View source for Caribbean Sea

{{Short description|Sea of the Atlantic Ocean bounded by North, Central, and South America}}
{{pp-move}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name               = Caribbean Sea
| pushpin_map        = 
| image              = Amerikanisches Mittelmeer NASA World Wind Globe.jpg
| alt                = Satellite image of the Caribbean Sea, with Florida located at the top, Central America located on the left, the northern coast of South America at the bottom, and Caribbean islands in the center.
| caption            = A satellite image of the Caribbean Sea
| image_size         = 300px
| image_bathymetry   = Central America and the Caribbean Shaded Relief Map.png
| alt_bathymetry     = 
| caption_bathymetry = Map of the Caribbean Sea
| type               = [[Sea]]
| location           = [[American Mediterranean Sea]]
| part_of            = [[Atlantic Ocean]]
| rivers             = {{hlist|[[Magdalena River|Magdalena]]|[[Atrato River|Atrato]]|[[Chagres River|Chagres]]|[[San Juan River (Nicaragua)|San Juan]]|[[Coco River|Coco]]|[[Motagua River|Motagua]]}}
| coordinates        = {{Coord|15|N|75|W|type:waterbody_scale:10000000|display=inline,title}}
| area               = {{convert|2754000|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}
| max-depth          = {{convert|7686|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| basin_countries    = {{collapsible list|{{AIA}}<br />{{ATG}}<br />{{ABW}}<br />{{BLZ}}<br />{{VGB}}<br />{{BES}}<br />{{CYM}}<br />{{COL}}<br />{{CRC}}<br />{{CUB}}<br />{{CUW}}<br />{{DMA}}<br />{{DOM}}<br />{{GRD}}<br />{{GLP}}<br />{{GUA}}<br />{{HTI}}<br />{{HND}}<br />{{JAM}}<br />{{MEX}}<br />{{MSR}}<br />{{MTQ}}<br />{{NIC}}<br />{{PAN}}<br />{{PUR}}<br />{{KNA}}<br />{{MAF}}<br />{{VCT}}<br />{{LCA}}<br />{{TTO}}<br />{{VIR}}<br />{{VEN}}}}
| islands            = [[West Indies]] ([[Greater Antilles]] and [[Lesser Antilles]])
| islands_category   = 
| trenches           = [[Cayman Trench]] and [[Puerto Rico Trench]]
| cities             = {{collapsible list|title=Major cities
| list_style = text-align:left;
|1 = {{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[Barcelona, Venezuela|Barcelona]]<br />
{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Barranquilla]]<br />
{{flagicon|Guadeloupe}} [[Basse-Terre]]<br />
{{flagicon|Belize}} [[Belize City]]<br />
{{flagicon|Nicaragua}} [[Bluefields]]<br />
{{flagicon|Montserrat}} [[Brades]]<br />
{{flagicon|Cuba}} [[Caimanera]]<br />
{{flagicon|Mexico}} [[Cancún]]<br />
{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Cartagena, Colombia|Cartagena]]<br />
{{flagicon|Saint Lucia}} [[Castries]]<br />
{{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[Catia La Mar]]<br />
{{flagicon|Trinidad}} [[Chaguanas]]<br />
{{flagicon|US Virgin Islands}} [[Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands|Charlotte Amalie]]<br />
{{flagicon|Mexico}} [[Chetumal]]<br />
{{flagicon|Panama}} [[Colón, Panama|Colón]]<br />
{{flagicon|Trinidad}} [[Couva]]<br />
{{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[Cumaná]]<br />
{{flagicon|Cuba}} [[Guantánamo]]<br />
{{flagicon|Cuba}} [[Havana]]<br />
{{flagicon|Jamaica}} [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]]<br />
{{flagicon|Saint Vincent}} [[Kingstown]]<br />
{{flagicon|Bonaire}} [[Kralendijk]]<br />
{{flagicon|Honduras}} [[La Ceiba]]<br />
{{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[La Guaira]]<br />
{{flagicon|Costa Rica}} [[Limón Province|Limón]]<br />
{{flagicon|Montserrat}} [[Little Bay, Montserrat|Little Bay]]<br />
{{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[Maiquetía]]<br />
{{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[Maracaibo]]<br />
{{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[Maracay]]<br />
{{flagicon|Puerto Rico}} [[Mayagüez]]<br />
{{flagicon|Jamaica}} [[Montego Bay]]<br />
{{flagicon|Aruba}} [[Oranjestad, Aruba|Oranjestad]]<br />
{{flagicon|Puerto Rico}} [[Ponce, Puerto Rico|Ponce]]<br />
{{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[Porlamar]]<br />
{{flagicon|Haiti}} [[Port-au-Prince]]<br />
{{flagicon|Trinidad}} [[Port of Spain]]<br />
{{flagicon|Guatemala}} [[Puerto Barrios]]<br />
{{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[Puerto Cabello]]<br />
{{flagicon|Honduras}} [[Puerto Cortes]]<br />
{{flagicon|Cuba}} [[Puerto Padre]]<br />
{{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[Puerto la Cruz]]<br />
{{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[Punto Fijo]]<br />
{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Riohacha]]<br />
{{flagicon|Dominica}} [[Roseau]]<br />
{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[San Andrés (island)|San Andrés]]<br />
{{flagicon|Puerto Rico}} [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]]<br />
{{flagicon|Trinidad}} [[San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago|San Fernando]]<br />
{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Santa Marta]]<br />
{{flagicon|Cuba}} [[Santiago de Cuba]]<br />
{{flagicon|Dominican Republic}} [[Santiago de los Caballeros]]<br />
{{flagicon|Dominican Republic}} [[Santo Domingo]]<br />
{{flagicon|Trinidad}} [[Scarborough, Tobago|Scarborough]]<br />
{{flagicon|Grenada}} [[St. George's, Grenada|St. George's]]<br />
{{flagicon|Antigua and Barbuda}} [[St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda|St. John's]]<br />
{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Turbo, Colombia|Turbo]]<br />
{{flagicon|Curacao}} [[Willemstad]]
 }}
 |mapframe-zoom = 3
 |mapframe=yes
 | mapframe-stroke-width = 1

