Greater Antilles. Lesser Antilles

Antilles - a group of land areas of different sizes between North and South America, once taken by Spanish sailors for the mythological Antillia. They are divided into Large and Small, and together they cover an area of ​​​​about 229,000 square kilometers. Many of them are uninhabited. The territory of the islands is divided between several states.

Greater Antilles

This group includes four land areas - Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. The first of these is part of the Republic of Cuba, along with the island of Youth and other smaller islands. The second is divided between the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Haiti. He is in a unique situation the only island in a world with two capitals.

Jamaica, now part of the Greater Antilles, was once a pirate "capital". And in Puerto Rico, you can see the “glowing” Mosquito Bay and the still powerful defensive fort of El Moro.

Cuba

The island lies 90 kilometers off the coast of the United States of America, resembling a giant crocodile in shape. Not only exotic nature is interesting here, but also a no less rare social structure. Not surprising. Cuba is a socialist republic, where paintings reminiscent of the times of the collapse of the USSR are available to almost anyone. What makes Cuba different, beneficial or not, from the rest of the land that make up the Greater Antilles.

These pictures, as is well known to people from the countries of the former Soviet Union, are fraught with great opportunities and some unpleasant shortcomings. The former include natural food, central pricing, thanks to which a bottle of rum costs the same in the capital and in a remote province, but the latter include a shortage of things and products, an increase in infrastructure difficulties as you move away from the capital, and other "minor troubles" .

Most of the island is flat, about one third is occupied by mountains, while in Cuba there are about 300 beaches of varying purity and attractiveness. The most famous of them is Varadero, but almost everywhere you can find a free piece of land covered with pleasant sand and clear waters of the ocean washing the island.

The waterfalls of Agabama and Salto del Carbuni, as well as natural caves, reservoirs and lakes, are another attractive reason to come to the island for recreation besides the beaches. For nature lovers here real paradise- Cuba has a large number of parks and nature reserves, the most popular of which are Topes de Collantes (in which the waterfalls of Caburni and Vega Grande are located), Guanacabibes, "Zapata Swamp".

In Cuba, you can see a unique bee hummingbird, relic reptile manjuari fish, rare and about 400 species of birds. Since 2013, the El Mango biological station has been open to tourists, which allows you to watch migratory waterfowl in their natural environment a habitat. And this is a worthwhile sight, considering where the Greater Antilles are located.

Haiti

The second largest landmass in the Greater Antilles, divided in two between the Republic of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Here is the highest point in the entire West Indies - Mount Duarte Peak.

More than 20 million people inhabit this island alone, while the Greater Antilles as a whole give shelter to 37,862,400 inhabitants. While there is here large territories practically untouched by civilization.

There are several nature reserves and national parks in Haiti, as well as the famous "Blue Pool" - three cobalt-blue lakes connected by a cascade of waterfalls. Also noteworthy is Ethan Sumatra (the largest of the salt lakes), national park"La Visit" with located on its territory mountain range De la Selle, Macaya and Fort de Pin parks.

The capital of Haiti, the city of Port-au-Prince, is interesting for its Fort Saint-Jacques and the National Palace with the Champ de Mars surrounding it, cathedrals, as well as the Marche-de-Fer area, where weapons and iron of the 17th-19th centuries and other interesting curiosities are sold.

And the best place for bird watching is located on Lake Trois-Canment, or Haut-Galle.

Jamaica

This island is the third largest after Cuba and Haiti. Like the other two, is independent island nation. Once the territory of the Indians, Jamaica, after the arrival of the British and the construction of the city of Port Royal, turned into the capital of the "pirate brotherhood", inheriting this title from the island of Tortuga. Once serving as the capital of the English colony and the only port on the island, Port Royal did not live up to our time and is now abandoned and partially flooded.

For tourists, Jamaica, unlike Cuba, is not a place where you can forget about safety. Here, tourists are not treated as a value. The Antilles as a whole are a haven of contrasts: in the literal sense, paradise nature is adjacent to the danger from people. According to many tourists who have visited Jamaica, four things are definitely worth doing here:

• ride ostriches in Keshu Park;
• visit the Montego Bay nature reserve;
• watch the sunset from the Blue Peak;
• try Blue Mountains coffee.

