East of Central America lies the Caribbean Sea, ringed by islands. In Islands and Peninsulas you met islands of every size; here they are countries. Thirteen island countries are UN members, and many other islands belong to countries far away.
Key idea
The big islands in the north are the Greater Antilles: Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola, which Haiti (west) and the Dominican Republic (east) share. The Bahamas lie north of Cuba. The small islands curving south toward Venezuela are the Lesser Antilles, from Antigua and Barbuda down to Trinidad and Tobago.
Why it works
Not every island is a country. Some islands chose independence; others stayed linked to the United States, the United Kingdom, France or the Netherlands. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are U.S. territories, Aruba and Curaçao are parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Guadeloupe and Martinique are parts of France. So the map of the Caribbean has more islands than countries.
Worked example: One island, two countries
Which two countries share Hispaniola, and which is on the west?
- Hispaniola is the island between Cuba and Puerto Rico.
- Haiti covers the western third.
- The Dominican Republic covers the eastern two-thirds.
Answer: Haiti (west) and the Dominican Republic (east).
Worked example: Country or territory?
Is Puerto Rico one of the Caribbean's thirteen countries?
- Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States.
- Its people are U.S. citizens.
- So it is not an independent country.
Answer: No.
Common mistake
It is easy to think every Caribbean island is a country. Check before you count: Puerto Rico, Aruba, Curaçao, the Cayman Islands and others belong to larger countries. Also watch two look-alike names: Dominica is a small island in the Lesser Antilles; the Dominican Republic is on Hispaniola.