:: wikimiki.org ::

Lesser Antilles

Lesser Antilles

Lesser Antilles in Caribbean

The Lesser Antilles are part of the Antilles, which together with the Bahamas form the West Indies. They are a long chain of islands, wrapped around the eastern end of the Caribbean Sea, on the western boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. The Lesser Antilles are (from north to south to west): Atlantic Ocean
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- British Virgin Islands
- Anguilla (Br.)
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Montserrat (Br.)
- Guadeloupe (Fr.)
- Dominica
- Martinique (Fr.)
- Saint Lucia
- Barbados
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Grenada
- Trinidad and Tobago
- The islands off the coast of Venezuela
- Netherlands Antilles:
- Northeast corner of Caribbean:
- Sint Eustatius
- Saba
- Saint Martin (shared with France)
- Off of Venezuelan coast:
- Bonaire
- Curaçao
- Aruba (Neth.) The Lesser Antilles can be divided into the Windward in the south and the Leeward Islands in the north. However, the Netherlands Antilles are divided into the groups in the northeast and the southwest, with different naming conventions, see Netherlands Antilles.

Bahamas

The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is an independent English-speaking nation in the West Indies. An archipelago of 700 islands and cays (which are small islands), the Bahamas is located in the Atlantic Ocean, east of Florida in the United States, north of Cuba and the Caribbean, and west of the British dependency of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

History

Main article: History of the Bahamas Christopher Columbus's first landfall in the New World in 1492 is believed to have been on the island of San Salvador (also called Watling's Island), in the southeastern Bahamas. He encountered Taino (also known as Lucayan) Amerindians and exchanged gifts with them. Taino Indians from both northwestern Hispaniola and northeastern Cuba moved into the southern Bahamas about the 7th century AD and became the Lucayans. They appear to have settled the entire archipelago by the 12th century AD. There may have been as many as 40,000 Lucayans living in the Bahamas when Columbus arrived. The Bahamian Lucayans were deported to Hispaniola as slaves, and within two decades Taino societies ceased to exist as a separate population due to forced labour, warfare, disease, emigration and outmarriage. Some say the name 'Bahamas' derives from the Spanish for shallow sea - baja mar. Others trace it to the Lucayan word for Grand Bahama Island - ba-ha-ma, or 'large upper middle land'. After the Lucayans were destroyed the Bahamian islands were deserted until the arrival of English settlers from Bermuda in 1650. Known as the Eleutherian Adventurers, these people established settlements on the island now called Eleuthera (from the Greek word for freedom). The Bahamas became a British crown colony in 1718, but remained sparsley settled until the newly indpendent United States expelled thousands of American tories and their slaves. Many of these British Loyalists were given compensatory land grants in Canada and the Bahamas. Some 8,000 loyalists and their slaves moved to the Bahamas in the late 1700s from New York, Florida and the Carolinas. The British granted the islands internal self-government in 1964 and In 1973 Bahamians achieved full independence while remaining a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Since the 1950s, the Bahamian economy has been based on the twin pillars of tourism and financial services. Today, the country enjoys the third highest per capita income in the western hemisphere.

Geography

Main Article: Geography of the Bahamas The Bahamas is an archipelago of some 700 islands and cays covering over 100,000 square miles of the Atlantic ocean between Florida and Hispaniola. The archipelago has a total land area of 5,382 square miles - about 20 per cent larger than Jamaica - and a population of some 310,000 concentrated on the islands of New Providence and Grand Bahama. The largest island is Andros Island. The Biminis are just 50 miles east of Florida. The island of Grand Bahama is home to the second largest city in the country, Freeport. The island of Abaco is to its east. The most southeastern island is Inagua. Other notable islands include Eleuthera, Cat Island, San Salvador, Acklins, Crooked Island, Exuma and Mayaguana. Nassau is the capital and largest city, located on New Providence. The islands have a subtropical climate, moderated by the Gulf Stream.

Politics

Main article: Politics of the Bahamas Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state of The Bahamas, which has remained a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. She is represented in the Bahamas by a Governor-General, appointed on the recommendation of the elected government. A multi-party democracy in the British tradition, the Bahamas has a bicameral parliament with an elected assembly and an appointed senate. The country is governed by a cabinet headed by a prime minister. Elections are held every five years.

Districts

Main article: Districts of the Bahamas

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Bahamas The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs almost half of the archipelago's labour force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences have led to solid GDP growth in recent years. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the United States, the source of the majority of tourist visitors.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of the Bahamas Most of the Bahamian population is black (85%); about 12% is white. The official language is English, spoken by virtually all inhabitants, though many speak a "patois" form of it. A small number of immigrants also speak Creole. A heavily religious country, there are more places of worship per person in the Bahamas than any other nation in the world. Christianity is the main religion on the islands, with Baptists forming the largest denomination (about one third), followed by the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches. A few people, especially in the southern and eastern islands, practice obeah, a spiritistic religion similar to voodoo. While well-known throughout the Bahamas, obeah is shunned by many people. Voodoo is practiced, but almost exclusively by immigrants from Haiti.

Culture

Main article: Culture of the Bahamas Bahamanian culture is a hybrid of African, European and indigenous forms. Perhaps its most famous export is a rhythmic form of music called junkanoo. See also: Music of the Bahamas

Climate

The climate of the Bahamas is subtropical to tropical, and is moderated significantly by the waters of the Gulf Stream, particularly in winter. Conversely, this often proves very dangerous in the summer and autumn, when hurricanes pass near or through the islands. Hurricane Andrew hit the northern islands in 1992, and Hurricane Floyd hit most of the islands in 1999. Hurricane Frances of 2004 was expected to be the worst ever for the islands. Also in 2004, the northern Bahamas were hit by a less potent Hurricane Jeanne.

