA.