Geography GEOGRAPHY OF JAMAICA The islands of the Caribbean look like stepping stones stretching in an arc from the western end of Venezuela in South America to the peninsula of Florida in North America. The Caribbean islands are divided into two groups: The Greater Antilles: Forming the northern part of the arc are four large islands, Cuba, Hispaniola (made up of Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Jamaica and Puerto Rico. The Lesser Antilles: The eastern end of the arc consists of the smaller islands which together form the Lesser Antilles. These include the West Indian islands of St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, Antigua, Montserrat (this group is called the Leeward Islands), Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Dominica (This group is called the Windward Islands), Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and the French islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. The islands vary widely in size, ranging from Cuba and Hispaniola, by far the largest, to the tiny islands of the Grenadines. Those which have English as their official language and are members of the Commonwealth are usually referred to as the West Indies.

The body of water bounded by these islands and the northern coast of South America is the Caribbean Sea Almost at the centre of the Caribbean Sea, Jamaica lies 150 kilometres (90 miles) south of Cuba and 160 kilometres (100 miles) west of Haiti, the two nearest countries. The closest point to Jamaica in South America is Cartagena in Colombia, a distance of 710 kilometres (445 miles) almost due south The latitude and longitude of the capital, Kingston, are about 18 degrees N and 78 degrees W. Jamaica is the largest of the English Speaking West Indian islands. It has an area of 11,424 square kilometres (4,411 square miles), more than twice the area of Trinidad, which is next in size, and measures 243 kilometres (146 miles) from east to west. Its greatest width is 80 kilometres (51 miles), from St. Ann's Bay to Portland Point. The distance from Kingston to the nearest point on the north coast, Annotto Bay, is 36 kilometres (22 miles). Jamaica is centrally situated in the Caribbean Zone.

It lies on the direct sea routes from the United States of America and Europe to the Panama Canal. ORIGIN OF THE ISLAND Jamaica belongs to the Central American region of the Western Hemisphere. The West Indian islands are actually the summits of a submarine range of mountains which in prehistoric times perhaps formed one large land mass connecting Central America to Venezuela in South America. During the ages, vast changes took place in this region of the earth's crust. The land subsided beneath the sea. When it rose again only the highest parts of it appeared above the surface of the sea. These formed the Caribbean islands, which have remained separate and distinct islands ever since. A close examination of the structure of the islands shows that there is a single mountain range in Puerto Rico which may be regarded as the centre of the submarine system. This range runs into Haiti, where it divides into three separate branches connected by submarine ridges. The northern branch passes through the north of Cuba as the Organos Mountains, and then into the Peninsula of Yucatan. The central branch passes into southern Cuba as the Sierra Maestra and continues under the sea into Central America. The south range passes through Jamaica, forming the Blue Mountains, the central mountain range of the island, and continues into Honduras.

East of Puerto Rico the main chain divides itself, forming an inner chain and an outer chain of islands. The inner chain includes St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenada. The other chain can be traced through the Virgin Islands, Antigua, Barbados, Tobago and northern Trinidad, continuing into the South American Continent as the coastal mountains of Venezuela. DESCRIPTION Christopher Columbus's thoughts as he first set eyes on Jamaica while his fleet steered for St.

Ann's Bay on his second voyage of discovery to the New World in 1494, are com-municated to us by the Spanish historian Andres Bernaldez in the following description: "It is the fairest island eyes have beheld; mountainous and the land seems to touch the sky; very large; bigger than Sicily, has a circumference of 800 leagues (I mean miles), and all full of valleys and fields and plains; it is very strong and extraordinarily populous; even on the edge of the sea as well as inland it is full of very big villages, very near together, about four leagues apart." Bernaldez, of course, grossly exaggerated the circumference of the island, which is about 740 kilometres (460 miles); and our mountains do not seem to touch the sky. But although the face of the island has been changed to some degree since then, particularly by the work of man, this description of the island's natural beauty is not unjustified today. The student of geography will find, nevertheless, that when temperature, soil, vegetation, structure and natural resources are taken into consideration, this semi-tropical island is, from a purely geographical standpoint, an excellent habitation for human beings.

West Indies Map and Information Page Lesser Antilles (southeast) The Bahamas consist of over 3,000 individual islands and reefs. The Greater Antilles include the island countries of Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic (Hispaniola), and Puerto Rico. The Lesser Antilles are the much smaller islands to the southeast, and they are divided into two (2) groups, the Leeward Islands and Windward Islands. Indians were the first inhabitants, and then, in 1492, the explorer Christopher Columbus became the first European to arrive at the islands. It's believed by historians that he first stepped foot in the Bahamas. Columbus called these islands the Indies because he thought he had finally reached Asia (and the East Indies). Spain, when Columbus' mistake was discovered, (pardon the pun) renamed them the West Indies, to distinguish them from the Spice Islands in the Pacific Ocean, (the East Indies) which we now call Indonesia.

The modern day, the West Indies refers to: The islands of the Bahamas Business Directory GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC UTILITIES AND COMMUNICATIONS Government and Politics of Jamaica Excerpted from the book, Tour Jamaica , by Margaret Morris The islands of the Caribbean look like stepping stones stretching in an arc from the western end of Venezuela in South America to the peninsula of Florida in North America. The Caribbean islands are divided into two groups: The Greater Antilles: Forming the northern part of the arc are four large islands, Cuba, Hispaniola (made up of Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Jamaica and Puerto Rico. The Lesser Antilles: The eastern end of the arc consists of the smaller islands which together form the Lesser Antilles. These include the West Indian islands of St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, Antigua, Montserrat (this group is called the Leeward Islands), Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Dominica (This group is called the Windward Islands), Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and the French islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. The islands vary widely in size, ranging from Cuba and Hispaniola, by far the largest, to the tiny islands of the Grenadines.