Miscellaneous topics

- Bahamian American
- Tongue of the Ocean, a geological phenomenon
- Communications in the Bahamas
- Foreign relations of the Bahamas
- Military of the Bahamas
- Transportation in the Bahamas

Bahamian History Resources

General History
- Albury, Paul. The Story of The Bahamas. London: MacMillan Caribbean, 1975.
- Miller, Hubert W. “The Colonization of the Bahamas, 1647-1670,” The William and Mary Quarterly 2 no.1 (Jan 1945): 33-46.
- Craton, Michael. A History of the Bahamas. London: Collins, 1962.
- Craton, Michael and Saunders, Gail. Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1992. Economic History
- Johnson, Howard. The Bahamas in Slavery and Freedom. Kingston: Ian Randle Publishing, 1991.
- Johnson, Howard. The Bahamas from Slavery to Servitude, 1783-1933. Gainesville: University of Florida Press, 1996.
- Storr, Virgil H. Enterprising Slaves and Master Pirates: Understanding Economic Life in the Bahamas. New York: Peter Lang, 2004. Social History
- Johnson, Wittington B. Race Relations in the Bahamas, 1784-1834: The Nonviolent Transformation from a Slave to a Free Society. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas, 2000.
- Shirley, Paul. “Tek Force Wid Force,” History Today 54, no. 41 (April 2004): 30-35.
- Saunders, Gail. The Social Life in the Bahamas 1880s-1920s. Nassau: Media Publishing, 1996.
- Saunders, Gail. Bahamas Society After Emancipation. Kingston: Ian Randle Publishing, 1990.

External links

- [http://www.bahamas.gov.bs/ Bahamas Government Official Website]
- [http://www.bahamas.co.uk/ UK Bahamas Tourist Office]
- [http://www.bahamas-tourisme.fr/ French Bahamas Tourist Office]
- [http://www.bahamas.com/ Bahamas Ministry of Tourism]
- [http://www.constitution.org/cons/bahamas.htm The Bahamas Constitution]
- [http://www.strausbach.de/bahamas_photo.php Photo-Gallery] (with slide show)
- [http://www.lodgephoto.com/galleries/bahamas-abacos/ Photographs of the Bahamas]: Abaco islands, including Junkanoo festival Category:Caribbean countries Category:Monarchies Category:North Atlantic Islands Category:Members of the Commonwealth of Nations Category:Island nations Category:CARICOM member states zh-min-nan:Bahamas ko:바하마 ms:Bahamas ja:バハマ simple:Bahamas

West Indies

The Caribbean, (Spanish: Caribe) or the West Indies, is a group of islands and countries which are in or border the Caribbean Sea which lies on the Caribbean Plate. The countries and islands of the Caribbean are located to the south and east of Mexico and to the north and west of Venezuela, South America. There are at least 7,000 islands, islets, reefs, and cayes in the region. They are organized into 25 territories including sovereign states, overseas departments, and dependencies. The name "West Indies" originates from Christopher Columbus' idea that he had landed in the Indies (then meaning all of south and east Asia) when he had in fact reached the Americas. The name "Caribbean" is named after the Caribs, one of the dominant Amerindian groups in the region at the time of European contact. The Caribbean consists of the Greater and Lesser Antilles, and is often considered part of North America. At one time, there was a short-lived country called the Federation of the West Indies composed of the English-speaking Caribbean islands of the region. The Caribbean area is also famous for its sea pirates. See the article piracy in the Caribbean. The region known as "Caribbean" is usually restricted to the islands of the Caribbean Sea, although sometimes the continental American coastline is included.

Historical groupings

Main article: History of the Caribbean Most islands at some point were, or still are, colonies of European nations:
- British West Indies / Anglophone_Caribbean - Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands
- Danish West Indies - present-day United States Virgin Islands
- Dutch West Indies - present-day Netherlands Antilles and Aruba
- French West Indies - Haiti and the French overseas départements of Guadeloupe and Martinique
- Spain - Cuba, Hispaniola (present-day Dominican Republic and Haiti), Puerto Rico The British West Indies were formerly united by the United Kingdom into a West Indies Federation. The independent countries which were once a part of the B.W.I. still have a unified composite cricket team that successfully competes in test matches and one-day internationals. The West Indian cricket team includes the South American nation of Guyana, the only former British colony on that continent. In addition, these countries share the University of the West Indies as a regional entity. The university consists of three main campuses in Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, a smaller campus in the Bahamas and Resident Tutors in other contributing territories.