Puerto Rico

As was the case with many territories of Latin and North America, Puerto Rico was once inhabited by Indians - before Columbus landed on it at the end of the 15th century. The Spaniards built the largest outpost of the Conquista on the island, and the situation changed only in 1897, when autonomy was granted to this land. Shortly thereafter, the United States occupied Puerto Rico.

However, the Antilles, in the form they are now, were formed thanks to the Spaniards. For American tourists, this place is quite popular - which is not surprising, because they do not need any special documents for entry, and flights from the USA to Puerto Rico are considered local. Yellow sand and clear water on the beaches make it attractive to foreign guests, especially since Baccardi rum, famous even in Russia far from Puerto Rico, is produced here.

In addition to the beaches, the capital of the island, the city of San Juan, or rather, its old part, is worth attention. Architecture reminds of the times of the Spaniards-Americans - colonial style, expressed in small multi-colored, two- and three-story houses.

However, the beaches and the city are not all that the island can interest tourists. The Greater Antilles and Puerto Rico have a not unique, but constant phenomenon - luminous reservoirs. The famous Mosquito Bay (its water glows due to the special microorganisms living in it), along with the bioluminescent ponds of Parghera and Laguna Grande. And, of course, El Moro is a powerful six-level fort, built once by the Spaniards, which withstood more than one attack and at the same time has remained safe and sound.

Lesser Antilles

This is the second part of the huge circle that borders the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Lesser Antilles - more than 40 inhabited, plus many uninhabited landmasses, together forming a long arc. Seven of them have large volcanoes.

The political affiliation of the islands is very wide - Great Britain, France, Venezuela, Barbados, the Netherlands, the USA, Saint Lucia, etc. have their own possessions here. From the point of view of geography, the Lesser Antilles are divided into leeward and windward.

Netherlands Antilles

This part of the Dutch possession consists of 6 islands: Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire are located in the south of the archipelago, off the coast of Venezuela, and St. Maarten, Sint Eustatius and Saba are located in the north. Strictly speaking, Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten are self-governing states within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, while Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba have received the status of special communities. The Netherlands Antilles is mostly a relaxing beach holiday, trekking, diving and yachting.

Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire

The Antilles are full of surprises - along with very traditional activities like beach tourism, sailing, snorkeling, yachting, ecotourism, in Aruba you can find such unusual entertainment as visiting the caves of Guadirica, the "Tunnel of Love", Ayo Rock. The latter is a unique area of ​​rocks and canyons, where ancient petroglyphs and stones laid out concentric circles. Scientists cannot yet explain who left them, nor how this place was used.

However, the main interest for tourists in Aruba is the beaches. Moreover, there are a lot of beaches on the island, and they are very different - from soft white sand from the divi-divi trees on Eagle Beach, to the comfortable and safe Baby Beach. Each of the exits to the water is suitable for one or another type of entertainment, there are enough hotels of all ranks, and therefore Aruba is a place in every respect pleasant and enjoyable.

Curacao is also great for tourism - the beaches there are covered with white sand, as is the bottom when descending into the sea, too. According to tourists who have been there, there are many cafes and restaurants on the island. At the same time, you can find something to do in addition to the beaches - there is a winery that produces the famous liquor. The Hato Caves are also worth a visit.

The island of Bonaire, like its neighbors, has excellent beautiful beaches, This a good place for diving, windsurfing and yachting. Here, as in Curacao, there is a museum.

St. Maarten, Sint Eustatius, Saba

St. Maarten - the smallest on the planet inhabited island divided between two states. At the same time, landing at his airport, named after Princess Julianne, is considered one of the most difficult in the world, due to the location runway, resulting in large aircraft fly literally over the heads of tourists on the beaches.

The takeoff and landing of aircraft eventually turned into a kind of attraction - in places where the Antilles are located, it occupies not the last place.

Saba also bears the unofficial title of "pristine queen of the Caribbean", "the most unspoiled island." And well deserved. Compared to other places, there is almost no tourism industry here. And few places suitable for swimming. But here is a great place for divers - an inactive volcano that has turned into an island. The Lesser Antilles "Lands" boast the only marine park of its kind on the planet, located in the waters around Saba.

Unlike Saba, St. Eustatius has plenty of white-covered beaches. volcanic sand. From the land side, they are surrounded by evergreen shrubs, turning into rainforests. Forests attract tourists here - the island is quite suitable for exciting trekking, besides, there are a lot of hotels, cafes and restaurants here.

