Caribbean Studies

A Geographic definition: The Caribbean Basin

A geographic basis for delimiting the Caribbean region is a familiar idea. It is

based on the concept of a Caribbean Basin where the central identifying
feature is the Caribbean Sea, rimmed by islands and mainland territories of
central and South America. This is the traditional geographic definition of the
Caribbean region, which is usually described as lands washed by the
Caribbean Sea.

We can also define the Caribbean in terms of coordinates such as lines

of latitude and longitude to locate the region.

Another definition names the region after the islands of the West
Indies and includes the surrounding mainland territories. The name West
Indies comes from a misunderstanding on the part of Columbus and other of
his time. The Indies was a term long used by the Europeans to describe the
islands to the east of India (mainly what is present-day Indonesia). When it
was realized that Columbus had stumbled on islands that were not sought-for
spice islands of the East, a distinction was drawn by simply putting West
before the Indies.

However, even geographically, the idea of the Caribbean Basin and

even the coordinates of latitude and longitude are interpreted subjectively.
Within the Caribbean, the different territories include, the main territories,
islands, archipelagos, subregions and water bodies. We must be also careful
to distinguish between islands and continental countries. For example, the
territory the Belize in Central America is a large landmass that is never the
less considered to be as part of the Caribbean as any of the islands.
Definition of terms

Archipelago is a chain of islands that are usually closely related at a

subterranean level. For example the Lesser Antilles forms a chain of small
islands that exhibit similar volcanic features. The Greater Antilles is an older
archipelago of much larger islands. The Bahamas is also an archipelago.

Water bodies: include lakes and islands seas as well as gulfs and oceans.
The water bodies found in the Caribbean and its environs are the Caribbean
Sea, the gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

Isthmus is a narrow neck of land separating two water bodies, and thus the
Pacific Oceans is also considering to be part of the environs of the
Caribbean.

Geographical subregions

It is possible to identify subregions because the region is so large. The

Greater Antilles are the larger islands, Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto
Rico, while the Leser Antilles subregions is further subdivided into the
Windward and Leeward Islands.

Geography and Caribbean identify

The geographic definition of the Caribbean is not comprehensive in that it

would exclude countries that are normally accepted as Caribbean countries,
such as Guyana, Barbados, Bermuda, and the Bahamas. Bermuda is an
archipelago of some 200 islands, only 20 of which are inhabited. This implies
that the cultural background of the Caribbean countries is just as important
as their geography.

The movement of the Caribbean tectonic plate is pushing the Caribbean

islands eastwards away from the mainland.

The wider Caribbean

Countries such as Mexico, Honduras, Panama or Nicaragua may thus be

perceived by West Indian peoples as belonging to the Latin American
mainland, and not the Caribbean at all, even though they may have a coast
on the Caribbean Sea, and this perception may be shared by the peoples of
those countries themselves. Trying to apply strict physical limits to the social
and cultural perceptions leads us into this kind of predicament.

Interesting in recent times we have seen international agreements such as

the Caribbean Basin initiative (CBI) and regional organizations such as the
Association of Caribbean States (ACS) include these countries as part of the
wider Caribbean region.

Geological Conceptions of the Caribbean: the Caribbean Plate.

Geologist and seismologist define the Caribbean in terms of the Caribbean

plate, which has marked boundaries or margins where it meets other
tectonic plates. Much of the region is found on the Caribbean Plate, one of
the smaller plates to be found on the Earths Crust. Earthquakes, volcanic
activity and mountain building are examples of seismic or tectonic activities
that occur along plate margins as they move and interact with other plates.
The western Edge of the Caribbean Plate is into the Pacific Ocean. While the
other margins of the plate may conform largely to the traditional geographic
conception of the Caribbean, this western edge alerts us to the fact that
surface geography may well delude us as to what is happening at the
subterranean level.

Definition of terms

A tectonic plate is part of the Earths crust, underlying the lands and
oceans that we can see.

Seismic activity refers to the Earth movements that impacts and influences
the surface of the Earth.

While the Caribbean is a significant entity on which to build our conception of

a Caribbean region, it does not include Guyana, the Bahamas, and much of
Cuba. Like geography, then, geology alone cannot give a comprehensive
organizing framework to define the Caribbean.

Activities:

1. Name the water bodies in the Caribbean and its environs.

2. Name four countries who geography would define them as part of the
geographic Caribbean, but which are nevertheless regarded by people
of the region as part of the Caribbean.
3. Name the regional grouping to which each of the country is normally
attached.
 4. Suggest one reason why each country is not accepted as part of the
Caribbean and analyze whether it relates to its economic, political or
cultural background.

Reference

Mohammed, J. (2015). Caribbean Studies For CAPE Examination (2nd

ed.). London,

England: Macmillan Education.