Present-day island territories of the Caribbean

Bahamas] See also: Caribbean South America, Caribbean_basin
- (British dependency)
- Anguillita Island
- Dog Island
- East Cay
- Little Scrub Island
- Prickly Pear Cays
- Sandy Island
- Scrub Island
- Seal Island
- Sombrero
- West Cay
-
- Antigua
- Barbuda
- Redonda
- (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
-
- Barbados
- Culpepper Island
- Pelican Island (now absorbed into Barbados)
- (British dependency, shares the Virgin Islands with the U.S. Virgin Islands.)
- Anegada
- Beef Island
- Bellamy Cay
- Carvel Rock
- Cockroach Island
- Cooper Island
- Dead Chest Cay
- Diamond Cay
- Dog Islands
- Drowned Island
- East Seal Dog Island
- Eustatia Island
- Fallen Jerusalem Island
- Frenchmans Cay
- Grouge Dog Island
- Ginger Island
- Great Camanoe
- Great Dog Island
- Great Thatch
- Great Tobago Island
- Green Cay
- Guana Island
- Jost Van Dyke
- Key Cay
- Little Anegada
- Little Camanoe
- Little Cay
- Little Jost Van Dyke
- Little Seal Dog Island
- Little Thatch
- Little Tobago
- Little Wickmans Cay
- Marina Cay
- Mosquito Island
- Nanny Cay
- Necker Island
- Norman Island
- Old Jerusalem Island
- Oyster Rock
- Pelican Island
- Peter Island
- Prickly Pear Island
- Saba Rock
- Salt Cay
- Sandy Cay
- Scrub Island
- Spanish Island
- Tortola
- Virgin Gorda
- West Dog Island
- (British dependency)
- Cayman Brac
- Grand Cayman (with the capital George Town)
- Little Cayman
-
- Cuba
- Isla de la Juventud
-
- Bird Island (disputed territory with Venezuela located about 110 km (70 mi) west of the island of Dominica)
- (shares the Grenadines group with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
- Carriacou
- Grenada
- Petit Martinique
- Ronde Island
- Petite Martinique
- (overseas department of France)
- Basse-Terre
- La Désirade
- Grande-Terre
- Marie-Galante
- Iles de la Petite Terre
- Saint-Barthélemy (also Saint Barts)
- Saint-Martin (part of the island Saint Martin shared with the Netherlands Antilles; note the dash)
- Iles des Saintes
- Terre de Haut
- Terre de Bas
- Hispaniola
-
-
-
- (overseas department of France)
- (British dependency)
- Navassa Island (U.S. insular area)
- (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
- Bonaire
- Curaçao
- Saba
- Sint Eustatius
- Sint Maarten (part of the island Saint Martin shared with Guadeloupe)
- (U.S. commonwealth)
- Culebra
- Mona
- Puerto Rico
- Vieques
-
- Nevis
- Saint Kitts
-
- (shares the Grenadines group with Grenada)
- Baliceaux Island
- Bequia
- Canouan Island
- Mayreau
- Mustique
- Palm Island
- Petit Mustique
- Petit Saint Vincent
- Saint Vincent
- Tobago Cays
- Union Island
- Young Island
-
- Tobago
- Little Tobago
- Trinidad
- Chacachacare
- Gaspar Grande
- Huevos
- Monos
- (U.S. territory, shares the Virgin Islands with the British Virgin Islands)
- Birsk Island
- Buck Island
- Capella Island
- Cas Cay
- Cow And Calf Island
- Dog Island
- Dry Rock
- Fish Cay
- Flat Cay
- Grass Cay
- Great Saint James Island
- Green Cay
- Hassel Island
- Inner Brass Island
- Johnsons Reef
- Leduck Island
- Little Saint James Island
- Lovango Cay
- Ningo Island
- Outer Brass Island
- Packet Rock
- Patricia Cay
- Saba Island
- Saint Croix
- Saint John
- Saint Thomas
- South-West Rock
- Stranglers Island
- Thatch Cay
- Turtledove Cay
- Water Island
- Welk Rock

Continental countries with Caribbean coastlines and islands

-
- Ambergris Caye
- Belize City
- Big Creek
- Caye Caulker
- Glover's Reef
- Hicks Cays
- Lighthouse Reef
- South Water Caye
- Turneffe Islands
-
- San Andres and Providencia
-
-
-
-
-
- Cortés department
- Atlántida department
- Gracias a Dios department
- Islas de la Bahía Department
- Puerto Cortés
- Tela
- La Ceiba
- Trujillo
- La Mosquitia
- Puerto Lempira
- Guanaja
- Roatán
- Útila
- Cayos Cochinos
- Swan Islands
-
- Cancún
- Isla Contoy
- Isla Cozumel
- Isla Mujeres
-
- Corn Islands
- Cayos Miskitos
-
- San Blas Islands
- Bocas del Toro
-
-
- Isla Margarita
- Los Monjes Archipelago
- Las Aves Archipelago
- Isla de Aves
- Los Hermanos Island
- Los Frailes Island
- Los Roques Archipelago
- La Sola Island
- La Tortuga Island
- La Orchila Island
- Los Testigos Island
- La Blanquilla Island
- Isla de Patos The nations of Belize and Guyana, although on the mainland of Central America and South America respectively, were former British colonies and maintain many cultural ties to the Caribbean and are members of CARICOM. The Turneffe Islands (and many other islands and reefs) are part of Belize and lie in the Caribbean Sea.

Island territories near the Caribbean

Though not technically in the Caribbean Sea, the nearby Bahaman Archipelago is sometimes considered to be part of the Caribbean.
-
- Abaco
- Acklins Island
- Andros
- Bimini Islands
- Cat Island
- Crooked Island
- Eleuthera
- Grand Bahama
- Great Abaco
- Great Exuma
- Great Inaco
- Long Island
- Mayaguana
- New Providence
- Ragged Island
- San Salvador Island
- (British dependency)
- Grand Turk
- Middle Caicos
- North Caicos
- Parrot Cay
- Pine Cay
- Providenciales
- Salt Cay
- South Caicos