}}

The '''Caribbean Sea'''<ref>({{langx|es|Mar Caribe}}; {{langx|fr|Mer des Caraïbes}}; {{langx|ht|Lanmè Karayib}}; {{langx|jam|Kiaribiyan Sii}}; {{langx|nl|Caraïbische Zee}}; {{langx|pap|Laman Karibe}})</ref> is a sea of the [[Atlantic Ocean|North Atlantic Ocean]] in the [[tropics]] of the [[Western Hemisphere]], located south of the [[Gulf of Mexico]] and southwest of the [[Sargasso Sea]]. It is bounded by the [[Greater Antilles]] to the north from [[Cuba]] to [[Puerto Rico]], the [[Lesser Antilles]] to the east from the [[Virgin Islands]] to [[Trinidad and Tobago]], [[South America]] to the south from the [[Venezuela|Venezuelan coastline]] to the [[Colombia|Colombian coastline]], and [[Central America]] and the [[Yucatán Peninsula]] to the west from [[Panama]] to [[Mexico]]. The [[Geopolitics|geopolitical]] region around the Caribbean Sea, including the numerous islands of the [[West Indies]] and adjacent coastal areas in the [[mainland]] of the [[Americas]], is known as the [[Caribbean]].

The Caribbean Sea is [[List of seas on Earth#Largest seas by area|one of the largest seas on Earth]], with an area of about {{cvt|2754000|km2}}.<ref>[http://www.allthesea.com/Caribbean-Sea.html The Caribbean Sea] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180104065025/http://www.allthesea.com/Caribbean-Sea.html |date=2018-01-04 }} All The Sea. URL last accessed May 7, 2006</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/marine_turtles/lac_marine_turtle_programme/projects/hawksbill_caribbean_english/caribbean_sea |title= The Caribbean Sea |access-date= 2018-02-07 |archive-date= 2018-04-21 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180421010608/http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/marine_turtles/lac_marine_turtle_programme/projects/hawksbill_caribbean_english/caribbean_sea/ |url-status= live }}</ref> The sea's deepest point is the [[Cayman Trough]], between the [[Cayman Islands]] and [[Jamaica]], at {{cvt|7686|m|ft}} below [[sea level]]. The Caribbean coastline has many [[gulf]]s and [[bay]]s: the [[Gulf of Gonâve]], the [[Gulf of Venezuela]], the [[Gulf of Darién]], [[Golfo de los Mosquitos]], the [[Gulf of Paria]] and the [[Gulf of Honduras]].

[[File:Reef 247.jpg|thumb|upright|Coral reef near [[Soufrière Quarter]], [[Saint Lucia]]]]

The Caribbean Sea has the world's second-largest [[barrier reef]], the [[Mesoamerican Barrier Reef]]. It runs {{convert|1000|km|abbr=on}} along the [[Mexico]], [[Belize]], [[Guatemala]], and [[Honduras]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldwildlife.org/places/mesoamerican-reef|title=Mesoamerican Reef {{!}} Places |website=World Wildlife Fund|access-date=2016-10-21|archive-date=2020-11-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113135042/https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/mesoamerican-reef|url-status=live}}</ref> coasts.

==History==
{{Main|History of the Caribbean}}
[[File:Columbus landing on Hispaniola adj.jpg|left|thumb|[[Christopher Columbus]] landing on [[Hispaniola]] in 1492]]

The name ''Caribbean'' derives from the [[Island Caribs|Caribs]], one of the region's dominant native people at the time of [[European contact]] during the late [[15th century]]. After [[Christopher Columbus]] landed in [[The Bahamas]] in 1492 and later discovered some of the islands in the Caribbean, the Spanish term ''[[Antillas]]'' applied to the lands; stemming from this, the ''Sea of the Antilles'' became a common alternative name for the "Caribbean Sea" in various European languages. Spanish dominance in the region remained undisputed during the first century of European colonization.{{Citation needed|date=November 2025}}

From the 16th century, [[European colonization of the Americas|Europeans]] visiting the Caribbean region distinguished the [[Great South Sea|"South Sea"]] (the Pacific Ocean south of the [[isthmus]] of Panama) from the "North Sea" (the Caribbean Sea north of the same isthmus).<ref>
{{cite journal
| last1                 = Gorgas
| first1                = William C.
| author-link1          = William C. Gorgas
| title                 = Sanitation in Panama
| url                   = https://books.google.com/books?id=z80-AQAAMAAJ
| journal               = Journal of the American Medical Association
| publisher             = American Medical Association
| date      = 1912
| volume                = 58
| issue                 = 13
| page                  = 907
| issn                  = 0002-9955
| quote                 = The Pacific Ocean, south of this isthmus [Panama], was known to the early explorers as the South Sea, and the Caribbean, lying to the north, as the North Sea.
| doi=10.1001/jama.1912.04260030305001
}}
</ref>

[[File:Tulum-Seaside-2010.jpg|thumb|[[Tulum]], a [[Maya civilization|Mayan]] city on the coast of the Caribbean in the state of [[Quintana Roo|Quintana Roo, Mexico]]]]