Sint Eustatius is a special island for divers. Lesser Antilles predominantly coral or volcanic origin, which already gives hope for an interesting and rich dive. And here, moreover, under coral reefs(west of Sint Eustatius) more than two hundred sunken ships are hidden.

And they make up, as it were, a fragmented continuation of the mainland. From the Gulf of Paria at the mouth of the Orinoco to the Strait of Florida, they stretch for 13 and border the Gulf and in a huge circle. For the first time the name of these islands "Antiles" is found in 1493 by Peter Martyr d'Angiere, but the origin of this word is unknown. Some believe that this name comes from the island "Antilia", which the tradition of the end of the Middle Ages placed on the Eastern Ocean, while others are of the opinion that the Antilles mean coastal islands, that is, those that lie in front of the mainland of America. The Lesser Antilles are sometimes also called the Caribbean Islands. Together with those that lie to the North of the Antilles between San Domingo and Florida, the Greater and Lesser Antilles are known under the common name West.

Square Greater Antilles: Taken together, the Antilles form an area of ​​228,662 square kilometers. They are divided into two main groups: the Greater and Lesser Antilles. The first include 4 islands: San Domingo, or, Jamaica and Portorico; of these, the first two and the last (the smallest) form an almost straight line, heading towards the Yucatan by the western corner of Cuba. The Lesser Antilles, about 50 in number, lie between 10-19 ° north latitude and form an arc starting from the island and resting on the eastern corner of Portorico. On seven of them are strong, and on the eastern side of each of these seven islands there is a number of calcareous islets.

Greater Antilles: In general, the Antilles make an impression mountain range, torn apart by the Caribbean and Mexican seas, the isolated peaks of which protrude above the water. The highest of these peaks are the Sierra Mestra (2,375 meters) and the Sierra del Cobre (2,119 meters) on and the Blue Mountains (2,370 meters) on. The Lesser Antilles, depending on whether the northeast trade winds reach them earlier or later, are divided into "Windward Islands" and "Leeward".

Greater Antilles: Marine softens the hot climate of these islands. The sky here is amazingly clear, unusually fat. In April and May, at noon for half an hour or a whole hour, the spring rains fall, accompanied by the wind. August and October are the main periods of rains, and the thermometer reaches 45 ° C. The sea here is amazingly clear; and the tide is barely noticeable. Almost all of these islands suffer from and. The heat and damp make the climate very unhealthy, and for the same reasons neither wood nor metal is durable here.

Nature Greater Antilles: Coffee, sugar cane and tobacco grow in incredible numbers and form the main articles and trade.

The Netherlands Antilles is an association of 5 islands in the Caribbean offline status in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The area is 821 km2, the population is 216.2 thousand people. (2003). The official language is Dutch. Administrative center- Willemstad (on the island of Curaçao, 115 thousand people). National holiday - Queen's Day on April 30th. Currency unit- Netherlands Antillean guilder (florin). Associate Member of the EU, Observer in the Caribbean Community.

Sights of the Lesser Antilles

Geography of the Lesser Antilles

The five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided geographically into a group of Leeward (southern) islands - Bonaire, Curaçao and a group of Windward (northern) islands - Saba, Sint Eustatius and Saint Martin (southern part). Length coastline 364 km. The islands are hilly (height up to 860 m, Saba Island), composed mainly of volcanic rocks, partially bordered by coral reefs. The natural vegetation is almost completely destroyed, it is represented mainly by cacti, aloes, shrubs, there are wild orchids. Landscapes are cultivated by man. There are many birds, in Bonaire there are colonies of flamingos and herons, pelicans. Tiny tree frogs (Sint Eustatius). There are several exceptionally convenient and picturesque bays, Willemstad is located on the shores of Curaçao Bay with a narrow entrance and a spacious bay. Phosphates are mined in Curacao, salt is mined in Bonaire. The climate is tropical, arid, trade winds. Average monthly temperatures are +26-28°С. The northern group of islands is prone to hurricanes.

Population of the Lesser Antilles

Population in 1980 174 thousand people, in 1990 188 thousand people. Birth rate 15.76%, infant mortality 10.71 people. per 1000 newborns. Life expectancy is 75.5 years. Population under 14 - 24.7% (2003). St. 70% of the population lives in cities. The ratio of the number of women and men is 1:0.92 due to the emigration of men. The educational level of the population is 98%. Ethnic composition: St. 80% are blacks and mulattoes, the rest are descendants of immigrants from European, Asian (Chinese, Indians), Arab and Caribbean countries. Languages: Dutch, but the local hybrid dialect prevails - Papiamento, English is widely spoken, Spanish is widely spoken. The main religion is Catholicism, but there are Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists.