Indigenous Tribes

- Arawak
- Carib
- Ciboney
- Garifuna
- Lucayan
- Taino

Regional Institutions

Here are some of the bodies that several islands share in collaboration:
- African, Caribbean and Pacific states (ACP)
- Association of Caribbean States (ACS), Trinidad and Tobago
- Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC), Trinidad and Tobago [http://www.caic.org.tt/]
- Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Guyana
- Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Barbados
- Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA), Barbados
- Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), Barbados and Jamaica
- Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), Puerto Rico [http://www.caribbeanhotels.org/]
- Caribbean Programme for Economic Competitiveness (CPEC), Saint Lucia [http://www.cpechrd.org/]
- Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), Belize [http://www.caricom-fisheries.com/]
- Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM), Barbados and Dominican Republic [http://www.crnm.org/]
- Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), Barbados
- Inter-American Economic Council (IAEC), Washington, D.C.
- Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry (LACNIC), Brazil and Uruguay
- Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Saint Lucia
- United Nations - Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Chile and Trinidad and Tobago Many of the nations in the Caribbean play international cricket as one team called the West Indies. Category:Americas ko:서인도 제도 ja:西インド諸島 simple:Caribbean

Island arc

An island arc is a type of archipelago formed by plate tectonics as one oceanic tectonic plate subducts under another and produces magma. It is a type of volcanic arc. Partial melting of the overriding mantle generates low-density, calc-alkaline magma that buoyantly rises to intrude and be extruded through the lithosphere of the overriding plate. The resulting volcano chain has the shape of an arc parallel to the convergent plate boundary and convex toward the subducting plate. Weathering and erosion of these volcanic rocks produce black-green beaches composed of olivine sand eroded from the volcanic cones. On the subducting side of the island arc is a deep and narrow oceanic trench, which is the trace at the Earth’s surface of the boundary between the downgoing and overriding plates. This trench is created by the friction of the subducting plate pulling the leading edge of the overriding plate downward. Great frictional forces heat the rock on both plates in this area. Multiple earthquakes occur along this subduction boundary with the seismic epicenters located at increasing depth under the island arc. Oceans basins that are being reduced by subduction are called 'remnant oceans' as they will slowly be shrunken out of existence and crushed in the subsequent orogenic collision. This process has happened over and over in the geologic history of the Earth.

Island arcs

- Aleutian Islands
- Kurile Islands
- Japan
- Philippines
- Marianas Islands
- Tonga and Kermadec Islands
- Ryukyu Islands
- Ogasawara Islands
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Mentawai Islands
- Lesser Sunda Islands
- Tanimbar and Kai Islands
- Solomon Islands
- Lesser Antilles
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Sunda Arc
- New Zealand Category:Archipelagoes Category:Plate tectonics ja:列島

Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea is a tropical body of water adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean and southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. It covers most of the Caribbean Plate and is bounded on the south by Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama, to the west by Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, and the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, to the north by the Greater Antilles islands of Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles. The Caribbean Sea is one of the largest salt water seas and has an area of about 2,754,000 km² (1,063,000 square miles). The sea's deepest point is the Cayman Trench, between Cuba and Jamaica, at 7,686 m (25,220 feet) below sea level. The entire area of the Caribbean Sea, especially the numerous islands, is known as the Caribbean.

Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is Earth's second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. The ocean's name, derived from Greek mythology, means the "Sea of Atlas". This ocean occupies an elongated, S-shaped basin extending in a north-south direction and is divided into the North Atlantic and South Atlantic by equatorial counter currents at about 8° north latitude. Bounded by the Americas on the west and Europe and Africa on the east, the Atlantic is linked to the Pacific Ocean by the Arctic Ocean on the north and the Drake Passage on the south. An artificial connection between the Atlantic and Pacific is also provided by the Panama Canal. On the east, the dividing line between the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean is the 20° east meridian. The Atlantic is separated from the Arctic Ocean by a line from Greenland to northwestern Iceland and then from northeastern Iceland to southernmost tip of Spitsbergen and then to North Cape in northern Norway. Norway on a fair day.]] Covering approximately 20% of Earth's surface, the Atlantic Ocean is second only to the Pacific in size. With its adjacent seas it occupies an area of about 106,400,000 km² (41,100,000 square miles); without them, it has an area of 82,400,000 km² (31,800,000 mi²). The land area that drains into the Atlantic is four times that of either the Pacific or Indian oceans. The volume of the Atlantic Ocean with its adjacent seas is 354,700,000 km³ (85,100,000 mi³) and without them 323,600,000 km³ (77,640,000 mi³). The average depth of the Atlantic, with its adjacent seas, is 3,332 m (10,932 ft); without them it is 3,926 m (12,881 ft). The greatest depth, 8,605 m (28,232 ft), is in the Puerto Rico Trench. The width of the Atlantic varies from 2,848 km (1,770 miles) between Brazil and Liberia to about 4,830 km (3,000 miles) between the United States and northern Africa. The Atlantic Ocean has irregular coasts indented by numerous bays, gulfs, and seas. These include the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, North Sea, Labrador Sea, Baltic Sea, and Norwegian-Greenland Sea. Islands in the Atlantic Ocean include Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Rockall, Great Britain, Ireland, Fernando de Noronha, the Azores, the Madeira Islands, the Canaries, the Cape Verde Islands,Sao Tome e Principe, Newfoundland, Bermuda, the West Indies, Ascension, St. Helena, Trindade, Martin Vaz, Tristan da Cunha, the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia Island. South Georgia Island