Those which have English as their official language and are members of the Commonwealth are usually referred to as the West Indies. The body of water bounded by these islands and the northern coast of South America is the Caribbean Sea Almost at the centre of the Caribbean Sea, Jamaica lies 150 kilometres (90 miles) south of Cuba and 160 kilometres (100 miles) west of Haiti, the two nearest countries. The closest point to Jamaica in South America is Cartagena in Colombia, a distance of 710 kilometres (445 miles) almost due south The latitude and longitude of the capital, Kingston, are about 18 degrees N and 78 degrees W. Jamaica is the largest of the English Speaking West Indian islands. It has an area of 11,424 square kilometres (4,411 square miles), more than twice the area of Trinidad, which is next in size, and measures 243 kilometres (146 miles) from east to west. Its greatest width is 80 kilometres (51 miles), from St. Ann's Bay to Portland Point.

The distance from Kingston to the nearest point on the north coast, Annotto Bay, is 36 kilometres (22 miles). Jamaica is centrally situated in the Caribbean Zone. It lies on the direct sea routes from the United States of America and Europe to the Panama Canal. ORIGIN OF THE ISLAND Jamaica belongs to the Central American region of the Western Hemisphere. The West Indian islands are actually the summits of a submarine range of mountains which in prehistoric times perhaps formed one large land mass connecting Central America to Venezuela in South America. During the ages, vast changes took place in this region of the earth's crust. The land subsided beneath the sea. When it rose again only the highest parts of it appeared above the surface of the sea. These formed the Caribbean islands, which have remained separate and distinct islands ever since. A close examination of the structure of the islands shows that there is a single mountain range in Puerto Rico which may be regarded as the centre of the submarine system. This range runs into Haiti, where it divides into three separate branches connected by submarine ridges. The northern branch passes through the north of Cuba as the Organos Mountains, and then into the Peninsula of Yucatan.

The central branch passes into southern Cuba as the Sierra Maestra and continues under the sea into Central America. The south range passes through Jamaica, forming the Blue Mountains, the central mountain range of the island, and continues into Honduras. East of Puerto Rico the main chain divides itself, forming an inner chain and an outer chain of islands. The inner chain includes St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenada. The other chain can be traced through the Virgin Islands, Antigua, Barbados, Tobago and northern Trinidad, continuing into the South American Continent as the coastal mountains of Venezuela. DESCRIPTION Christopher Columbus's thoughts as he first set eyes on Jamaica while his fleet steered for St.

Ann's Bay on his second voyage of discovery to the New World in 1494, are com-municated to us by the Spanish historian Andres Bernaldez in the following description: "It is the fairest island eyes have beheld; mountainous and the land seems to touch the sky; very large; bigger than Sicily, has a circumference of 800 leagues (I mean miles), and all full of valleys and fields and plains; it is very strong and extraordinarily populous; even on the edge of the sea as well as inland it is full of very big villages, very near together, about four leagues apart." Bernaldez, of course, grossly exaggerated the circumference of the island, which is about 740 kilometres (460 miles); and our mountains do not seem to touch the sky. But although the face of the island has been changed to some degree since then, particularly by the work of man, this description of the island's natural beauty is not unjustified today. The student of geography will find, nevertheless, that when temperature, soil, vegetation, structure and natural resources are taken into consideration, this semi-tropical island is, from a purely geographical standpoint, an excellent habitation for human beings.

Caribbean Map / Map of the Caribbean - Maps and Information About the Caribbean - Worldatlas.com Print this map Caribbean Description The Caribbean, long referred to as the West Indies, includes more than 7,000 islands; of those, 13 are independent island countries (shown in red on the map), and some are dependencies or overseas territories of other nations. In addition, that large number includes islets ( very small rocky islands); cay's (small, low islands composed largely of coral or sand) and a few inhabited reefs: See Belize. In geographical terms the Caribbean area includes the Caribbean Sea and all of the islands located to the southeast of the Gulf of Mexico, east of Central America and Mexico, and to the north of South America. Some of its counted cay's, islands, islets and inhabited reefs front the handful of countries that border the region. The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos are not considered a part of the Caribbean, however, we show them here because of their cultural, geographical and political associations with the Greater Antilles and other Caribbean Islands. At the beginning of the 15th century the population of the Caribbean was estimated to be nearly 900,000 indigenous people immediately before European contact.

Then in 1492, Christopher Columbus, the Italian explorer began his exploration of the Caribbean, becoming the first European to venture into the area. After reportedly landing in the eastern Bahamas, Columbus named these islands the Indies, because he thought he had finally reached Asia (and the East Indies). Numerous explorers followed in his path, then tens of thousands of settlers arrived from the Americas, China, European countries and India. Included in that mix were religious outcasts and a small army of pirates. Across the Caribbean, slaves from Africa were imported in great numbers to work the sugar and tobacco plantations. By then the indigenous populations of the islands were in severe decline as exposure to disease and brutal genocide wiped out much of their number. Great military powers continually fought for control of the islands, and finally, a blended mix of African and European cultures and languages transformed this large group of islands and its peoples into one of the premier tourist destinations on the planet. Long called the West Indies , the overall area is now commonly referred to as the Caribbean, a name that became popular after World War II. Over the last few decades legions of travelers have journeyed to the Caribbean to enjoy the amenities.

They frequently arrive in cruise ships that sail in and out, from ports in Florida and Puerto Rico. Overall the Caribbean is a magical place of palm trees, white sand beaches, turquoise waters and sunshine, all blessed with a climate that consistently offers a much-needed break for those stuck in the cold weather doldrums of the north. If you haven't been, you should, and if you've been here more than once, you will come again, as these islands, these beach-ringed, jungle-covered rocks are home to thousands of historical surprises and activities galore. So come wiggle you toes in the sand, and eat and sleep under the stars in the Caribbean. You won't be disappointed.