History of the Lesser Antilles

Before the advent of Europeans, the Antilles were inhabited by the Indian tribes of the Arawaks and Caribs. In 1493 H. Columbus first saw the islands of Saint Martin and Sint Eustatius, which he called the island of Saint Anastasia. Curacao and Bonaire were discovered in 1499 by the Spanish navigator Alonso de Ojeda. In the 1630s and 40s Curacao, Aruba, Bonaire, as well as Saba, Sint Eustatius (another name - Statia) and part of the island of Saint Martin were captured by the Netherlands, but subsequently they became the subject of constant claims from France and Great Britain. Only under the Paris Treaty of 1815 were they finally assigned to the Netherlands. Rapid flowering in the 17-18 centuries. reached Sint Eustatius, which received the status of a free port from the crown and played an important role in trade relations between the Old and New Worlds. During the period of prosperity, approx. 20 thousand people (now - 1200) and monthly anchored up to 300 ships. It is no coincidence that the island received the second name "Golden Rock of the Caribbean". Curacao during the colonial era was major center slave trade. He lived in exile in Curaçao at the beginning of the 19th century. liberator Latin America Simon Bolivar. After the abolition of slavery in 1863, the economies of Curaçao and Bonaire found themselves in a deep crisis, a way out of which was found at the beginning of the 20th century. after the discovery of oil in Venezuela. In 1936, the local male population received the right to vote from the crown and began to actively demand greater independence from the Netherlands. In 1954, the Netherlands Antilles achieved internal autonomy. In 1986, Aruba withdrew from the Netherlands Antilles and became an independent part of the kingdom as its autonomous part. The Netherlands has until recently followed a policy of gradual preparation Antillean territories to independence, but last years this practice was slowed down due to the fragility of the political institutions of the islands in the face of the increased drug threat.

State structure and political system of the Lesser Antilles

According to the statute of December 29, 1954, the Netherlands Antilles are an autonomous part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, have self-government in internal affairs. Defense and foreign policy remain under the jurisdiction of the crown. The Queen of the Netherlands is represented on the islands by a governor appointed for 6 years (since July 1, 2002 - Fritz Gudgendrag). All laws passed by parliament and government must be approved by the governor. Willemstad is the administrative center and The largest city Netherlands Antilles, other cities - the administrative centers of the islands: Kralendijk (Bonaire Island), Philipsburg (St. Maarten Island), Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius Island), Te Bottom (Saba Island). Legislative power is vested in the unicameral parliament (states) of the Netherlands Antilles. Parliament is elected for 4 years by universal suffrage by citizens from the age of 18 and consists of 22 members: 14 from Curaçao, 3 from Bonaire, 3 from Saint Martin and 1 each from Saba and Sint Eustatius. Speaker - Errol Kova. Executive power is exercised by the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. The prime minister, usually the leader of the party with the most votes in an election (last election 18 January 2002), is elected by parliament. Prime Minister - Etienne Is (since July 2004). Along with the government of the Netherlands Antilles, each island has an Island Council and a lieutenant governor. The head of state is Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. Recently, the Netherlands Antilles are experiencing a serious political crisis due to significant disagreements on the formation of the next coalition government and the desire of Saint-Martin to secede from the federation. The most famous Dutch Antillean was the hero liberation war under the leadership of Bolivar in the 1st quarter. 19th century Curaçao native Manuel Piar is the first foreigner to be promoted to general in Venezuela. The fragmentation of the party system of the Netherlands Antilles is mainly due to the orientation of the parties to the island where they are based. Therefore, the government of the Netherlands Antilles is formed on a coalition basis. Most political parties are on the very large island- Curaçao. The Antillean Transformation Party (leader - M. Paurier), the Democratic Party of Curacao (E. Hernandez), the Workers' Liberation Front (A. Gaudette, R. Lak, Edita Wright), the Crusado People's Labor Party (E. Cova), the National People's Party (Susanna Kamelia-Romer), New Antillean Movement, etc. Parties of other islands: Democratic Party of Bonaire, Patriotic Union of Bonaire, Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius, Patriotic Movement of Saint Martin, Democratic Labor Movement of Saba, etc. Leading business organizations - Trade - Chamber of Industry of Curacao, Association of Industry and Commerce of Curacao, Council of Commerce of Curacao. Trade unions - National Confederation of Trade Unions of Curacao, Federation of Workers of Curacao, Christian Confederation of Trade Unions of Curacao.