Ocean bottom

The principal feature of the bottom topography of the Atlantic Ocean is a great submarine mountain range called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It extends from Iceland in the north to approximately 58° south latitude, reaching a maximum width of about 1,600 km (1,000 miles). A great rift valley also extends along the ridge over most of its length. The depth of water over the ridge is less than 2,700 m (8,900 ft) in most places, and several mountain peaks rise above the water, forming islands. The South Atlantic Ocean has an additional submarine ridge, the Walvis Ridge. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge separates the Atlantic Ocean into two large troughs with depths averaging between 3,700 and 5,500 m (12,000 and 18,000 ft). Transverse ridges running between the continents and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge divide the ocean floor into numerous basins. Some of the larger basins are the Guiana, North American, Cape Verde, and Canaries basins in the North Atlantic. The largest South Atlantic basins are the Angola, Cape, Argentina, and Brazil basins. The deep ocean floor is thought to be fairly flat, although numerous seamounts and some guyots exist. Several deeps or trenches are also found on the ocean floor. The Puerto Rico Trench, in the North Atlantic, is the deepest. The Laurentian Abyss is found off the eastern coast of Canada. In the south Atlantic, the South Sandwich Trench reaches a depth of 8,428 m (27,651 ft). A third major trench, the Romanche Trench, is located near the equator and reaches a depth of about 7,454 m (24,455 ft). The shelves along the margins of the continents constitute about 11% of the bottom topography. In addition, a number of deep channels cut across the continental rise. Ocean sediments are composed of terrigenous, pelagic, and authigenic material. Terrigenous deposits consist of sand, mud, and rock particles formed by erosion, weathering, and volcanic activity on land and then washed to sea. These materials are largely found on the continental shelves and are thickest off the mouths of large rivers or off desert coasts. Pelagic deposits, which contain the remains of organisms that sink to the ocean floor, include red clays and Globigerina, pteropod, and siliceous oozes. Covering most of the ocean floor and ranging in thickness from 60 m to 3,300 m (200 ft to 11,000 ft), they are thickest in the convergence belts and in the zones of upwelling. Authigenic deposits consist of such materials as manganese nodules. They occur where sedimentation proceeds slowly or where currents sort the deposits.

Water characteristics

sediment The salinity of the surface waters in the open ocean ranges from 33 to 37 parts per thousand by mass and varies with latitude and season. Although the minimum salinity values are found just north of the equator, in general the lowest values are in the high latitudes and along coasts where large rivers flow into the ocean. Maximum salinity values occur at about 25° north latitude. Surface salinity values are influenced by evaporation, precipitation, river inflow, and melting of sea ice. Surface water temperatures, which vary with latitude, current systems, and season and reflect the latitudinal distribution of solar energy, range from less than −2 °C to 29 °C (28 °F to 84 °F). Maximum temperatures occur north of the equator, and minimum values are found in the polar regions. In the middle latitudes, the area of maximum temperature variations, values may vary by 7 °C to 8 °C (13 °F to 15 °F). The Atlantic Ocean consists of four major water masses. The North and South Atlantic central waters constitute the surface waters. The sub-Antarctic intermediate water extends to depths of 1,000 m (3,300 ft). The North Atlantic deep water reaches depths of as much as 4,000 m (13,200 ft). The Antarctic bottom water occupies ocean basins at depths greater than 4,000 m (13,200 ft). Within the North Atlantic, ocean currents isolate a large elongated body of water known as the Sargasso Sea, in which the salinity is noticeably higher than average. The Sargasso Sea contains large amounts of seaweed, and is also the spawning ground for the European eel. Due to the Coriolis effect, water in the North Atlantic circulates in a clockwise direction, whereas water circulation in the South Atlantic is counter clockwise. The South tides in the Atlantic Ocean are semi-diurnal; that is, two high tides occur during each 24 lunar hours. The tides are a general wave that moves from south to north. In latitudes above 40° north some east-west oscillation occurs.

Climate

diurnal The climate of the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent land areas is influenced by the temperatures of the surface waters and water currents as well as the winds blowing across the waters. Because of the oceans' great capacity for retaining heat, maritime climates are moderate and free of extreme seasonal variations. Precipitation can be approximated from coastal weather data and air temperature from the water temperatures. The oceans are the major source of the atmospheric moisture that is obtained through evaporation. Climatic zones vary with latitude; the warmest climatic zones stretch across the Atlantic north of the equator. The coldest zones are in the high latitudes, with the coldest regions corresponding to the areas covered by sea ice. Ocean currents contribute to climatic control by transporting warm and cold waters to other regions. Adjacent land areas are affected by the winds that are cooled or warmed when blowing over these currents. The Gulf Stream, for example, warms the atmosphere of the British Isles and northwestern Europe, and the cold water currents contribute to heavy fog off the coast of northeastern Canada (the Grand Banks area) and the northwestern coast of Africa. In general, winds tend to transport moisture and warm or cool air over land areas. Hurricanes develop in the southern part of the North Atlantic Ocean.

