From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Map of the Antilles

The Antilles (the same in French; Antillas in Spanish; Antillen in Dutch and Antilhas in Portuguese) refers to the islands forming the greater part of the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea. The Antilles are divided into two major groups: the "Greater Antilles" to the north and west, including the larger islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), and Puerto Rico; and the smaller "Lesser Antilles" on the southeast—comprising the northerly Leeward Islands, the southeasterly Windward Islands, and the Leeward Antilles just north of Venezuela. The Bahamas, though part of the West Indies, are generally not included among the Antillean islands.^[1]

Geographically, the Antilles are generally considered part of North America or Central America. Culturally speaking, the Antillean countries of Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the territory Puerto Rico are included in Latin America.

In terms of geology, the Greater Antilles are made up of continental rock, as distinct from the Lesser Antilles, which are mostly young volcanic or coral islands.

Background

Map of Antilles / Caribbean in 1843.

The word Antilles originated in the period before the European conquest of the New World—Antilia being one of those mysterious lands which figured on the medieval charts, sometimes as an archipelago, sometimes as continuous land of greater or lesser extent, its location fluctuating in mid-ocean between the Canary Islands and India.

After the 1492 arrival of Christopher Columbus's expedition in what was later called the West Indies, the European powers realized that the dispersed lands comprised an extensive archipelago enclosing the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Thereafter, the term Antilles was commonly assigned to the formation, and "Sea of the Antilles" became a common alternate name for the Caribbean Sea in various European languages.

Greater Antilles

•  Cuba
• Hispaniola
  •  Haiti
  •  Dominican Republic
•  Jamaica
•  Puerto Rico (U.S. commonwealth)
•  Cayman Islands

Lesser Antilles

•  Anguilla (UK)
•  Antigua and Barbuda
  • Redonda (Ant.)
•  Aruba (Neth.)
•  Barbados
•  British Virgin Islands (UK)
•  Dominica
•  Grenada
• French Antilles (Fr.)
  •  Guadeloupe (Fr. Ant.)
  •  Martinique (Fr. Ant.)
•  Montserrat (UK)
•  Netherlands Antilles (Neth.)
  •  Bonaire (Neth. Ant.)
  •  Curaçao (Neth. Ant.)
  •  Saba (Neth. Ant.)
  •  Sint Eustatius (Neth. Ant.)
•  Saint Barthélemy (Fr.)
•  Saint Kitts and Nevis
•  Saint Lucia
• Saint Martin
  •  Saint Martin (Fr.)
  •  Sint Maarten (Neth. Ant.)
•  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
•  Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tobago
  • Trinidad
•  U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Saint Croix
  • Saint Thomas
  • Saint John

Footnotes

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

From Wikitravel

Sunset on Montserrat

The islands of the Caribbean Sea or West Indies are an extensive archipelago in the far west of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly strung between North and South America. They've long been known as a resort vacation destination for honeymooners and retirees, but a small movement toward eco-tourism and backpacking has started to open up the Caribbean to more independent travel. With year-round good weather (with the minor exception of hurricane season in the late summer and early fall), promotional air fares from Europe and North America, and hundreds of islands to explore, the Caribbean offers something for almost everyone.

Understand

The Caribbean islands were first inhabited by the Arawak Indians, then were invaded by a more aggressive tribe, the Caribs. Unfortunately, neither could appreciate their victory forever, although the Arawaks may have had a quiet reign of nearly two millenia. Then the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French, Danish, and British, colonised their lands, subjecting the Arawaks to genocide. The islands have known many historic battles and more than a few pirate stories.

Regions

Greater Antilles

To the south and southeast of Florida, are four relatively large islands (hence the name), encompassing the following states and territories:

Regions of the Caribbean

Lesser Antilles

In an arc between the Greater Antilles and along the north coast of South America are dozens of small tropical islands:

Other islands and territories

These countries are not in the Caribbean basin but are variously close to it, and are commonly associated with the Caribbean (e.g. members of CARICOM, the Caribbean Community).

• The Bahamas – a cluster of islands north of the Greater Antilles and southeast of Florida.