West Indies | History & Map | Britannica.com Three major physiographic divisions constitute the West Indies: the Greater Antilles , comprising the islands of Cuba , Jamaica , Hispaniola ( Haiti and the Dominican Republic ), and Puerto Rico ; the Lesser Antilles , including the Virgin Islands , Anguilla , Saint Kitts and Nevis , Antigua and Barbuda , Montserrat , Guadeloupe , Dominica , Martinique , Saint Lucia , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , Barbados , and Grenada ; and the isolated island groups of the North American continental shelf— The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands —and those of the South American shelf, including Trinidad and Tobago , Aruba , Curaçao , and Bonaire . ( Bermuda , although physiographically not a part of the West Indies, has common historical and cultural ties with the other islands and is often included in definitions of the region.) The shape and alignment of the Greater Antilles are determined by an ancient chain of folded and faulted mountains that in Cretaceous times extended from Central America through the Caribbean.

Running west-east, this system is now mostly submerged by the Atlantic and the Caribbean, but remnants of it are visible in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica and in the Sierra de los Órganos and the Sierra Maestra in Cuba. Duarte Peak, in the Dominican Republic, another component of this range, rises to 10,417 feet (3,175 metres) and is the highest point in the Caribbean. Besides interior mountain peaks, each Greater Antillean island has an encircling coastal plain. Similar Topics Isles of Scilly Trending north-south, another mostly submerged chain of mountains forms the double arc of small islands that make up the Lesser Antilles. Stretching from Saint Kitts to Grenada, the mountainous inner arc consists of volcanic cones, some still active. The outer arc—running from Anguilla to Barbados—is made up of low, flat islands whose limestone surfaces overlie older volcanic or crystalline rocks . Fumaroles, or volcanic vents, Dominica, Lesser Antilles. L. Romano—IGDA/© DeA Picture Library The West Indies have a tropical maritime climate .

Daily maximum temperatures over most of the region range from the mid-80s F (upper 20s C) from December to April to the upper 80s F (low 30s C) from May to November. Nighttime temperatures are about 10 °F (6 °C) cooler. Most islands experience a wet and a dry season; annual rainfall totals range from 30 to 80 inches (800 to 2,000 mm) but reach more than 200 inches (5,000 mm) on the highest peaks. The region’s moisture-laden trade winds produce heavy rainfall on the windward sides of the higher islands. Tropical cyclones (called hurricanes locally) frequently occur between August and October, and relative humidity is high throughout the year. The forests that once covered most of the West Indies were cut down in many areas by sugar - plantation owners for firewood to heat their refining vats. This practice resulted in soil impoverishment and erosion. Destruction of primeval forest has also occurred as a result of slash-and-burn agriculture. Some countries have recognized the importance of the forests, however, and have passed laws to prevent deforestation.

Surviving types of forest include mangrove swamps, which thrive along some coasts; semi-deciduous woodland, found in the Leeward Islands (the northern group of the Lesser Antilles; the southern group is called the Windward Islands ) and other areas of prolonged drought ; tropical rainforest of the wet lowlands; montane forest, occurring in wet highlands; and elfin woodland, which occurs on exposed peaks. Britannica Stories Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent A large number of plant species in the Caribbean are indigenous to the region. At high elevations in the Greater Antilles, species more typical of midlatitude and subarctic flora are found. Land fauna is an impoverished version of the fauna found on the nearby South American mainland. There are many rodents, including the rabbitlike agouti, and numerous species of bats and lizards. Bird species include several parrots , hummingbirds , ibis , and flamingos . The coastal seas are rich in marine life, including turtles , shellfish , caiman , dolphin , red snapper , bonito , and flying fish . Marine life is largely unexploited for food. U.S.

and Cuba The population of the West Indies is ethnically heterogeneous and largely the legacy of an early plantation society based on slave labour. Most of the population is descended from African slaves or from Spanish, French, British, or Dutch colonists or is of mixed ethnicity . The West Indies’ creole languages, evolved from pidgin variants of European languages, have become the common languages of many of the people. The French and English creoles are a blend of these languages with African and West Indian languages. By contrast, the major Spanish-language communities—Cuba, Puerto Rico , and the Dominican Republic —speak pure Spanish. Papiamentu , a Spanish-Dutch (Netherlandic)-Portuguese-English creole, is widely spoken on Aruba , Curaçao, and Bonaire . South Asians constitute a substantial minority in the region, especially in Trinidad and Tobago , where they make up almost four-tenths of the population. Chinese constitute a smaller minority, and people of European (principally Spanish) descent account for some seven-tenths of the population of Puerto Rico. Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion in the Spanish- and French-speaking islands, while Protestantism is the norm in the English-speaking and Dutch territories.

Carib man weaving baskets, Dominica. Bob Krist/Corbis The region’s birth rate historically has been low in comparison with those of other less-developed countries. Emigration, moreover, has played a more significant role in the West Indies than in most other regions, having the effect of dampening population growth even more. Emigration was substantial throughout the 20th century, and more than half of the natural increase in the region was lost owing to emigration. On the other hand, the death rate also declined steadily in the second half of the century, primarily because of reductions in the rate of infant mortality, and remained comparatively low for a less-developed region of the world. About three-fifths of the West Indies’ population is urban, and the rural population has dwindled on many islands because of considerable rural-to-urban migration. San Juan, P.R. Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest With the exception of Cuba, which has a centrally planned economy, the West Indies can be characterized as a predominantly free-enterprise market region. The economies of the region are marked by dependence on the export of a few commodities, commonly agricultural, and consequently are extremely vulnerable to external economic events.

Weak and unstable foreign markets have contributed to the generally unfavourable international-trade accounts of many West Indian countries. Many Caribbean residents rely on the land or the sea to earn their living. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The per capita gross national product (GNP) of the countries in the region ranged in the early 21st century from less than $400 in Haiti (well below the world average) to more than $30,000 in Cuba (comparable to the per capita GNP of many western European countries) and more than $24,000 in the U.S. Virgin Islands . A number of international trade agreements, including the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), have been established to stimulate the West Indian economy, particularly manufacturing . The CBI was begun by the United States in 1984 to provide duty-free access to the U.S. market for a wide range of products. Agriculture is the traditional basis of the economies of the West Indies, but production and employment in agriculture have been declining. Most countries are not self-sufficient in food production, and cereals, primarily wheat, are the chief food imports.