History and economy

The Atlantic Ocean appears to be the second youngest of the world's oceans, after the Southern Ocean. Evidence indicates that it did not exist prior to 180 million years ago, when the continents that formed from the breakup of the ancestral supercontinent, Pangaea, were being rafted apart by the process of seafloor spreading. The Atlantic has been extensively explored since the earliest settlements were established along its shores. The Vikings, Portuguese, and Christopher Columbus were the most famous among its early explorers. After Columbus, European exploration rapidly accelerated, and many new trade routes were established. As a result, the Atlantic became and remains the major artery between Europe and the Americas (known as transatlantic trade). Numerous scientific explorations have been undertaken, including those by the German Meteor expedition, Columbia University's Lamont Geological Observatory, and the U.S. Navy Hydrographic Office. The ocean has also contributed significantly to the development and economy of the countries around it. Besides its major "transatlantic" transportation and communication routes, the Atlantic offers abundant petroleum deposits in the sedimentary rocks of the continental shelves and the world's richest fishing resources, especially in the waters covering the shelves. The major species of fish caught are cod, haddock, hake, herring, and mackerel. The most productive areas include the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, the shelf area off Nova Scotia, Georges Bank off Cape Cod, the Bahama Banks, the waters around Iceland, the Irish Sea, the Dogger Bank of the North Sea, and the Falkland Banks. Eel, lobster, and whales have also been taken in great quantities. All these factors, taken together, tremendously enhance the Atlantic's great commercial value. Because of the threats to the ocean environment presented by oil spills, marine debris, and the incineration of toxic wastes at sea, various international treaties exist to reduce some forms of pollution.
- In 1858, the first Transatlantic telegraph cable was laid by Cyrus Field.
- In 1919, the American NC-4 became the first airplane to cross the Atlantic (though it made a couple of landings on islands along the way).
- Later in 1919, a British airplane piloted by Alcock and Brown made the first non-stop transatlantic flight from Newfoundland to Ireland.
- In 1921, the British were the first to cross the North Atlantic in an airship.
- In 1922, the Portuguese were the first to cross the South Atlantic in an airship.
- The first transatlantic telephone call was made on January 7, 1927.
- In 1927, Charles Lindbergh made the first solo non-stop transatlantic flight in an airplane (between New York City and Paris).
- After rowing for 81 days and 2,962 miles, on December 3, 1999 Tori Murden became the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean by rowboat alone when she reached Guadeloupe from the Canary Islands. Location: body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern Ocean, and the Americas Geographic coordinates: Map references: World Area:
- total: 76.762 million km²
- note: includes the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Labrador Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, almost all of the Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies Area - comparative: slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US Coastline: 111,866 km Climate: Tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop anywhere from off the coast of Africa near Cape Verde to the Windward Islands and move westward into the Caribbean Sea or up the east coast of North America; hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most frequent from late July to early November. Storms are common in the North Atlantic during northern winters, making ocean crossings more difficult and dangerous.

Terrain

The surface is usually covered with sea ice in the Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and Baltic Sea from October to June. There is a clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the northern Atlantic, and a counter-clockwise warm-water gyre in the southern Atlantic. The ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin, first discovered by the Challenger Expedition.

Elevation extremes

- lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico Trench -8,605 m
- highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources

Petroleum and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones

Natural hazards

Icebergs are common in the Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands. Ships are subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May. Persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September. So can hurricanes north of the equator (May to December). The Bermuda Triangle is popularly believed to be the site of numerous aviation and shipping incidents, due to unexplained and supposedly mysterious causes, but coastguard records do not support this belief.

Current environmental issues

Endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales. Drift net fishing is killing dolphins, albatrosses and other seabirds (petrels, auks), hastening the decline of fish stocks and contributing to international disputes. There is municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina, oil pollution in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea, and industrial waste and municipal sewage pollution in the Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea.

Notes on geography

Major chokepoints include the Strait of Gibraltar and the Panama Canal; strategic straits include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean (previously known as the Ethiopic Ocean). During the Cold War the so called Greenland-Iceland-UK (GIUK) Gap was a major strategic concern, the seabed in that area was laid with extensive hydrophone systems to track Soviet submarines.

Ports and harbours

- A Coruña (Spain)
- Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire)
- Accra (Ghana)
- Amsterdam (Netherlands)
- Antwerp (Belgium)
- Bahia Blanca (Argentina)
- Baltimore (US)
- Banjul (The Gambia)
- Belfast (Northern Ireland)
- Bergen (Norway)
- Bissau (Guinea-Bissau)
- Bodø (Norway)
- Bordeaux (France)
- Boston (US)
- Bremen (Germany)
- Brest (France)
- Bristol (England)
- Cadiz (Spain)
- Cape Town (South Africa)
- Casablanca (Morocco)
- Cayenne (French Guiana)
- Charleston (US)
- Cherbourg (France)
- Conakry (Guinea)
- Cork (Republic of Ireland)
- Cotonou (Benin)
- Dakar (Senegal)
- Douala (Cameroon)
- Dublin (Republic of Ireland)
- Dunkirk (France)
- Edinburgh (Scotland)
- Fortaleza (Brazil)
- Georgetown (Guyana)
- Glasgow (Scotland)
- Gothenburg(Sweden)
- Hamburg (Germany)
- Halifax (Canada)
- Jacksonville (US)
- Lagos (Nigeria)
- Las Palmas (Spain)
- Le Havre (France)
- Libreville (Gabon)
- Lisbon (Portugal)
- Liverpool (England)
- Lomé (Togo)
- London (England)
- Luanda (Angola)
- Maceió (Brazil)
- Malabo (Equatorial Guinea)
- Miami (US)
- Monrovia (Liberia)
- Montréal (Canada)
- Morehead City (US)
- Nantes (France)
- Nantucket (US)
- Narvik (Norway)
- New Haven (US)
- New London (US)
- New York (US)
- Newcastle upon Tyne (England)
- Newport News (US)
- Norfolk (US)
- Nouakchott (Mauritania)
- Oslo (Norway)
- Ostend (Belgium)
- Paramaribo (Suriname)
- Philadelphia (US)
- Port Harcourt (Nigeria)
- Portland (US)
- Porto (Portugal)
- Porto-Novo (Benin)
- Portsmouth (England)
- Portsmouth (US)
- Providence (US)
- Puerto Cortes (Honduras)
- Québec (Canada)
- Rabat (Morocco)
- Recife (Brazil)
- Reykjavík (Iceland)
- Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
- Rotterdam (Netherlands)
- Salvador (Brazil)
- Saint-Nazaire (France)
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain)
- Santander (Spain)
- Santos (Brazil)
- Savannah (US)
- Seville (Spain)
- Saint John (Canada)
- St. John's (Canada)
- Southampton (England)
- Stavanger (Norway)
- Tangier (Morocco)
- Tromsø (Norway)
- Trondheim (Norway)
- Vigo (Spain)
- Vitória (Brazil)
- Walvis Bay (Namibia)
- Wilmington (US)
- Yarmouth (Canada)
- Ålesund (Norway)

Note on transportation

The Saint Lawrence Seaway is an important waterway.