• Bermuda – some distance to the north of the Caribbean, but commonly associated with the region.

• Navassa Island – uninhabited wildlife refuge, part of the United States, also claimed by Haiti

• Turks and Caicos Islands – a cluster of islands south of the Bahamas

• French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname – culturally and economically a part of the region, but geographically on mainland South America.

• Several countries in Central America, South America and Mexico have shorelines – and islands – in the Caribbean.

• Havana — world-famous capital of Cuba and largest city of the Caribbean
• Kingston — capital of Jamaica
• Nassau — capital of the Bahamas
• Port-au-Prince — capital of Haiti
• Port of Spain — capital of Trinidad and Tobago
• San Juan — capital of Puerto Rico
• Santiago de Cuba — Cuba's second largest city
• Santo Domingo — capital of of the Dominican Republic
• Willemstad — capital and largest city of the Netherlands Antilles

• Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park
• Citadelle Henri Christophe and Palais Sans Souci
• Gran Parque Natural Topes de Collantes
• Jardines del Rey
• Maracas National Park
• Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra del Rosario
• La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site
• Viñales

• From Europe to:
  • Antigua and Barbuda (ANU) from London (LGW),Manchester (MAN) by BA, BMI, Virgin, XL and from Frankfurt (FRA) by Condor
  • Barbados, Bridgetown (BGI) from London, Manchester by Virgin, BA, Caribbean Airlines, XL and from Frankfurt by Condor
  • Cuba from London (LGW)by Virgin, Air Jamaica, from Madrid (MAD) by Iberia, from Paris (CDG) by Air France and from all three by Cubana
  • Grenada, Point Saline (GND) from UK by Virgin, BA, Excel from Germany Condor
  • Saint Lucia, Hewanorra (UVF) from London (LGW) by Virgin, BA, Caribbean Airlines and from Manchester (MAN) by Virgin
  • Martinique Fort-de-France (FDF) from Paris by Air France, Air Caribes (cheapest from Germany ?)
  • Tobago (TAB), from London (LGW) by BA, Virgin, XL and from Frankfurt (FRA) by Condor
  • Trinidad, Port-of-Spain (POS) from London by Caribbean Airlines
  • Turks & Caicos Islands (PLS), from London (LHR) through Nassau, Bahamas

• From United States to:

(to be developed)

• Airlines:
  • Air Caraibes [1]: from Paris to Guadeloupe, Martinique
  • Air France [2]: from Paris to Guadeloupe, Martinique
  • Air Jamaica[3]: London to Jamaica and Cuba
  • American Airlines to Puerto Rico from Miami
  • British Airways [4]: from London (LGW) to Antigua, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Tobago and from Manchaster to Saint Lucia
  • Caribbean Airlines [5]: from London to Barbados, Saint Lucia, London - Antigua, Belfast - Tobago (see BWIA Route map [6])
  • Cayman Airways[7]: from the Cayman Islands to multiple gateways in the US
  • Condor/Thomas Cook [8]: from Frankfurt (FRA), see Condor Route map [9]
  • Cubana [10]: To Cuba from Madrid, Paris, London
  • JetBlue to Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Saint Maarten, and Barbados from NYC
  • Lufthansa Airlines [11]: To Boston, Antigua, Barbados from Beijing
  • Virgin Atlantic [12]: from London to Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Havana, Jamaica, St Lucia, Tobago and from Manchester to Barbados and St Lucia
  • XL [13]: from London to Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, St Kitts, St Lucia, Tobago

Get around

Numerous companies offer cruises, charters, and boat tours in the Caribbean.

• LIAT has connections between most caribbean islands
• American Eagle is another notable air carrier between islands

From LoveToKnow 1911

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ænˈtɪl.iːz/, SAMPA: /{n"tIl.i:z/

Proper noun

Antilles

1. The islands of the West Indies, bounded (and including) to the north by the islands of Cuba, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, in the Caribbean Sea.

Translations

Derived terms

• French Antilles
• Greater Antilles
• Leeward Antilles
• Lesser Antilles
• Netherlands Antilles
• Windward Antilles