The Caribbean Sea was unknown to the populations of [[Eurasia]] until after 1492, when Christopher Columbus sailed into Caribbean waters in search of a sea route to Asia. At that time, the [[Americas]] were generally unknown to most Europeans, although [[Norse colonization of North America|they had been visited in the 10th century]] by the [[Vikings]]. After Columbus discovered the islands, the area was quickly colonized by several Western cultures (initially [[Spain#Imperial Spain|Spain]], then later [[England#Early Modern|England]], the [[History of the Netherlands#The Dutch in the Americas|Dutch Republic]], [[French colonial empire#The Americas|France]], [[Curonian colonization of the Americas|Courland]] and [[Danish colonization of the Americas#West Indies (1754–1917)|Denmark]]). After the colonization of the Caribbean islands, the Caribbean Sea became a busy area for European-based maritime trade and transport. The commerce eventually attracted [[Piracy in the Caribbean|pirates]] such as [[Samuel Bellamy]] and [[Blackbeard]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2025}}

{{As of|2015}} the area is home to 22 island [[territories]] and borders 12 continental [[countries]].{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}

==Extent==
[[File:Location_Caribbean.png|thumb|left|205px|The Caribbean Sea, southeast of the Gulf of Mexico]]
The [[International Hydrographic Organization]] defines the limits of the Caribbean Sea as follows:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iho.int/uploads/user/pubs/standards/s-23/S-23_Ed3_1953_EN.pdf|title=Limits of Oceans and Seas, 3rd edition|year=1953|publisher=International Hydrographic Organization|access-date=28 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008191433/http://www.iho-ohi.net/iho_pubs/standard/S-23/S23_1953.pdf|archive-date=8 October 2011}}</ref>

::''On the North.'' In the [[Windward Passage|Windward Channel]] – a line joining Caleta Point (74°15′W) in [[Cuba]] and Pearl Point (19°40′N) in [[Haiti]]. In the [[Mona Passage]] – a line joining [[Cape Engaño (Dominican Republic)|Cape Engaño]] and the extreme of Agujereada ({{coord|18|31|N|67|08|W|display=inline}}) in [[Puerto Rico]].

::''Eastern limits.'' From [[Point San Diego]] (Puerto Rico) northward along the meridian thereof (65°39′W) to the 100-fathom line, thence eastward and southward, in such a manner that all islands, shoals, and narrow waters of the [[Lesser Antilles]] are included in the Caribbean Sea as far as but not including Trinidad. From before [[Trinidad]] to Baja Point ({{coord|9|32|N|61|0|W|display=inline}}) in [[Venezuela]].

Although Trinidad and Tobago and [[Barbados]] are on the same continental shelf, they are considered to be in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] rather than in the Caribbean Sea.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stefanov|first=William|date=16 December 2009|title=Greater Bridgetown Area, Barbados|url=https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/42315/greater-bridgetown-area-barbados|access-date=16 September 2020|website=NASA Earth Observatory|archive-date=28 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028084801/https://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/42315/greater-bridgetown-area-barbados|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Geology==
The Caribbean Sea is an oceanic sea on the [[Caribbean Plate]]. The Caribbean Sea is separated from the ocean by several [[island arc]]s of various ages. The youngest stretches from the [[Lesser Antilles]] to the [[Virgin Islands]] to north of [[Trinidad and Tobago]], which is in the Atlantic. This arc was formed by a collision of the [[South American Plate]] with the [[Caribbean Plate]]. It included active and extinct [[volcanoes]] such as [[Mount Pelee]], [[the Quill (volcano)|the Quill]] on [[Sint Eustatius]] in the [[Caribbean Netherlands]], [[La Soufrière (volcano)|La Soufrière]] in [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]] and [[Morne Trois Pitons]] on [[Dominica]]. The larger islands in the northern part of the sea, [[Cuba]], [[Hispaniola]], [[Jamaica]], and [[Puerto Rico]] lie on an older island arc.

[[File:Caribbean Sea Gulf of Mexico shaded relief bathymetry land map.png|thumb|upright=1.4|The [[Terrain cartography|shaded relief]] map of the Caribbean Sea and the [[Gulf of Mexico]] area<ref name="GLOBE" /><ref name="ETOPO1" />]]

The Caribbean Sea is estimated to be 160 million to 180&nbsp;million years old and formed when a horizontal fracture in [[Pangaea]] split the [[supercontinent]] during the [[Mesozoic Era]].<ref>Iturralde-Vinent, Manuel (2004), The first inhabitants of the Caribbean, Cuban Science Network. URL accessed on 28/07/2007</ref> It is assumed the proto-Caribbean basin existed in the [[Devonian]] period and, in the early [[Carboniferous]] movement of [[Gondwana]] to the north and its convergence with the [[Euramerica]] basin, decreased in size. The next stage in the formation of the Caribbean Sea began in the [[Triassic]]. Powerful [[rifting]] led to the formation of narrow troughs stretching from modern [[Newfoundland]] to the [[Gulf of Mexico|Gulf of Mexico's]] west coast, which deposited [[siliciclastic]] [[sedimentary rock]]s. 

In the early [[Jurassic]], due to a powerful [[marine transgression]], water broke into the current area of the [[Gulf of Mexico]], creating a vast shallow pool. Deep basins emerged in the Caribbean during the [[Middle Jurassic]] [[rifting]]. The emergence of the basins marked the beginning of the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and contributed to the destruction of [[Pangaea]] at the end of the late [[Jurassic]]. 

During the [[Cretaceous]], the Caribbean acquired a shape close to today's. In the early [[Paleogene]], due to [[marine regression]], the Caribbean became separated from the [[Gulf of Mexico]] and the [[Atlantic Ocean]] by the lands of [[Cuba]] and [[Haiti]]. The Caribbean remained like this for most of the [[Cenozoic]] until the [[Holocene]], when rising ocean levels restored communication with the Atlantic Ocean.

