Caribbean
Information about Africa
ORIGIN OF THE NAME
The name "Caribbean" originates from the Caribs, an indigenous people who inhabited the Lesser Antilles and parts of the nearby South American mainland. The Spanish term "Caribe" referred to the region's inhabitants, and the name eventually evolved to denote the entire region.
SIZE
The Caribbean covers an area of approximately 2.75 million square kilometres (1.06 million square miles). It includes the Caribbean Sea and its islands, which are part of the wider region known as the West Indies.
POPULATION
As of the latest estimates, the Caribbean is home to about 44 million people, spread across its numerous islands and coastal regions.
NUMBER OF COUNTRIES
The Caribbean is composed of 13 sovereign countries and numerous territories and dependencies. Some notable countries include Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Barbados.
UNESCO SITES
The Caribbean boasts several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including:
Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park (St. Kitts and Nevis)
Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison (Barbados)
Morne Trois Pitons National Park (Dominica)
Pitons Management Area (Saint Lucia)
San Pedro de la Roca Castle (Cuba)
POINTS OF INTEREST
The Bahamas
Jamaica
Puerto Rico
Dominican Republic
Saint Lucia
Barbados
Trinidad and Tobago
Aruba
Cayman Islands
Antigua and Barbuda
Turks and Caicos Islands
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Grenada
Curacao
British Virgin Islands