Economy of the Lesser Antilles

The economic structures of the Netherlands Antilles significantly depend on the global situation, as they are primarily oriented towards the sphere international services(tourism, offshore Finance center, service sea ​​vessels), which accounts for 84% of GDP. The share of industry (oil refining, light and food industry) in GDP is 15%. Agriculture due to depleted soils and lack of fresh water is underdeveloped (growing sorghum, vegetables, tropical fruits, peanuts, and aloe) and reaches only 1% of GDP. The structure of employment corresponds to the structure of the economy: in the service sector - 86% of the workforce, in industry - 13% and in agriculture - 1%. The economically active population is approximately 89 thousand people. with a high unemployment rate of 15%. Electricity generation 1.1 billion kWh (2001). The GDP of the Netherlands Antilles is 2.4 billion dollars, and in terms of per capita 11.2 thousand dollars (2002). Inflation 3-5% per year. There are 3 transit oil terminals on the islands of Curaçao, Sint-Esta-tius and Bonaire. There is also a dry dock on Curacao - one of the largest in the Western Hemisphere (capable of serving ships with a displacement of up to 155 thousand tons). An important addition to the service specialization of the Netherlands Antilles is their merchant fleet (including foreign ships registered under a flag of convenience) - 123 ships with a total tonnage of 1.3 million tons (2002). The service sector makes it possible to largely cover the deficit in the balance of payments due to a large negative trade balance. Export of goods in 2002 was 553 million dollars, imports - 1.43 billion dollars. Exports are dominated by petroleum products processed from imported oil. The main import items, apart from oil, are food and manufactured goods. Leading trading partners: USA, Venezuela, Colombia, Netherlands, Japan. The level and quality of life of the Dutch Antilleans is higher compared to their Latin American neighbors, which is largely due to the well-established social infrastructure and communications infrastructure. The length of roads is 600 km, half of them are paved; railways No. Airports 5, incl. 3 international. There are more than 75 thousand regular telephones and 14 thousand mobile phones, 217 thousand radio receivers, approx. 70 thousand TVs, 3 TV stations, there is also cable TV, which receives Venezuelan channels and satellite programs.

Science and culture of the Lesser Antilles

The center of science and education is the University of the Netherlands Antilles, located on the island of Curaçao. The reflection of the synthesis of the African and European branches of the culture of the Netherlands Antilles was the Westind carnival, where the musical style of calypso dominates. One of most beautiful cities West Indies is Willemstad, which has retained the unique charm of old Dutch architecture, ancient fortresses and churches. Another museum town is Oranjestad on the island of Sint Eustatius. Every year the Netherlands Antilles visit St. 1 million tourists. The island of Saint Martin is especially popular.

ANTILLES

Antilles

in the West Indies. On medieval maps Atlantic Ocean traditionally shown mythical island Antilia; title from latin. anteillae, where ante is "before" and illae- "island", generally "front island", "an island lying before other lands". On the map 1513 G. the name Antilia was first applied to real islands lying in front of the American mainland, which corresponded to the meaning of the name. It later took the form of Anithila (Spanish Antilles) . Modern geography highlights Greater Antilles islands (several large sowing islands) and Lesser Antilles islands (smaller islands on IN. And YU. archipelago) .

Geographical names of the world: Toponymic Dictionary. - M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001 .

ANTILLES

archipelago on the 3. Atlantic Ocean, in the West Indies. Consists of the Greater Antilles and Lesser Antilles. B. Antilles include: the islands of Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico (with the states of the same name), etc. M. Antilles include; Virgin, Windward, Leeward, Barbados. The islands of the outer chain are composed of limestones, the rest contain volcanic rocks, there are active volcanoes. The climate is tropical, trade wind. Mountain rainforests, savannahs, to the south. islands - xerophytic forests and shrubs, plantations. Sev. the archipelago is located deep-water Puerto Rican gutter depth- 8742 m.

