Podcast
Questions and Answers
What are the two main methods used to locate the Caribbean?
What are the two main methods used to locate the Caribbean?
Which of the following islands is NOT a part of the Greater Antilles?
Which of the following islands is NOT a part of the Greater Antilles?
Which of the following is a Leeward Island?
Which of the following is a Leeward Island?
Which of the following is NOT a mainland/continental territory of the Caribbean?
Which of the following is NOT a mainland/continental territory of the Caribbean?
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Which of the following is a way to define the Caribbean?
Which of the following is a way to define the Caribbean?
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The Caribbean is located entirely on a single tectonic plate.
The Caribbean is located entirely on a single tectonic plate.
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The Caribbean Diaspora refers to people who have migrated from the Caribbean to other parts of the world.
The Caribbean Diaspora refers to people who have migrated from the Caribbean to other parts of the world.
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Which of the following countries does NOT have a communist system of government?
Which of the following countries does NOT have a communist system of government?
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Which of the following is NOT a weakness of the Geographical definition of the Caribbean?
Which of the following is NOT a weakness of the Geographical definition of the Caribbean?
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What is the name of the tectonic plate that the Caribbean is situated upon?
What is the name of the tectonic plate that the Caribbean is situated upon?
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What are the two main factors that led to the formation of the Caribbean islands?
What are the two main factors that led to the formation of the Caribbean islands?
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Study Notes
Caribbean Location and Definition
- The Caribbean is a diverse area comprising islands, mainland territories, and archipelagos.
- Location is described using compass directions (cardinal points) and absolute location (latitude and longitude).
- Caribbean coordinates: 21.4691° N latitude, 78.6569° W longitude.
Sub-Regions
- Greater Antilles: Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic), Jamaica, and Puerto Rico.
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Lesser Antilles: Divided into Windward, Leeward, and Netherlands (or Dutch) Antilles.
- Windward Islands: Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados.
- Leeward Islands: Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat, Anguilla, Virgin Islands, St. Martin, St. Maarten, St. Barthelemy, St. Eustatius, and Saba.
- Netherlands/Dutch Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao.
Mainland Territories
- Guyana, Suriname, Belize, and French Guiana.
Defining the Caribbean
- There are four main ways to define the Caribbean: geographically, historically, geologically, and politically.
Geographical Definition
- The physical features of the Caribbean include mountains, valleys, plains, rivers, etc.
- The Greater Antilles islands (except Cuba) are mostly mountainous.
- Cuba has wide elevated plains and low-lying alluvial plains; it also has limestone hills with caves.
- Smaller volcanic islands in the Eastern Caribbean are rugged and mountainous.
Geographical Definition - Weaknesses
- The geographical definition includes countries not normally associated with the Caribbean, like Panama, Colombia, and others in Central America.
- It excludes the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands.
- It includes territories of Suriname, Guyana, and French Guiana, which are not typically considered part of the Caribbean.
Historical Definition
- This definition focuses on the area colonized and significantly impacted by European powers (Spain, Britain, France, and the Netherlands).
- It involves elements of colonialism, including the enslavement of Africans, indentureship of people from other parts of the world, and the plantation system.
- Caribbean countries often have strong ties to the specific European power that dominated them.
Historical Definition - Weaknesses
- This definition is broad and includes countries in Central/South America that aren't typically considered part of the Caribbean.
- It sometimes ignores commonalities of experience under different colonial powers.
Geological Definition
- The Caribbean is part of a larger geological feature, the Caribbean Plate, which shares its boundaries with other plates.
- The Caribbean Plate is one of the many plates that make up Earth's crust; it is located between the North and South American Plates and the Cocos Plate.
- The presence of the Caribbean Plate means the region shares similar geological processes, such as tectonic movements, seismic activity, and volcanic processes.
Geological Definition - Weaknesses
- The definition includes countries such as Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama, which are not typically considered part of the Caribbean.
- It excludes territories like Cuba, Guyana, Suriname, the Bahamas, and Turks and Caicos Islands.
Political Definition
- The Caribbean is defined by its political entities and processes encompassing independent states, associated states, and colonial dependencies.
- Independent states are countries that govern themselves.
- Associated states enjoy rights and privileges of the country governing them, but aren't fully independent
- Colonial dependencies aren't independent and are directly governed by another country.
Political Definition - Weaknesses
- Political definition of the Caribbean sometimes includes territories outside the Caribbean region, such as areas of Central America
- Definitions that emphasize the political ties to Europe and the historical colonial powers sometimes overlook different experiences within the Caribbean.
Diasporic Definition
- Caribbean diaspora refers to people who have migrated from Caribbean regions.
- This definition highlights the complex cultural background and mixing of ethnic groups in the Caribbean.
- People originating from diverse ethnic backgrounds migrated to different parts of the world.
- The definition also highlights Caribbean identity in a global context.
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Description
This quiz explores the geographical features and sub-regions of the Caribbean. You'll learn about the diverse islands and mainland territories, as well as how to define the Caribbean using cardinal points and coordinates. Test your knowledge of the Greater and Lesser Antilles and their locations.
