University:
Eastern Kentucky University
Course:
GEO 100 | Regions and Nations of the World
Academic year:

2022
Views:

477

Pages:

15
Author:

gewoekerdodx

THE CARIBBEAN F R E N C H , D U TC H , E N G L I S H A N D S PA N I S H S P E A K I N G COUNTRIES MAP OF THE CARIBBEAN THE FRENCH CARIBBEAN: G U A D E L O U P E A N D M A R T I N I Q U E , S T. M A R T I N A N D S T. B A R T H E L E M Y ( S T. B A RT S ) DUTCH CARIBBEAN • The Dutch Caribbean is the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands: • • • • Aruba, Curacao St. Maarten The islands of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (together also referred to as the BES-islands, three individual public entities within the country the Netherlands). DUTCH CARIBBEAN ENGLISH CARIBBEAN CARIBBEAN SPANISH COUNTRIES THE MAIN GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES OF THE CARIBBEAN • Physiographically, the Caribbean region is mainly a chain of islands surrounding the Caribbean Sea. • To the north, the region is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico, the Straits of Florida and the Northern Atlantic Ocean, which lies to the east and northeast. • To the south lies the coastline of the continent of South America. • Overall the Caribbean is comprised of more than 7,000 islands. That number includes islets (very small rocky islands); cay's (small, low islands composed largely of coral or sand) and a few inhabited reefs VOLCANOES • Most of the Caribbean is volcanic in origin, and many of the smaller (as well as larger) islands have a central volcanic peak or a mountainous interior. MOUNTAINS • A number of significant mountain ranges stretch across the Caribbean, specifically in Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. • The highest point in the Caribbean is Pico Duarte at 3098 m (10,164 ft), located on the island of Hispaniola the Dominican Republic. RAINFORESTS • Rainforests are found across the Caribbean, with those on Dominica and Jamaica the most prominent. • Most islands have several (small) waterfalls, normally located in the higher elevations. CORAL REEFS • The Caribbean is home to about 9% of the world's coral reefs, covering about 52,000 sq km (20,000 sq miles). • These reefs are important geographical features and islands like Cozumel are world famous for same. RIVERS AND LAKES • There are a scattering of small lakes and rivers across the Caribbean, with the most significant ones on the islands of Cuba, Hispaniola and Trinidad and Tobago. BODIES OF WATER • The major bodies of water in the Caribbean include the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and to a smaller extent, the Gulf of Mexico. • The Caribbean Sea is one of the largest salt water seas on the planet with an area of about 2,754,000 sq km (1,063,000 sq. miles). • Its deepest point is the Cayman Trough, between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, at 7,686 m (25,220 ft) below sea level. •