Sugar, bananas , citrus , cocoa , and spices are the principal exports and the major source of foreign exchange for a number of countries. To reduce vulnerability to external markets, many countries have diversified their agricultural production. Farm in the Cibao Valley, Dominican Republic. Carl Frank/Photo Researchers Manufacturing in the West Indies accounts for a minor part of overall economic activity. Several countries, including Barbados, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, have developed significant mineral industries, with the chief mineral exports being bauxite from Jamaica and petroleum from Trinidad. Britannica Lists & Quizzes Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies Among the dependent states, foreign subsidies and remittances provide a major source of income. Tourism has become the major industry on some islands and a major source of foreign exchange. Often, however, it raises the local cost of living without producing much employment. It is also quick to decline during times of economic recession. Cuba has endeavoured to break the usual pattern of economic dependence on one or two main cash crops so common in the West Indies.

Traditionally dependent on the sugar industry, it has attempted to diversify its economy by increasing its imports of capital goods to use as the basis for new industries. In an attempt to overcome problems of small size and dependence on a few export items, the Caribbean countries have formed economic unions, including the Central American Common Market , which established a regional free-trade zone; the Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom), which promotes cooperation between English-speaking countries; and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, whose members, as signatories of the Lomé Convention of 1975, receive preferential tariffs from the European Union . The governmental forms of the independent states of the West Indies range from the socialist republic of Cuba to republics such as Dominica and the Dominican Republic and to constitutional monarchies such as Jamaica and Saint Lucia; the majority of these countries have gained their independence from colonial powers since the early 1960s. Dependent states include those in free association with the United States, internally self-governing states within the Kingdom of the Netherlands , dependent territories of the United Kingdom , and overseas départements of France . In most of the region, political parties openly express opposition views. Notable exceptions include Cuba and Haiti.

In countries with parliamentary governments, the two-party system is common. The independent states of the West Indies tend to be aligned with Western countries. The United Kingdom, France, and the United States are responsible for the defense of their overseas lands in the West Indies. The United Kingdom and France also generally maintain close relations with former dependencies, supplying military training, arms, and, in some cases, defense. Moreover, they maintain military bases on several of these strategically important islands. Trending Topics Eyjafjallajökull volcano Standards of living, relative to other less-developed countries, are generally high, particularly in the dependent states that receive large subsidies from central governments. Social welfare programs, particularly in the dependent states, are comprehensive and have contributed to an improvement in health conditions in the region. Health services, however, remain generally inadequate, and, partly because of the high rate of emigration, shortages of medical personnel are common. The main health problems are those associated with the supply and improvement of drinking water and with the disposal of sewage. Diseases of the circulatory system and cancer are major causes of death, while gastroenteritis , influenza , pneumonia , malaria , tuberculosis , and childhood diseases are also major health problems.

In the least-developed countries, children and women commonly suffer from nutritional-deficiency diseases. Housing is often substandard, and shortages are chronic throughout the region. Educational systems are generally well developed, and the great majority of countries have literacy rates exceeding 80 percent. Higher education is available at a number of colleges and universities, including the University of the West Indies, which has campuses and distance-education centres in more than a dozen countries in the region. In spite of their diversity in ancestry and language, the countries of the West Indies share a largely common culture , the result of their somewhat parallel experiences as plantation colonies. The culture of the Caribbean people is a blend of African, American Indian, European, and, in some cases, Asian influences. The islands take pride in their lively cultural scenes, with dances, parties, and festivals, notably annual carnival celebrations. Reggae music, now world-renowned, originated in Jamaica. Modern Caribbean literature owes much to writers and philosophers of the West Indies, including those who emigrated elsewhere; some notable names include Aimé Césaire (Martinique), V.S. Naipaul (Trinidad), Jean Price-Mars and Edwidge Danticat (Haiti), and C.L.R.

James and Derek Walcott , who spoke to themes important to African descendants in the West Indies. Children at carnival celebration, Trinidad and Tobago. age fotostock/SuperStock Press and broadcast media are best developed in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, but they are present at least minimally in all of the political units. The extent of government control varies considerably within the region. Caribbean: islands of Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico | Ecoregions | WWF x Mangroves Caribbean: islands of Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico Because of their location on large islands, the mangroves of the Greater Antilles support relatively high levels of endemic flora and fauna, and are often part of complex assemblages of habitats that are as diverse as the conditions found in various parts of these islands. Mangroves are also a particularly important feature of Caribbean shores, as they form a barrier that helps to protect the coastal area from tropical storms and hurricanes that have become more intense in recent years. They are also important as barriers against salinization of coastal soils and groundwater and support fisheries upon which most of the population is dependent (Padrón et al.

1993). Scientific Code Description Location and General Description The Greater Antillean mangroves vary in their development, from scrub vegetation found as coastal fringe, to well developed stands with heights of up to 25 meters found at river mouths. This variation depends on levels of rainfall and freshwater input from riverine and groundwater systems, the tidal range, salinity levels, degree of shoreline protection from high wave energy, the accumulation of fine-grained sediments, and localized conditions in the various parts of these islands. For example, mangrove distribution is often restricted by the lack of large rivers, and they are primarily found in the low depositional areas of the coastline that have a constant flow of both tidal and fresh water (Padrón et al 1993). Mean rainfall varies throughout the region, ranging from 800 mm in parts of Jamaica, to over 5,000 in parts of Puerto Rico. The mean tidal range also varies, but is in the vicinity of .34 m, the level found in Cuba, where springtides reach up to .90 m. (Spalding et al. 1997).