The Caribbean's floor is composed of suboceanic [[sediments]] of [[deep red clay]] in the deep basins and troughs. On continental slopes and ridges, [[calcareous]] [[silt]]s are found. [[Clay minerals]] have likely been deposited by the mainland river [[Orinoco]] and the [[Magdalena River]]. Deposits on the bottom of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico have thicknesses of about {{cvt|1|km}}. Upper sedimentary layers date to the [[Mesozoic]] to [[Cenozoic]] (250 million years ago), and the lower layers to the [[Paleozoic]] to [[Mesozoic]].

[[File:Caribbean plate tectonics-en.png|thumb|upright=1.6|Caribbean plate tectonics]]

The Caribbean [[Seabed|seafloor]] is divided into five [[Oceanic basin|basins]] (the Yucatan, Cayman, Colombian, Venezuelan, and Grenada Basins) separated from one another by underwater ridges and mountain ranges (the Cayman Ridge, the Nicaraguan Rise, the Beata Ridge, and the Aves Ridge). Atlantic Ocean water enters the Caribbean through the ''Anegada Passage'' between the [[Lesser Antilles]] and the [[Virgin Islands]] and the ''Windward Passage'' between [[Cuba]] and [[Haiti]]. 

The [[Yucatán Channel]] between Mexico and Cuba links the [[Gulf of Mexico]] with the Caribbean. The deepest points of the sea lie in [[Cayman Trough]], with depths reaching approximately {{cvt|7686|m|-1}}. Despite that, the Caribbean Sea is considered relatively shallow compared to other bodies of water. The pressure of the [[South American Plate]] to the east of the Caribbean causes the [[Lesser Antilles]] to have high volcanic activity, and a severe eruption of [[Mount Pelée]] in 1902 resulted in many casualties.

The Caribbean seafloor is also the home of two [[oceanic trench]]es: the [[Cayman Trench]] and the [[Puerto Rico Trench]], which put the area at a high risk of [[earthquake]]s. Underwater earthquakes pose a threat of generating [[tsunami]]s, which could have devastating effects on the Caribbean islands. Scientific data reveal that over the past 500 years, the area has experienced a dozen earthquakes of magnitude 7.5 or higher.<ref>{{cite web | last = Dawicki | first = Shelley | url = http://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/viewArticle.do?id=3964 | title = Tsunamis in the Caribbean? It's possible. | publisher = Oceanus | access-date = April 30, 2006 | archive-date = November 16, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111116155320/http://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/viewArticle.do?id=3964 | url-status = live }}</ref> Most recently, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, on January 12, 2010.
* [[List of islands in the Caribbean]]

==Oceanography==
[[File:Golfstream.jpg|thumb|The [[North Equatorial Current]] and the [[Gulf Stream]]]]

The [[hydrology]] of the sea is highly homogeneous. Annual variations in monthly average water temperatures at the surface do not exceed {{cvt|3|C-change}}. In the past 50 years, the Caribbean has gone through three stages: cooling until 1974, a cold phase with peaks during 1974–1976 and 1984–1986, and, finally, a warming phase with an increase in temperature of {{cvt|0.6|C-change}} per year. Virtually all temperature extremes were associated with the phenomena of [[El Niño]] and [[La Niña]]. The [[salinity]] of the seawater is about 3.6%, and its [[density]] is {{cvt|1023.5|-|1024.0|kg/m3|lb/cuft}}. The surface water color is [[blue-green]] to [[green]].

The Caribbean's depth in its wider basins and deepwater temperatures are similar to those of the Atlantic Ocean. Atlantic deepwater is thought to spill into the Caribbean and contribute to the general deepwater of the Caribbean Sea.<ref>Pernetta, John. (2004). Guide to the Oceans. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books, Inc., p. 178. {{ISBN|978-1-55297-942-6}}.</ref> The surface water (30&nbsp;m; 100&nbsp;ft) acts as an extension of the northern Atlantic as the [[Guiana Current]] and part of the [[North Equatorial Current]] enter the sea on the east. On the western side of the sea, the [[trade winds]] influence a northerly current, which causes an [[upwelling]] and a rich fishery near [[Yucatán]].<ref>Pernetta, John. (2004). Guide to the Oceans. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books, Inc. pp. 177–178. {{ISBN|978-1-55297-942-6}}.</ref>

==Ecology==
The Caribbean is the home of about 9% of the world's [[coral reef]]s, covering about {{convert|50000|km2|abbr=on}}, most of which are located off the Caribbean islands and the [[Central America]]n coast.<ref>[http://marine.wri.org/pubs_content_text.cfm?ContentID=744 Status of coral reefs in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060621003446/http://marine.wri.org/pubs_content_text.cfm?ContentID=744 |date=June 21, 2006 }} World Resource Institute. URL accessed on April 29, 2006.</ref> Among them, the [[Belize Barrier Reef]] stands out, with an area of {{cvt|963|km2}}, which was declared a [[World Heritage Site]] in 1996. It forms part of the [[Great Mayan Reef]] (also known as the [[MBRS]]) and, being more than {{cvt|1000|km|-2}} in length, is the world's second longest. It runs along the Caribbean coasts of [[Mexico]], [[Belize]], [[Guatemala]] and [[Honduras]].