Brief geographical dictionary. EdwART. 2008 .

Antilles

(Antilles), Caribbean , or Caribbean , islands , an archipelago consisting of several island arcs framing caribbean sea . Together with Bahamas form West Indies. Large A. about .: Cuba , Jamaica , Haiti And Puerto Rico - are of considerable size and extend sublatitudinally for almost 2,000 km in the north of Garland of the Malykh A. O. stretched in a broken arc (double in places) to the east (windward islands) and south (leeward islands). The total length of the Antilles is more than 3.5 thousand km. Windward Islands - a volcanic island arc formed by a chain of medium-sized mountainous islands: Trinidad, Guadeloupe , Dominica , Martinique , Grenada, Antigua, etc. Active volcanoes are found on them: Diabloten, Soufrière, Montagne Pele and others. Leeward islands are small, b. h. flat ( Curacao, Aruba, Bonaire, etc.). The name comes from the Latin ante - "before", illae - "island" - so the mythical islands were designated somewhere to the west of Europe in the Middle Ages. maps. After the discovery by X. Columbus of new lands, the name was assigned to them Antilles , as well as overseas (Antiles), which was only later renamed the Caribbean.
Islands preim. mountainous, max. height 3175 m (Haiti). Extensive plains are found only in Cuba. Strong earthquakes are frequent. The climate is tropical trade wind. Hurricanes are frequent (this term is borrowed from the aborigines of A. o.). Natural vegetation b.h. cut down and replaced by plantations. In coastal waters and the open sea, coral reefs and shoals. A variety of marine fish, crustaceans and mollusks serve as objects of fisheries. Along many coasts are extensive beaches of coral sand.

Dictionary of modern geographical names. - Yekaterinburg: U-Factoria. Under the general editorship of Acad. V. M. Kotlyakova. 2006 .

Antilles

Geography. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Rosman. Under the editorship of prof. A. P. Gorkina. 2006 .

ANTILLES

(DUTHERLANDS)
The possession of the Netherlands in the Caribbean Sea north of Venezuela. Includes islands: Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius and southern part the islands of Saint Martin, belonging to the archipelago of the Antilles. total area territory - 800 km2.
The population (estimated in 1998) is 205,693 people, average density population of about 257 people per km2. Ethnic composition: mainly blacks, mulattoes. Language: Dutch (official), local Papiamento Creole (based on Spanish and Portuguese), English, Spanish. Religion: Catholics - 85%, Protestants - 15%. The administrative center is Willemstad (140,000 people with suburbs) on the island of Curaçao. According to the statute of the Kingdom of the Netherlands of 1954, the Antilles are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, enjoying autonomy in internal affairs. The Governor (H.M. Saleh) is the personal representative of the Queen of the Netherlands. The head of government is Prime Minister M. Paurier (since March 1994). On each insular territory there are local authorities authorities - vice-governor, council and government. The monetary unit is the Dutch Antillean guilder (florin). Birth rate (per 1000 people) - 17.6. Mortality (per 1000 people) - 6.6.
The Spaniards arrived on the islands at the end of the 15th century. In the period 1630-1640, the islands were occupied by the Dutch, then repeatedly occupied by the Spaniards, the British and the French. Finally passed to the Netherlands in 1816. In 1863, slavery was abolished on the islands. Since 1954 it has been a self-governing part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Previously, the possession included the island of Aruba (since January 1, 1986 - a separate territory within the Kingdom of the Netherlands).

Encyclopedia: cities and countries. 2008 .

See what "ANTILLES" is in other dictionaries:

On the map. Antilles taken by the Spanish explorers legendary island Antilia, lie between North and South America and comp ... Wikipedia

Antilles- Antilles. Volcano Misery. ANTILLES, an archipelago in the West Indies: Greater Antilles (Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico) and the Lesser Antilles (Virgin, Windward, Leeward, Trinidad, Tobago and Barbados). Square… … Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

ANTILLES, an archipelago in the West Indies: Greater Antilles (Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico) and Lesser Antilles (Virgin, Windward, Leeward, Trinidad, Tobago and Barbados). The area is about 220 thousand km2. Height up to 3175… … Modern Encyclopedia

- (Spanish Antillas) an archipelago in the West Indies: the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico) and the Lesser Antilles (Virgin, Windward, Leeward, Trinidad, Tobago and Barbados). OK. 220 thousand km². Population approx. 30 million hours Height… Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Exist., number of synonyms: 2 archipelago (45) country (281) ASIS synonym dictionary. V.N. Trishin. 2013 ... Synonym dictionary

