What is the Caribbean called now?
What is the Caribbean called now? Nowadays, the term West Indies is often interchangeable with the term Caribbean, although the latter may also include some Central and South American mainland nations which have Caribbean coastlines or coastlines close to the Caribbean, such as Belize, French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname, as well as the Atlantic island ...
How many islands are in the Caribbean?
The Caribbean is made up of more than 700 islands, reefs, and cays, which are organized into 30 territories including sovereign states, overseas departments, and dependencies. Many of these territories speak English, French, Spanish, or a local Creole dialect.
Why do they call it Caribbean?
Caribbean means “of or pertaining to the Caribs” and comes from the Spanish word for Caribbean: Caribe. Caribs or Island Caribs are names used to refer to the Indigenous people of the Lesser Antilles.
What did the British call the Caribbean?
Along with a number of colonies in North America, the Caribbean formed the heart of England's first overseas empire. The region was also known as the 'West Indies' because when the explorer Christopher Columbus first arrived there in 1492, he believed that he had sailed to the 'Indies', as Asia was then known.
Which is the richest country in the Caribbean?
Which is the richest island country in the world? In terms of GDP per capita, Bermuda is the wealthiest Caribbean country and one of the richest island countries in the world.
Which Caribbean island should I visit first?
The U.S. Virgin Islands The two preferred islands for pioneering visitors are undoubtedly St. Thomas and St. Lucia.