Since 2005, unusually warm Caribbean waters have been increasingly [[Coral bleaching|threatening]] the coral reefs. Coral reefs support some of the most diverse marine habitats in the world, but they are fragile ecosystems. When tropical waters become unusually warm for extended periods of time, microscopic plants called [[zooxanthellae]], which are [[symbiosis|symbiotic]] partners living within the coral [[polyp (zoology)|polyp]] tissues, die off. These plants provide food for the corals and give them their color. The death and dispersal of these tiny plants is called [[coral bleaching]] and can devastate large areas of reef. More than 42% of corals are completely bleached, and 95% are experiencing some whitening.<ref>[http://www.ipsnews.net/2012/03/mesoamerican-coral-reef-on-the-way-to-becoming-a-marine-desert/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129020115/http://www.ipsnews.net/2012/03/mesoamerican-coral-reef-on-the-way-to-becoming-a-marine-desert/|date=2014-11-29}} Inter Press Service News Agency – Mesoamerican Coral Reef on the way to becoming a Marine Desert</ref> Historically, the Caribbean is thought to contain 14% of the world's coral reefs.<ref>Elder, Danny and Pernetta, John. (1991). ''The Random House Atlas of the Oceans''. New York : Random House. p. 124. {{ISBN|978-0-679-40830-7}}.</ref>

[[File:Belize Barrier Reef from space.png|thumb|center|upright=2.75|The Belize Barrier Reef viewed from the [[International Space Station]] in 2016]]

The habitats supported by the reefs are critical to activities such as [[fishing]] and [[Underwater diving|scuba diving]], and they provide an annual economic value to Caribbean nations of [[US$]]3.1–4.6&nbsp;billion. Continued reef destruction could severely damage the region's economy.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3679332.stm Alarm sounded for Caribbean coral] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812001047/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3679332.stm |date=2011-08-12 }}. BBC News. URL accessed on April 29, 2006.</ref> The ''Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region'' came into effect in 1986 to protect the various endangered marine life of the Caribbean by forbidding human activities that would advance the continued destruction of such marine life in various areas. Currently, the convention has been [[ratified]] by 15 countries.<ref>[http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/international/spaw.htm Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife to the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (SPAW)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405200425/http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/international/spaw.htm |date=2018-04-05 }} NOAA Fisheries:
Office of Protected Resources. URL accessed on April 30, 2006.</ref> Several charitable organizations have formed to preserve Caribbean marine life, such as [[Sea Turtle Conservancy]], which seeks to study and protect [[sea turtles]] while educating about them.<ref>[http://www.oriononline.org/pages/ogn/vieworg.cfm?action=one&viewby=name&ogn_org_ID=893 Caribbean Conservation Corporation] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061001211906/http://www.oriononline.org/pages/ogn/vieworg.cfm?action=one&viewby=name&ogn_org_ID=893 |date=October 1, 2006 }} Orion Online. URL last accessed May 1, 2006.</ref>

[[File:Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve.jpg|thumb|The [[Sian Ka'an]] Biosphere Reserve, Mexico]]

In 2012, the Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology of the [[National Autonomous University of Mexico]] conducted a regional study funded by the Department of Technical Cooperation of the [[International Atomic Energy Agency]], in which specialists from 11 Latin American countries (Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela) plus Jamaica participated. The study's findings indicate that heavy metals, including mercury, arsenic, and lead, have been detected in the coastal zone of the Caribbean Sea. Analysis of toxic metals and hydrocarbons is based on the investigation of coastal sediments that have accumulated to depths of less than 50 meters over the past 150 years. Project results were presented in Vienna at the forum "Water Matters" and the 2011 General Conference of that multilateral organization.<ref>[http://www.dgcs.unam.mx/boletin/bdboletin/2012_046.html Analysis of Contaminants in the Caribbean Sea over the last 150 years] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517101713/http://www.dgcs.unam.mx/boletin/bdboletin/2012_046.html |date=2017-05-17 }}. National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) 2012 (Spa).</ref>

After the Mediterranean Sea, the Caribbean Sea is the second-most-polluted sea. Pollution in the form of up to 300,000 tonnes of solid garbage dumped into the Caribbean Sea each year is progressively endangering marine ecosystems, wiping out species, and harming the livelihoods of local people, who rely primarily on tourism and fishing.<ref name=":111">{{Cite web |publisher=European Investment Bank |date=2023-02-23 |title=The Clean Oceans Initiative |url=https://www.eib.org/en/publications/20230014-the-clean-oceans-initiative |language=EN |access-date=2023-02-23 |archive-date=2023-02-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223145820/https://www.eib.org/en/publications/20230014-the-clean-oceans-initiative |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pollution in the Mediterranean |url=https://www.unep.org/unepmap/resources/factsheets/pollution |access-date=2023-02-23 |website=UNEPMAP |archive-date=2023-02-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223151121/https://www.unep.org/unepmap/resources/factsheets/pollution |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-10-27 |title=Over 200,000 tonnes of plastic leaking into the Mediterranean each year – IUCN report |url=https://www.iucn.org/news/marine-and-polar/202010/over-200000-tonnes-plastic-leaking-mediterranean-each-year-iucn-report |access-date=2023-02-23 |website=IUCN |language=en |archive-date=2023-02-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223151121/https://www.iucn.org/news/marine-and-polar/202010/over-200000-tonnes-plastic-leaking-mediterranean-each-year-iucn-report |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Marine Pollution Threatens the Caribbean Sea |url=https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/video/2019/05/30/marine-pollution-threatens-the-caribbean-sea |access-date=2023-02-23 |website=World Bank |language=en |archive-date=2023-02-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223151128/https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/video/2019/05/30/marine-pollution-threatens-the-caribbean-sea |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Climate==
[[File:NASA ASMR-E image of average SSTs of Hurricane Katrina.jpg|thumb|The average sea surface temperatures for the Caribbean Atlantic Ocean, 25–27 August 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/hurricane_record.html|title=NASA – NASA Satellites Record a Month for the Hurricane History Books|website=www.nasa.gov|access-date=2006-12-09|archive-date=2011-09-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110918143351/http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/hurricane_record.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Hurricane Katrina]] is seen just above [[Cuba]].]]

