the GEOGRAPHY

The Caribbean territory is widely different in marine and landscape features. Some islands are flat terrains of non-volcanic origin, while others are characterized by rugged mountain ranges. If we exclude mainland territories, there are three different types of landscapes in the region:

• limestone plateaus (most of Cuba, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Barbados and parts of Guadalupe)
• mountainous countries (Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico)
• volcanic mountainous islands (Windward and Leeward Islands)

According to geographical features, marine area is divided into two rings:

• the outer ring of mainly coral islands with white sand beaches (the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, the Cayman Islands, parts of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the eastern parts of Windward and Leeward Islands)
• the inner ring of more volcanic islands with black sands (the islands of Greater Antilles)

The costal areas of the Caribbean countries are characterized by different features that include coral reefs (in many areas), sand barriers, mangroves, lagoons, river estuaries and high cliffs. In the water there are migratory large schools of fish, turtles and coral reef formations. This area is exceptionally rich in marine fauna.

Another important fact is that most of the Caribbean countries are subject to earthquakes (more frequent in northern islands), volcanic and small-scale geothermal activity. Due to volcanic activity some islands, such as St. Kitts, Dominica or St. Vincent, have no sand beaches but have exceptionally fertile land.

 

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