Offshore salinity levels vary because of the mixing of Atlantic waters with the massive outflows of the Orinoco and Amazon Rivers from South America (Morelock et al 2000). Depending on localized conditions, various assemblages of mangrove species may be found as parts of a complex mosaic of terrestrial and marine habitats that include wetland forests and marshes, peatlands, sedge marshes, riparian swale, swamp and riparian forests; aquatic vegetation and coastal dunes, as well as seagrass beds and coral reefs (Vierros 2000; Morelock 2000; Frazier 1999). Mangrove communities found in "morasses" or large wetland areas may be in basins isolated from the sea by sand barriers, and are usually associated with various forms of swamp vegetation. Those found along rocky coasts are typically associated with coral reefs and sea grass beds. Although they tend to be found where fine grained sediments have accumulated, in Discovery Bay in Jamaica, mangroves are also found growing on limestone substrates inhabited by algae and molluscs.

There, they support large communities of plants and animals that attach to mangrove roots (Gayle and Woodley, 1998). Biodiversity Features Situated on large islands, the Greater Antillean mangroves have relatively high levels of endemic wildlife, including the Cuban crocodile Crocodylus rhombifer found on the Zapata peninsula of Cuba, and several birds. Some protected areas that are important centers of both floral and faunal endemism are the Desembarco del Granma National Park, also a World Heritage Site, where mangroves are part of an assemblage of habitats that include coral reefs and sea grass beds, that are all located within a system of marine terraces that create altitudinal and climatic diversity within a small area (WCMC 1999). Endemic flora are also found in the Black River Lower Morass in Jamaica, which contains mangroves and is important habitat for both wetland and migratory birds (Frazier 1999).

Coastal mangroves together with coral reefs and seagrass beds are often interdependent and, together, form a highly diverse and structurally complex ecosystem in which the reefs act as a barrier that shelters seagrass beds and mangroves from high wave energy and strong coastal currents typical of the Caribbean environment. These in turn provide foraging and nursery habitats for many reef species. At La Parquera in southwestern Puerto Rico, large seagrass beds consisting of turtle grass Thalassia testudinum can be found in the channels between coastal fringe mangroves. Among the species found here are upside-down jelly fish Cassiopeia frondosa, starfish Oreaster reticulatus and the sea cucumber Ludwigothuria mexicana. (Garcia et al. 1998). Mangrove species found in this ecoregion are: Red mangrove Rhizopora mangle, Black mangrove Avicennia germinans, White mangrove Laguncularia racemosa, and the Buttonwood mangrove Conocarpus erectus. R. mangle is generally found at the seaward fringe and in the margins of creeks and lagoons, and A.

germinans and L. racemosa behind R. mangle, followed by C. erectus. Dwarf R. mangle can also be found far from the coast in association with C. erectus. Mangroves are associated also with various seaweeds, and extensive prairies of seagrass Thalassia testudinum can often be found adjacent to mangrove roots. Some species associated with C. erectus forests in Cuba are: Batis maritima, Dalbergia ecastaphillum, Acrostichum aureum, and Bucida sp. (Padrón et al, 1993). In the Black River morass in Jamaica, there are assemblages of Rhizopora-Conocarpus, a Cladium-Conocarpus assemblage in the transition between mangroves and freshwater swamp, and a mix of Rhizopora, Avicennia, Laguncularia, and Conocarpus in the back of a coastal barrier (Vierros, 2000).

Among the endemic birds associated with mangroves are the Cuban Green Woodpecker Xiphidiopicus percussus, the Jamaican tody Todus todus, and endemic subspecies of the mangrove warbler Dendroica petechia gundlachi, and the clapper rail Rallus longirostris caribaeus. Endemic mammals and reptiles include several species of hutia (Capromys spp) found in Cuba, and the anolis lizard (Anolis spp.).

Other birds most associated with mangroves include: Spotted sandpiper Actitis macularia, Roseate spoonbill Ajaia ajaja, Cattle egret Bubulcus ibis, Green heron Butorides striatus, Belted kingfisher Ceryle alcyon, Mangrove cuckoo Coccyzus minor, White crowned pigeon Columba leucocephala, Crescent-eyed pewee Contopus caribaeus, Puerto Rican pewee Contopus portoricensis, West-Indian whistling duck Dendrocygna arborea, Mangrove warbler Dendroica petechia gundlachi, Little blue heron Egretta caerulea, Reddish egret Egretta rufescens, Snowy egret Egretta thula, Common moorhen Gallinula chloropus, Least bittern Ixobrychus exilis, Wood stork Mycteria americana, Yellow-crowned night heron Nyctanassa violacea, Black-crowned night heron Nycticorax nycticorax, Greater flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber; Pied-billed grebe Podilymbus podiceps, Greater Antillean Grackle Qu

iscalus niger, Clapper rail Rallus longirostrus caribaeus, Northern waterthrush Seirus noveborensis, Jamaican tody Todus todus, Black-whiskered vireo Vireo altiloqua, Cuban Green Woodpecker Xiphidiopicus percussus, Mammals which frequent these mangroves include: several species of Hutia: Capromys pilorides, C.

sanfelipensis, C. garridoi, C. angelcabrerais, C. auritus and West Indian manatee Trichecus manatus . Current Status Estimates of total mangrove area in this ecoregion are: 5,569 km2 in Cuba or 4.8%; 134 km2 in Haiti; 325 km2 in the Dominican Republic; and 106 km2 in Jamaica (Spalding 1997). Between 1812 and 1959 when their importance began to be recognized, forest cover in Cuba decreased from 90 to 14%. Since 1980, 25,700 ha of mangroves have been replanted and management plans are being developed for 15 protected areas (Padrón et al 1993). In Puerto Rico, over 75% of mangroves were destroyed in the 1970’s to reduce malarial mosquitoes, and were drained and filled for urban development, but have also increased in the 1980’s (Spalding 1997).