The Caribbean's climate is driven by its low latitude and tropical ocean currents. The principal ocean current is the [[North Equatorial Current]], which enters the region from the tropical [[Atlantic]]. The climate of the area is [[tropical]], varying from [[tropical rainforest]] in some regions to [[tropical savanna]] in others. There are also some locations with [[arid]] climates and considerable drought in some years.

Rainfall varies with elevation, size, and water currents. Cool upwelling keeps the [[ABC islands (Lesser Antilles)|ABC islands]] arid. Warm, moist [[trade winds]] blow consistently from the east, creating both rainforest and semi-arid climates across the region. Tropical rainforest climates include lowland areas near the Caribbean Sea from [[Costa Rica]] north to [[Belize]], as well as the [[Dominican Republic]] and [[Puerto Rico]].<ref>Silverstein, Alvin (1998) Weather and Climate (Science Concepts); page 17. 21st century. {{ISBN|978-0-7613-3223-7}}</ref>

More seasonal dry tropical savanna climates are found in [[Cuba]], northern [[Venezuela]] and [[Colombia]], and southern [[Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán, Mexico]]. Arid climates are found along the extreme northern coast of Venezuela (e.g., [[Paraguaná Peninsula]]) and Colombia (e.g., [[Guajira Peninsula]]), extending to the islands, including [[Aruba]] and [[Curaçao]], and to the northern tip of Yucatán.<ref>Silverstein, Alvin (1998) Weather and Climate (Science Concepts); page 17. 21st century. {{ISBN|978-0-7613-3223-7}}</ref>

[[Tropical cyclones]] are a threat to the nations that rim the Caribbean Sea. While landfalls are infrequent, the resulting loss of life and property damage makes them a significant hazard to life in the Caribbean. Tropical cyclones that impact the Caribbean often develop off the West coast of [[Africa]] and make their way west across the Atlantic Ocean toward the Caribbean, while other storms develop in the Caribbean itself. The Caribbean hurricane season runs from June to November, with most hurricanes occurring in August and September. On average, about nine tropical storms form each year, with five reaching hurricane strength. According to the [[National Hurricane Center]], 385 hurricanes occurred in the Caribbean between 1494 and 1900.

==Flora and fauna==
The region has a high level of [[biodiversity]], and many species are [[endemic]] to the Caribbean.

===Vegetation===
The vegetation of the region is mostly [[tropical]], but differences in [[topography]], soil, and climatic conditions increase [[species diversity]]. Where porous limestone terraced islands occur, they are generally poor in nutrients. It is estimated that 13,000 species of plants grow in the Caribbean, of which 6,500 are [[endemic]]. For example, guaiac wood (''[[Guaiacum officinale]]''), the flower of which is the national flower of [[Jamaica]] and the Bayahibe rose (''[[Pereskia quisqueyana]]'') which is the national flower of the [[Dominican Republic]] and the [[ceiba]] which is the national tree of both [[Puerto Rico]] and [[Guatemala]]. The [[mahogany]] is the national tree of the Dominican Republic and [[Belize]]. The caimito (''[[Chrysophyllum cainito]]'') grows throughout the Caribbean. In coastal zones, [[coconut palms]] are found, and in [[lagoons]] and [[estuaries]] are found thick areas of [[Avicennia germinans|black mangrove]] and red mangrove (''[[Rhizophora mangle]]'').

In shallow water, [[flora]] and [[fauna]] are concentrated around [[coral reefs]] where there is little variation in water temperature, purity, and salinity. Leeward sides of [[lagoons]] provide areas of growth for [[sea grass]]es. Turtle grass (''[[Thalassia testudinum]]'') is common in the Caribbean, as is manatee grass (''[[Syringodium filiforme]]''), which can grow together as well as in fields of single species at depths up to {{cvt|20|m}}. Another type of shoal grass (''[[Halodule wrightii]]'') grows on sand and mud surfaces at depths of up to {{cvt|5|m}}. 

In [[brackish water]] of harbours and estuaries at depths less than {{cvt|2.5|m}} widgeongrass (''[[Ruppia maritima]]'') grows. Representatives of three species belonging to the genus ''[[Halophila]]'', (''[[Halophila baillonii]]'', ''[[Halophila engelmannii]]'' and ''[[Halophila decipiens]]'') are found at depths of up to {{cvt|30|m}} except for ''Halophila engelmani'' which does not grow below {{cvt|5|m}} and is confined to the [[Bahamas]], [[Florida]], the [[Greater Antilles]] and the western part of the Caribbean. ''Halophila baillonii'' has been found only in the [[Lesser Antilles]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20111215112552/http://www.seagrasswatch.org/Caribbean.html Caribbean seagrass]. Seagrass watch, retrieved April 23, 2009.</ref>

===Fauna===
[[File:Puerto Rican parrot.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Puerto Rican parrot]]]]
[[File:Green sea turtle cayman turtle farm.jpg|thumb|[[Green sea turtle]], [[Grand Cayman Island]]]]

Marine [[biota (ecology)|biota]] in the region have representatives of both the [[Indian Ocean|Indian]] and [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] oceans, which were caught in the Caribbean before the emergence of the [[Isthmus of Panama]] four million years ago.<ref>Robert James Menzies, John C Ogden. [https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/95846/Caribbean-Sea "Caribbean Sea"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804043128/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/95846/Caribbean-Sea |date=2011-08-04 }}. Britannica Online Encyclopaedia.</ref> In the Caribbean Sea there are around 1,000 documented species of fish, including [[sharks]] ([[bull shark]], [[tiger shark]], [[silky shark]] and [[Caribbean reef shark]]), [[flying fish]], [[giant oceanic manta ray]], [[Pomacanthidae|angel fish]], [[spotfin butterflyfish]], [[parrotfish]], [[Atlantic Goliath grouper]], [[tarpon]] and [[moray eels]]. Throughout the Caribbean, there is industrial catching of [[lobster]] and [[sardines]] (off the coast of [[Yucatán Peninsula]]).