References

- Much of this article comes from the public domain site http://oceanographer.navy.mil/atlantic.html (dead link). It is now accessible from the Internet Archive at http://web.archive.org/web/20020221215514/http%3a//oceanographer.navy.mil/atlantic.html.
- Disclaimers for this website, including its status as a public domain resource, are recorded on the Internet Archive at http://web.archive.org/web/20020212021049/http%3a//oceanographer.navy.mil/warning.html.

External links

- [http://dapper.pmel.noaa.gov/dchart/ NOAA In-situ Ocean Data Viewer] Plot and download ocean observations
- [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/zh.html CIA – The World Factbook – Atlantic Ocean] Category:Atlantic Ocean Category:Oceans als:Atlantik zh-min-nan:Tāi-se-iûⁿ ko:대서양 ja:大西洋 simple:Atlantic Ocean th:มหาสมุทรแอตแลนติก

U. S. Virgin Islands

The United States Virgin Islands is a group of islands in the Caribbean that is a dependency of the United States. These islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands. The U.S. Virgin Islands are made up of the four main islands of St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Water Island and many smaller islands. They are the only U.S. territory where traffic drives on the left. In Denmark, they are also referred to as The Former Danish West Indian Islands (De tidligere Dansk Vestindiske Øer).

History

The Virgin Islands were originally settled by the Ciboney, Carib, and Arawaks. The islands were named by Christopher Columbus on his first voyage in 1493 for Saint Ursula and her virgin followers. Over the next three hundred years, the islands were held by many European powers, including Spain, England, Netherlands, France, the Knights of Malta, and Denmark. The Danish West India Company settled on Saint Thomas in 1672, on Saint John in 1694, and purchased Saint Croix from the French in 1733. The islands became royal Danish colonies in 1754, their name in Danish translating as Jomfruøerne. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries, until the abolition of slavery by Governor Peter von Scholten on July 3, 1848. During the submarine warfare phases of the First World War, the USA, fearing that the islands might be seized by Germany as a submarine base, approached Denmark to sell the islands to the USA. On January 17, 1917, the United States bought the Danish West Indies for $25 million and took possession of the islands on March 31. The Danish Crown may have felt pressure to accept the sale, thinking that the USA would seize the islands, if Denmark was invaded by Germany. U.S. citizenship was later granted to the inhabitants of the islands in 1927.

Geography

Main article: Geography of the U.S. Virgin Islands The U.S. Virgin Islands are located in the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, about 50 miles east of Puerto Rico. The territory consists of four main islands: Saint Thomas, Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island, as well as several dozen smaller islands. The combined land area of the islands is roughly twice the size of Washington, D.C.. The U.S. Virgin Islands are known for their white sand beaches, including Magens Bay and Trunk Bay, and strategic harbors, including Charlotte Amalie and Christiansted. Most of the islands, including Saint Thomas, are volcanic in origin and hilly. The highest point is Crown Mountain, Saint Thomas (474m). Saint Croix, the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, lies to the south and has a flatter terrain. The National Park Service owns more than half of Saint John, nearly all of Hassel Island, and many acres of coral reef. (See also Virgin Islands National Park, Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, Buck Island Reef National Monument, Christiansted National Historic Site, and Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve.) The Virgin Islands lie on the boundary of the North American plate and the Caribbean Plate. Natural hazards include earthquakes, tropical cyclones and tsunamis.

Politics

tsunami Main article: Politics of the U.S. Virgin Islands The U.S. Virgin Islands are an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States. Although U.S. citizens, Virgin Islanders cannot vote in U.S. Presidential elections, though they can vote in Presidential primaries. The main political parties in the U.S. Virgin Islands are the Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands, the Independent Citizens Movement (ICM), and the Republican Party of the Virgin Islands. Additional candidates run as independents. At the national level, the U.S. Virgin Islands elects a delegate to Congress. However, the elected delegate while able to vote in comittee cannot participate in floor votes. At the territorial level, fifteen senators—seven from the district of Saint Croix, seven from the district of Saint Thomas and Saint John, and one senator at-large who must be a resident of Saint John—are elected for two-years term to the unicameral Virgin Islands Legislature. The U.S. Virgin Islands has elected a territorial governor every four years since 1970. Previous governors were appointed by the President of the United States. The U.S. Virgin Islands has both a District Court and a Superior Court. Judges are appointed by the President and the Governor respectively. The United States Congress has organized several local referenda to aid in the islands' self-determination. As with Puerto Rico, the residents have been given the choice of independence, status quo, or statehood; however, these measures have failed to attract sufficient civic interest or voter turn-out to produce even a noteworthy plurality, much less a majority, and thus the islands will retain their current territorial status for the forseeable future. It is theorized that future Puerto Rican statehood might serve as a catalyst for political interest in the V.I., as well as other territories. With much controversy, these efforts by the Federal Government to normalize the unincorporated territory's status are completely discounted by the United Nations Committee on Decolonization, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are currently in the list of non-self-governing territories.

Economy

Main article: Economy of the U.S. Virgin Islands Tourism is the primary economic activity. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year, many of whom visit on cruise ships. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textile, electronics, rum distilling, pharmaceutical, and watch assembly plants. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are a small but growing component of the economy. Hovensa, one of the world's largest petroleum refineries, is located on Saint Croix. The islands are subject to tropical storms and hurricanes. In recent history, substantial damage was caused by Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and Hurricane Marilyn in 1995.