The Jamaican government intends to establish a chain of marine protected areas around the island that include mangrove areas, and to declare 14 national parks, marine parks and marine protected areas within the decade (Vierros 2000). Types and Severity of Threats Mangroves are exploited for timber, fuel-wood and charcoal, shrimp and lobster which are exported, and oysters and other fish sold in domestic/international markets. Mangrove bark is also in demand for leather tanning, and crocodiles are hunted for their skin. More general environmental problems that have impacts on mangroves include expansion of tourism facilities in the coastal areas, development of ports and harbors, expansion of agricultural and urban areas that increase the transport of sediment to coastal areas, discharge of mining, industrial and domestic wastes, and damming and diversion of rivers which decreases freshwater inputs to mangroves (Frazier 1999; Padrón et al 1993; Morelock et al. 2000; Vierros 2000). In Jamaica, forest clearance in coastal watersheds brought about the erosion of 80 million tons of topsoil a year.

This is believed to be reducing the flows of many rivers that mangroves rely upon for freshwater inputs. Because of prevailing wind patterns, Jamaican mangroves are also vulnerable to oil spills (Vierros 2000). A particular concern in the Caribbean is an apparent increase in the frequency and intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes that may be associated with climate change, and which damage mangroves. The two strongest hurricanes on record for the Western Atlantic, Allen and Gilbert, both occurred in the 1980s, and George occurred in 1998. (Gayle and Woodley 1998). Justification of Ecoregion Delineation Classification and linework for all mangrove ecoregions in Latin America and the Caribbean follow the results of a mangrove ecoregion workshop (1994) and subsequent report (Olson et al. 1996). References Ecoregional Workshop: A Conservation Assessment of Mangrove Ecoregions of Latin America and the Caribbean. 1994. Washington D.C., World Wildlife Fund. Frazier, Scott. 1999. Editor.

A directory of wetlands of international importance designated under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar, 1971). Compiled by Wetlands International for the Seventh Meeting of the Conference of Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention, San José, Costa Rica, May 1999. Garcia J.R., C. Schmitt, C. Hehberer, A. Winter 1998. La Parguera, Puerto Rico, USA. In B. Kjerfve, editor, CARICOMP – Caribbean coral reef, seagrass and mangrove sites. Coastal region and small siland papers 3, UNESCO, Paris, xiv + 347 pp. Gayle, P.M.H., J.D. Woodley 1998. Discovery Bay, Jamaica. B. Kjerfve, editor. CARICOMP – Caribbean coral reef, seagrass and mangrove sites. Coastal region and small island papers 3, UNESCO, Paris, xiv + 347 pp. Geraldes, F.X. 1998. Parque Nacional del Este, Dominican Republic. B. Kjerfve, editor.

CARICOMP – Caribbean coral reef, seagrass and mangrove sites. Coastal region and small siland papers 3, UNESCO, Paris, xiv + 347 pp. Haynes, A.M., R.L. Sutton, K.D. Harvey, 1989. Conservation trends, and threats to endemic birds in Jamaica. C.A. Woods, editor. Biogeography of the West Indies: Past, Present, >and Future. Sandhill Crane Press Inc. Gainesville, FL Morelock, J., J. Capella, J. Garcia, M. Barreto 2000. Puerto Rico. C. Sheppard, editor. Seas at the millenium: An environmental evaluation. Elsevier Science Ltd. Oxford. Olson, D.M., E. Dinerstein, G. Cintrón, and P. Iolster. 1996. A conservation assessment of mangrove ecosystems of Latin America and the Caribbean. Final report for The Ford Foundation. World Wildlife Fund, Washington, D.C. Padrón, C.M., S.Llorente and L. Menendez 1993.

Mangroves of Cuba. L.D. Lacerda, editor. Conservation and sustainable utilization of mangrove forests in Latin America and Africa Regions. Part I: Latin America. International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems and the International Tropical Timber Organization. Raffaele, H., J. Wiley, O. Garrido, A. Keith, and J. Raffaele 1998. A guide to the birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press, Princeton New Jersey. Schwartz, A. and R.W. Henderson 1991. Amphibians and reptiles of the West Indies: descriptions, distributions, and natural history. University of Florida Press, Gainesville. Spalding, M.D., F. Blasco, and C.D. Field, editors. 1997. World Mangrove Atlas. The International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems, Okinawa, Japan. Vierros, M. 2000. Jamaica. C. Sheppard, editor. Seas at the millenium: An environmental evaluation. Elsevier Science Ltd. Oxford. WCMC 1999.

World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Protected Areas Database, Desembarco del Granma National Park. Retrieved from : . Prepared by: Sylvia Tognetti and Christine Burdette Reviewed by: In process West Indies | Article about West Indies by The Free Dictionary West Indies | Article about West Indies by The Free Dictionary Related to West Indies: East Indies West Indies, archipelago, between North and South America, curving c.2,500 mi (4,020 km) from Florida to the coast of Venezuela and separating the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico from the Atlantic Ocean. The archipelago, sometimes called the Antilles, is divided into three groups: the Bahamas Bahamas, the , officially Commonwealth of the Bahamas, independent nation (2005 est. pop. 301,800), 4,403 sq mi (11,404 sq km), in the Atlantic Ocean, consisting of some 700 islands and islets and about 2,400 cays, beginning c.50 mi (80 km) off SE Florida and extending c. ..... Click the link for more information.

; the Greater Antilles ( Cuba Cuba , officially Republic of Cuba, republic (2005 est. pop. 11,347,000), 42,804 sq mi (110,860 sq km), consisting of the island of Cuba and numerous adjacent islands, in the Caribbean Sea. Havana is the capital and largest city. ..... Click the link for more information. , Jamaica Jamaica , independent state within the Commonwealth (2005 est. pop. 2,732,000), 4,232 sq mi (10,962 sq km), coextensive with the island of Jamaica, West Indies, S of Cuba and W of Haiti. Jamaica is the largest island in the Caribbean after Cuba and Hispaniola. ..... Click the link for more information. , Haiti Haiti , Fr. Haïti , officially Republic of Haiti, republic (2005 est. pop. 8,122,000), 10,700 sq mi (27,713 sq km), West Indies, on the western third of the island of Hispaniola. ..... Click the link for more information.