There are 90 species of [[mammal]]s in the Caribbean, including [[sperm whale]]s, [[humpback whale]]s, and [[dolphin]]s. The island of [[Jamaica]] is home to [[Pinniped|seals]] and [[manatees]]. The [[Caribbean monk seal]], which lived in the Caribbean, is considered extinct. [[Solenodon]]s and [[hutias]] are mammals found only in the [[Caribbean]]; only one extant species is not endangered.

There are 500 species of [[reptile]]s, 94% of which are [[endemic]]. Islands are home to some endemic species, such as [[Cyclura|rock iguanas]] and [[American crocodile]]. The [[blue iguana]], endemic to the island of [[Grand Cayman]], is endangered. The [[green iguana]] is invasive to [[Grand Cayman]]. The [[Mona ground iguana]], which inhabits the island of [[Mona, Puerto Rico]], is endangered. The [[rhinoceros iguana]] on the island of [[Hispaniola]], which is shared between [[Haiti]] and the [[Dominican Republic]], is also endangered. The region has several types of [[sea turtle]] ([[Loggerhead sea turtle|loggerhead]], [[green turtle]], [[hawksbill]], [[leatherback turtle]], [[Atlantic ridley]] and [[olive ridley sea turtle|olive ridley]]). Some species are threatened with extinction.<ref>Severin Carrell, [https://web.archive.org/web/20090124134544/http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/caribbean-sea-turtles-close-to-extinction-534854.html "Caribbean Sea Turtles Close to Extinction"], ''[[The Independent]]'', 28 November 2004.</ref> Their populations have been greatly reduced since the 17th century – the number of green turtles has declined from 91&nbsp;million to 300,000 and hawksbill turtles from 11&nbsp;million to less than 30,000 by 2006.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120711211016/http://news.mongabay.com/2006/0801-turtles.html Historic Caribbean Sea Turtle Population falls 99%. Plunge has significant ecological consequences]. Mongabay.com (August 1, 2006).</ref>

All 170 [[amphibian]] species in the region are endemic. The habitats of almost all members of the [[toad]] family, [[poison dart frogs]], [[tree frogs]] and [[leptodactylidae]] (a type of frog) are limited to only one island.<ref>[http://www.conservation.org/where/priority_areas/hotspots/north_central_america/Caribbean-Islands/Pages/default.aspx Conservation International Caribbean Islands] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522082946/http://www.conservation.org/where/priority_areas/hotspots/north_central_america/Caribbean-Islands/Pages/default.aspx |date=2013-05-22 }}, Threatened Species.</ref> The [[Eleutherodactylus jasperi|golden coqui]] is in serious threat of extinction.

In the Caribbean, 600 species of birds have been recorded, of which 163 are [[endemic]] such as [[tody|todies]], [[Fernandina's flicker]] and [[palmchat]]. The [[American yellow warbler]] is found in many areas, as is the [[green heron]]. Of the endemic species, 48 are threatened with extinction, including the [[Puerto Rican amazon]] and the [[Zapata wren]]. According to [[BirdLife International]], in 2006 in [[Cuba]], 29 bird species were threatened with extinction, and two species were officially extinct.<ref>[http://www.birdlife.org/americas/news/vertebrates-get-red-list-treatment-cuba "Birdlife International"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201219005841/http://www.birdlife.org/americas/news/vertebrates-get-red-list-treatment-cuba |date=2020-12-19 }} – Red List Cuba.</ref> The [[black-fronted piping guan]] is endangered. [[The Antilles]] and [[Central America]] lie in the flight path of [[migrating birds]] from North America, so population sizes are subject to seasonal fluctuations. [[Parrots]] and [[bananaquits]] are found in forests. Over the open sea, [[frigatebirds]] and [[tropicbirds]] can be seen.

==Economy and human activity==
[[File:Panorámica de San Andres.JPG|thumb|A view of [[San Andrés (island)|San Andrés island]], Colombia]]

The Caribbean region has seen a significant increase in human activity since colonization. The sea is one of the largest oil production areas in the world, producing approximately 170&nbsp;million {{clarify|text=tons|reason=metric tonnes, long tons or short tons?|date=June 2017}} per year.<ref name="marinepollution">[http://www.cep.unep.org/issues/lbsp.html An Overview of Land Based Sources of Marine Pollution] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207011407/http://www.cep.unep.org/issues/lbsp.html |date=2006-12-07 }} Caribbean Environment Programme. URL last accessed May 14, 2006.</ref> The area also generates a large fishing industry for the surrounding countries, accounting for {{convert|500000|t}} of fish a year.<ref>[http://na.nefsc.noaa.gov/lme/text/lme12.htm#fish LME 12: Caribbean Sea] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060504182758/http://na.nefsc.noaa.gov/lme/text/lme12.htm |date=2006-05-04 }} NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center Narragansett Laboratory. URL last accessed May 14, 2006.</ref>

Human activity in the area contributes significantly to [[pollution]]. In 1993, it was estimated that only about 10% of the sewage from the Central American and Caribbean Island countries was properly treated before being released into the sea.<ref name=marinepollution/>