Miscellaneous

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the U.S.
- Communications in the United States Virgin Islands
- Demographics of the U.S. Virgin Islands
- Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands
- List of U.S. Virgin Islands Governors
- Music of the Virgin Islands
- Transportation in the United States Virgin Islands
- US Congress Representatives from US Virgin Islands :See: Virgin Islands and Danish colonization of the Americas, Henry E. Rohlsen International Airport, Cyril E. King Airport Category:Insular areas of the United States Danish West India
- zh-min-nan:Bí-kok Virgin Kûn-tó ja:アメリカ領ヴァージン諸島

Anguilla

Anguilla is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean, the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles. It consists of 5 islands, with the capital, The Valley situated on the main island of Anguilla. The total area of the territory is 102 sq km, with a population of approximately 14,000 in 2005.

History

First colonized by English settlers in 1650, Anguilla was incorporated into a single British dependency along with the neighbouring islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the early 19th century, much to the objections of many Anguillans. In 1980, however, Anguilla formally withdrew from the territory, becoming a separate British dependency, which it remains.

Politics

Executive authority is invested in The Queen, who is represented in the territory by the Governor. The Governor is appointed by the Queen on the advice of the British Government. Defence and Foreign Affairs remain the responsibility of the United Kingdom. The constitution of Anguilla came into force in 1982, amended in 1990. The head of the government is the Chief Minister who is appointed by the Governor. The legislative branch consists of a unicameral parliament, the House of Assembly, made up of 11 members. Elections are held for 7 seats in the House of Assembly, 2 members being ex-offcio and 2 appointed. The current Governor is Alan Huckle, appointed in May 2004. The current Chief Minister is Osbourne Fleming following the victory of the United Front in elections held during February 2005.

Geography

Anguilla is a collection of flat and low-lying islands and cays of coral and limestone in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico. The islands and cays in the territory of Anguilla(besides the largest, Anguilla itself) include:
- Anguillita Island
- Dog Island
- Little Scrub Island
- Prickly Pear Cays
- Sandy Island
- Scrub Island
- Seal Island
- Sombrero

Economy

The island's main industries are fishing and tourism, with offshore banking playing an increasing role in the economy.

Demographics

The majority of Anguillans are Protestant and are of African descent.

Culture

Miscellaneous topics

- Communications in
- Transportation in

Reference

# #

External links

- [http://www.anguillanews.com/ Anguilla News] (News, People profiles, Talk, Carnival and more)
- [http://www.gov.ai/ Government of Anguilla] (Official web site)
- [http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/hispanic/anguilla/anguilla.html Library of Congress Portals on the World - Anguilla]
- [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/av.html CIA - The World Factbook -- Anguilla] - CIA's Factbook on Anguilla CIA Category:Caribbean islands Category:Anguilla Category:Special territories of the EU zh-min-nan:Anguilla ko:앵귈라 ja:アンギラ

Saint Kitts and Nevis

The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, located in the Leeward Islands is a unitary island nation in the Caribbean, and the smallest nation in the Western Hemisphere. The capital-city and government for the federated state, is mainly on the larger island of, Saint Kitts (formerly named: Saint Christopher). The smaller state of Nevis (formerly named: Nuestra Señora de las Nieves) lies about 3km southeast of Saint Kitts. Historically the British dependency of Anguilla was also a part of this union, which was then known collectively as Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla. Given that Saint Kitts and Nevis are geographically within the Leeward Islands, they are relatively close to a cluster of several other islands. To the north-north west lies the islands of Saint Eustatius, Saba, Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin. To the north-east lies Antigua and Barbuda, and to the south-east lies Montserrat.

History

Main article: History of Saint Kitts and Nevis Originally colonies of the United Kingdom, Saint Kitts and Nevis along with Anguilla, became an associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. St. Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In August 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from St. Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. In late September 1998, Hurricane Georges caused approximately $445 million in damages and limited GDP growth for the year. Alexander Hamilton, the first United States Secretary of the Treasury, was born on Nevis and spent his childhood there and on the island of St. Croix.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Saint Kitts and Nevis The country is an independent Commonwealth Realm with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state, represented in St. Kitts and Nevis by a governor general, who acts on the advice of the Prime Minister and the cabinet. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party of the house, and the cabinet conducts affairs of state. St. Kitts and Nevis has a unicameral legislature, known as the National Assembly. It is comprised of fourteen members - eleven elected representatives - three of whom are from the island of Nevis - and three members who are appointed by the Governor-General. The three appointed members are known as Senators, with two being appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, and one on the advice of the leader of the opposition. Though they are referred to as Senators, they do not form a separate house of parliament, as in some other countries. Both representatives and senators serve five-year terms. The prime minister and the cabinet are responsible to the Parliament. Saint Kitts and Nevis are a full & participating member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

Parishes

There are fourteen parishes:
- Christ Church Nichola Town
- Saint Anne Sandy Point
- Saint George Basseterre
- Saint George Gingerland - N
- Saint James Windward - N
- Saint John Capisterre
- Saint John Figtree - N
- Saint Mary Cayon
- Saint Paul Capisterre
- Saint Paul Charlestown - N
- Saint Peter Basseterre
- Saint Thomas Lowland - N
- Saint Thomas Middle Island
- Trinity Palmetto Point
- N - denotes a parish on the island of Nevis.

Geography

Nevis Main article: Geography of Saint Kitts and Nevis The country has two main islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis. The highest peak is Mount Liamuiga, which tops at 1 156 m.
- List of cities in Saint Kitts and Nevis

Economy

Main article: Economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis was the last sugar monoculture in the