, the Dominican Republic Dominican Republic , republic (2005 est. pop. 8,950,000), 18,700 sq mi (48,442 sq km), West Indies, on the eastern two thirds of the island of Hispaniola. The capital and largest city is Santo Domingo. ..... Click the link for more information. , and Puerto Rico Puerto Rico , island (2005 est. pop. 3,917,000), 3,508 sq mi (9,086 sq km), West Indies, c.1,000 mi (1,610 km) SE of Miami, Fla. Officially known as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (a self-governing entity in association with the United States), it includes the offshore islands ..... Click the link for more information. ); and the Lesser Antilles ( Leeward Islands Leeward Islands , northern group of the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies, extending SE from Puerto Rico to the Windward Islands. The principal islands are the American Virgin Islands; the French island and overseas dept. ..... Click the link for more information.

, Windward Islands Windward Islands, southern group of the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies, curving generally southward for c.300 mi (480 km) from the Leeward Islands toward NE Venezuela. ..... Click the link for more information. , Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago , officially Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, republic (2005 est. pop. 1,088,000), 1,980 sq mi (5,129 sq km), West Indies. The capital is Port of Spain. ..... Click the link for more information. , Barbados Barbados , island state (2005 est. pop. 279,300), 166 sq mi (430 sq km), in the West Indies. The capital and largest city is Bridgetown. Land, People, and Economy The island, E of St. Vincent, in the Windward Islands, is the easternmost of the Caribbean islands. ..... Click the link for more information. ) and the islands off the northern coast of Venezuela. The British dependent territories are the Cayman Islands Cayman Islands , British dependency (2005 est. pop.

44,300), 100 sq mi (259 sq km), comprising three low-lying islands in the West Indies. George Town, the capital and chief port, is on Grand Cayman; the other islands are Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. ..... Click the link for more information. , the Turks and Caicos Islands Turks and Caicos Islands , dependency of Great Britain (2005 est. pop. 20,600), 166 sq mi (430 sq km), West Indies. There are more than 30 cays and islands, of which eight are inhabited. Geographically, the islands are a southeastern continuation of the Bahamas. ..... Click the link for more information. , Anguilla Anguilla , island and British dependency (2005 est. pop. 13,300) 35 sq mi (91 sq km), West Indies, northernmost of the Leeward Islands. The capital is the town of The Valley. The population, which is mainly of African descent, speaks English, the official language. ..... Click the link for more information. , Montserrat Montserrat , British dependency and island (2011 pop.

4,922), 38 sq mi (98 sq km), West Indies, one of the Leeward Islands. It is a rugged, scenic island of volcanic origin. ..... Click the link for more information. , and the British Virgin Islands Virgin Islands, group of about 100 small islands, West Indies, E of Puerto Rico. The islands are divided politically between the United States and Great Britain. Although constituting the westernmost part of the Lesser Antilles, the Virgin Islands form a geological unit with ..... Click the link for more information. . The Dutch territories are Aruba Aruba , island, autonomous part of the Netherlands (2005 est. pop. 71,600), 69 sq mi (179 sq km), in the Lesser Antilles off the coast of Venezuela. Oranjestad is the capital and main port. The population is largely of mixed European and indigenous Caribbean descent. ..... Click the link for more information. , Curaçao Curaçao , island (1989 est. pop.

146,100), 178 sq mi (461 sq km), an autonomous country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in the Lesser Antilles off the coast of Venezuela. Curaçao is semiarid; most of the plant life is of desert character. ..... Click the link for more information. , Bonaire Bonaire , island (1990 est. pop. 11,000), 112 sq mi (290 sq km), a special municipality of the Netherlands, in the West Indies off the coast of Venezuela. It was formerly part of the Netherlands Antilles. Kralendijk is the chief town. ..... Click the link for more information. , Saint Eustatius Saint Eustatius , island (1989 pop. 1,861), 8 sq mi (20.7 sq km), a special municipality of the Netherlands, one of the Leeward Islands, West Indies. It was formerly part of the Netherlands Antilles. ..... Click the link for more information. , Saba Saba , island (1990 est. pop.

1,100), 5 sq mi (13 sq km), a special municipality of the Netherlands, one of the NW Leeward Islands, West Indies. It was formerly part of the Netherlands Antilles. The rugged island is actually the cone of an extinct volcano rising to c. ..... Click the link for more information. , and part of Saint Martin Saint Martin , Du. Sint Maarten, island, 37 sq mi (96 sq km), West Indies, one of the Leeward Islands. Since its occupation in 1648 by the Dutch and the French, it has been divided. The northern part (1999 pop. ..... Click the link for more information. . The French territories are Guadeloupe Guadeloupe , overseas department and administrative region of France (2005 est. pop. 449,000), 687 sq mi (1,779 sq km), in the Leeward Islands, West Indies. The department comprises the neighboring islands of Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre (Guadeloupe proper) as well as ..... Click the link for more information.

and its dependencies, part of Saint Martin, and Martinique Martinique , overseas department and administrative region of France (2005 est. pop. 433,000), 425 sq mi (1,101 sq km), in the Windward Islands, West Indies. Fort-de-France is the capital. The department and the island of Martinique are coextensive. ..... Click the link for more information. . Puerto Rico is a self-governing commonwealth associated with the United States, and the Virgin Islands of the United States is a U.S. territory. Margarita Margarita , island, 444 sq mi (1,150 sq km), in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela. With many smaller islands it constitutes the Venezuelan state of Nueva Esparta (1990 pop. 263,748). ..... Click the link for more information. belongs to Venezuela. Many of the islands are mountainous, and some have partly active volcanoes. Hurricanes occur frequently, but the warm climate (tempered by northeast trade winds) and the clear tropical seas have made the West Indies a very popular resort area.