The region has been famous for its rum production - the drink is first mentioned in records from Barbados in around 1650, although it was likely to have been produced beforehand across the other islands.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 July 2023 |title=Rum in the Caribbean |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/everything-about-caribbean-rum-best-bars-distilleries |access-date=24 September 2024 |website=nationalgeographic.com}}</ref>

The Caribbean region supports a large [[tourism]] industry. The [[Caribbean Tourism Organization]] calculates that about 12&nbsp;million people a year visit the area, including (in 1991–1992) about 8&nbsp;million cruise ship tourists. Tourism based upon [[scuba diving]] and [[snorkeling]] on [[coral reefs]] of many Caribbean islands makes a major contribution to their economies.<ref>[http://www.wri.org/publication/content/7909 Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean: Economic Valuation Methodology] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227165202/http://www.wri.org/publication/content/7909 |date=2012-02-27 }} World Resources Institute 2009.</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Jamaica sunrise.JPG|Sunrise over the south beach of [[Jamaica]]
File:Village Gran Roque.jpg|[[Los Roques Archipelago]], [[Venezuela]]
File:Marie Galante - on the beach (407689602).jpg|[[Marie Galante]], [[Guadeloupe]]
File:Strand Auf Klein Curacao (213574363).jpeg|Beach of [[Curaçao]]
File:Mona Island, Puerto Rico.JPG|[[Mona Island]], [[Puerto Rico]]
File:Palm Beach, Aruba (4901990402).jpg|Palm Beach, [[Aruba]]
File:Beach Of Cayo Coco (108034377).jpeg|[[Cayo Coco]], [[Cuba]]
File:Grosse Roche Beach in Saint-Marc, Haiti.jpg|[[Saint-Marc]], [[Haiti]]
File:Sunset over the Caribbean Sea.jpg|Sunset in the Caribbean Sea
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Geography|Caribbean|Oceans}}
* [[American Mediterranean Sea]]
* [[Greater Antilles]]
* [[Hispanic America]]
* [[Ibero-America]]
* [[Intra-Americas Sea]]
* [[Kick 'em Jenny]]
* [[Latin America]]
* [[Lesser Antilles]]
* [[List of Caribbean islands]]
* [[List of Caribbean Countries]]
* [[List of Caribbean countries by population]]
* [[Piracy in the Caribbean]]
* [[Territorial evolution of the Caribbean]]
* [[West Indies]]
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em |refs=

<ref name="GLOBE">National Geophysical Data Center, 1999. Global Land One-kilometer Base Elevation (GLOBE) v.1. Hastings, D. and P.K. Dunbar. [http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/topo/gltiles.html National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210142322/http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/topo/gltiles.html |date=2011-02-10 }}. doi:10.7289/V52R3PMS [access date: 2015-03-16]</ref>

<ref name="ETOPO1">Amante, C. and B.W. Eakins, 2009. ETOPO1 1 Arc-Minute Global Relief Model: Procedures, Data Sources and Analysis. NOAA Technical Memorandum NESDIS NGDC-24. [https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/etopo-global-relief-model National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA]. doi:10.7289/V5C8276M [access date: 2015-03-18].</ref>

}}

==Further reading==
* Donovan, Stephen K., and Trevor A. Jackson, eds. ''Caribbean Geology: An Introduction'' (1994) [http://www.redciencia.cu/geobiblio/paper/1994_K.Donovan_Trevor%20A.%20Jackson_Caribbean%20Geology.pdf#page=17 online]
* Gallegos, Artemio. "Descriptive physical oceanography of the Caribbean Sea". ''Small Islands Marine Science and Sustainable Development'' 51 (1996): 36–55.
* Glover K., Linda (2004), ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZhOhtOQHeE8C Defying Ocean's End: An Agenda For Action]'', Island Press, p.&nbsp;9. {{ISBN|978-1-55963-753-4}}
* Morgan, Philip D. et al. ''Sea and Land: An Environmental History of the Caribbean'' (Oxford University Press, 2022) [http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=58495 online review]
* Peters, Philip Dickenson (2003), ''Caribbean WOW 2.0'', Islandguru Media, p.&nbsp;100^^75;4. {{ISBN|978-1-929970-04-9}}.
* Snyderman, Marty (1996), ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=dyDiNyKSuiUC Guide to Marine Life: Caribbean-Bahamas-Florida]'', Aqua Quest Publications, pp.&nbsp;13–14, 19. {{ISBN|978-1-881652-06-9}}.
* Wood, Robert E. "Caribbean cruise tourism: Globalization at sea." ''Annals of tourism research'' 27.2 (2000): 345–370.
* Woodring, Wendell Phillips. "Caribbean land and sea through the ages." ''Geological Society of America Bulletin'' 65.8 (1954): 719–732. GSA Bulletin (1954) 65 (8): 719–732. {{Doi|10.1130/0016-7606(1954)65[719:CLASTT]2.0.CO}}
* ''Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean: Economic Valuation Methodology'', World Resources Institute, 2007.

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170907214627/http://www.ceaprc.org/ Center For Advanced Study on Puerto Rico and the Caribbean]

{{List of seas}}
{{Marginal seas of the Atlantic Ocean}}
{{Caribbean topic}}
{{Caribbean topics}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Caribbean Sea| ]]
[[Category:Geography of the Caribbean]]
[[Category:Geography of Central America]]
[[Category:Geography of Colombia]]
[[Category:Geography of Mexico]]
[[Category:Geography of Venezuela]]
[[Category:Seas of the Atlantic Ocean]]
[[Category:Seas of North America]]
[[Category:Tropical Atlantic]]