ANTILLES- The total area is 1011 sq. km, the population is 250 thousand people. Agriculture is poorly developed. The number of sheep is about 26 thousand. These are mainly Creole sheep ... World sheep breeding

- (Spanish Antillas), an archipelago in the West Indies: the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico) and the Lesser Antilles (Virgin, Windward, Leeward, Trinidad, Tobago and Barbados). About 220 thousand km2. Population 30 million people… encyclopedic Dictionary

They lie between North and South America and form, as it were, a fragmented continuation of the mainland. From the Gulf of Paria at the mouth of the Orinoco to the Strait of Florida, they stretch for 13 degrees of latitude and border the Gulf of Mexico in a huge circle and ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

Before you know where the Caribbean Islands are on the world map, you need to get a little general information about them. They include the Antilles, which rise significantly above sea level, as well as Bahamas from coral reefs. Most of them are of volcanic origin. Some islands are surrounded by large coral reefs, the tops of which protrude from the water and are overgrown with palm trees. The Greater Antilles include four large areas of land that stretch from the mainland, among them Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba. The Lesser Antilles include a scattering of small lands, which include the Bahamas, Caicos, Turks, Bourbuda, Antigua, the Virginia Archipelago, Guadeloupe, Barbados, and so on.

Hard to say, which country is the caribbean, since they include all land areas washed by the Caribbean Sea. At the same time, parts of the archipelago territorially belong different states. Previously, they were known to the world as the legendary Antilia, then as the West Indies, and only then as the Caribbean, comfortably located inside a kind of geographical depression between South and North America. Some of the islands are not inhabited, but most of them still have a developed resort network. Today, about fifty islands are places where visitors come from all over the world.

The popularity of the local latitudes is explained harmonious combination mild climate rich historical heritage as well as picturesque natural landscapes.

An important advantage of the Caribbean is the opportunity to relax all year round, because it is not cold here, eternal summer reigns and sunny weather. The big question is the need for visas. It is tourists who are constrained by visa restrictions who are most interested in Where is the Caribbean which countries they belong to. There are more than fifty islands in the Caribbean, some of which are individual states, and others are considered the territorial property of France, America and England. However, most areas Caribbean do not require their guests to have a visa. All cruises operate from Mexico, Dominican Republic and the United States, so the city of departure still needs to be reached by plane, so lovers of cruise travel will still not be able to do without a visa. The most common cruise destinations are Eastern, Southern and Western Caribbean. It is also worth noting that the cost of the tour depends on the number of islands included in the route.

Which Caribbean Islands to visit

Among the huge list of sites in the Caribbean, there are several areas that are most popular. After the tourist has understood where the Caribbean islands are, he needs to make a specific choice where he will go to rest. To do this, you should familiarize yourself with the basic information known about the most resorts. Some of them are distinguished by a developed tourist network, others make travelers fall in love with their remoteness from the usual civilization. Domestic tourists, as a rule, choose among such offers:

The list can go on for a very long time. It is noteworthy that before you go traveling, you must also look at the weather of the Caribbean Islands by months, which will allow you to make the right choice.

Weather in the Caribbean

Weather conditions for different land areas belonging to the same archipelago may vary slightly. In general, however, the climate ranges from humid to temperate tropical. It is worth noting that the humidity index for any island will remain consistently high, which contributes to the excellent growth of various types of vegetation. Cleaner and drier air is always in mountainous areas. The air temperature here does not fall below +25 degrees. The water near the coast remains warm all year round, its temperature does not fall below +22 degrees. Care should be taken when planning a vacation in these latitudes from September to November. Since this period is characterized by increased rainfall with possible hurricanes.

The local summer is characterized by moderate heat, which is facilitated by the trade winds blowing from the sea. The peak of tourism falls on the period from December to April, so domestic travelers often celebrate the New Year here. From August to November, the so-called "Dead season" begins in the Caribbean. It should be noted that predict Caribbean getaway it is quite difficult, because on one piece of land there can be a torrential downpour, and on the other, the sun can burn brightly. Thus, it is important not only to view photos of the beaches of the Caribbean Islands on the Internet, but also to read the reviews of tourists who have already had time to relax here.