Some 34 million people live on the islands, and the majority of inhabitants are of black African descent. History Before European settlement on the islands of the West Indies, they were inhabited by three different peoples: the Arawaks, the Caribs, and the Ciboney. These indigenous tribes were effectively wiped out by European colonists. Christopher Columbus Columbus, Christopher, Ital. Cristoforo Colombo , Span. Cristóbal Colón , 1451–1506, European explorer, b. Genoa, Italy. Early Years ..... Click the link for more information. was the first European to visit several of the islands (in 1492). In 1496 the first permanent European settlement was made by the Spanish on Hispaniola Hispaniola , Span. Española , second largest island of the West Indies, 29,530 sq mi (76,483 sq km), between Cuba and Puerto Rico. Haiti occupies the western third of the island and the Dominican Republic the remainder. ..... Click the link for more information. .

By the middle 1600s the English, French, and Dutch had established settlements in the area, and in the following century there was constant warfare among the European colonial powers for control of the islands. Some islands flourished as trade centers and became targets for pirates. Large numbers of Africans were imported to provide slave labor for the sugarcane plantations that developed there in the 1600s. Until the early 20th cent., the islands remained pawns of the imperialistic powers of Europe, mainly Spain, Great Britain, France, and the Netherlands. The United States entered the scene in the late 19th cent. and is the region's dominate economic influence. Spain lost its last possession in the West Indies after the Spanish-American War (1898), and most of the former British possessions gained independence in the 1960s and 70s (see West Indies Federation West Indies Federation, former federation of 10 British West Indian territories formed in 1958. Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and Barbados were the principal members, but the federation included most of the Leeward and Windward islands, then under British control. ..... Click the link for more information. ).

Bibliography See E. E. Williams, From Columbus to Castro: The History of the Caribbean, 1492–1969 (1970); M. M. Horowitz, comp., Peoples and Cultures of the Caribbean: An Anthropological Reader (1971); J. H. Parry and P. M. Sherlock, A Short History of the West Indies (3d ed. 1971); R. C. West and J. P. Augelli, Middle America (2d ed. 1976); D. Watts, The West Indies: Patterns of Development, Culture, and Environmental Change since 1492 (1987). West Indies the general name for the islands in the Atlantic Ocean located between the continents of North and South America, stretching out in the form of an arc approximately 3,500 km in length. Included in the West Indies are the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the Lesser Antilles. The islands belong to North America. Their total area is about 240,000 sq km, and their population is more than 24 million (1968).

The topography of the islands is greatly dismembered and primarily mountainous, with elevations as high as 3,175 m (on the island of Haiti). There are many active as well as extinct volcanoes; earthquakes are frequent. There are deposits of manganese, chromite, and iron ores and asphalt, petroleum, bauxites, and phosphorites. The climate is tropical and influenced by the trade winds. In the lowlands the vegetation is primarily cultivated; in the mountains there are laurel and coniferous forests. Located on the islands of the West Indies are the states of Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Bahamas, and Barbados, as well as a number of possessions of Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, and the USA.

Ethnic composition.The basic mass of the present-day population is made up of Negroes—descendants of the slaves who were imported from Africa during the period from the 16th through the beginning of the 19th centuries (Haiti, more than 90 percent; Barbados, about 89 percent; and Jamaica, about 80 percent), as well as mulattoes (Dominican Republic, about 70 percent, and Puerto Rico, not less than 50 percent). The descendants of Europeans (for the most part, Spaniards) are to be found in considerable number only in Cuba (approximately 50 percent), Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. In the remaining countries the total white population (primarily British) does not exceed a small percentage. A unique ethnic composition is to be found in Trinidad, where about 50 percent of the population is made up of descendants of emigrants from India. In all these countries there are small groups of Chinese and Syrians. The few descendants of the indigenous American Indian population, which was almost entirely exterminated during the period of colonization, are still in existence only on the islands of Dominica, Cuba, and Trinidad.

Languages include Spanish, in the former colonies of Spain (Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico); English, in the former British colonies (Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados); and French, in the former and present French colonies (Haiti, Guadeloupe, and Martinique); local dialects are everywhere predominant. In the Dutch colonies, in addition to Dutch and English, the Papiamentoe dialect is widespread. With regard to religion, the inhabitants of the former Spanish and French colonies are Catholics, and the remainder are Protestants of various denominations. The Indians are mostly Hindus. In certain countries there are still vestiges of African faiths. A. D. D RIDZO Historical surveyThe majority of the islands of the West Indies, populated by the Arawak and Carib tribes of American Indians, were discovered during the sea voyages of Columbus (1492-1502), who mistakenly thought them to be part of India. To distinguish them from the India in the East (East India), these islands later came to be called the West Indies.

The colonization of the West Indies by the Spaniards was accompanied by the allout extermination of the American Indians, and as early as the 16th century the mass importation of slaves from Africa had begun in order to provide labor for the sugar and tobacco plantations, as well as in the mines. With the decline of Spain’s power, the West Indies became the principal object for the rivalry of the European powers in America. In the course of the 17th and 18th centuries, as the result of seizures, wars, and international treaties, Great Britain acquired the islands of St. Christopher (St. Kitts), Barbados, Antigua, Montserrat, Jamaica, Grenada, Dominica, Trinidad, and others; France obtained the islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Haiti; Holland, the islands of Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire; and Denmark, the islands of St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix from the group known as the Virgin Islands. By the beginning of the 19th century Spain had kept possession of only Puerto Rico and Cuba. Table 1. Political divisions of the West Indies States and territories

Question: Cuba and Jamaica are part of which group of West Indian islands?
Answer: GREATER ANTILLES