Currents of the Caribbean Sea. caribbean sea

Facts and background - learn about the Caribbean today

One of the most big seas our planet is the Caribbean Sea. The sea is located in the Western Hemisphere and is part of Atlantic Ocean.

Borders caribbean . From the Greater Antilles in the north to the Lesser Antilles in the east. north coast South America- This is the south of the Caribbean Sea. To the west and southwest are the coasts of Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico, as the boundary between the Gulf and the Caribbean Sea.

Caribbean - This term is used to refer to the islands located in the Caribbean Sea region. The Caribbean is also known as the "West Indies" because Columbus was looking for a way to India and found what he found.

And only 2% of the Caribbean is actually inhabited.

The coasts of the Americas are also included in the Caribbean.

Caribbean coastline:

• Colombia
• Venezuela
• Nicaragua
• Honduras
• Guatemala
• Panama
• Costa Rica
• Belize

The Caribbean includes more than 700 islands, islets, reefs, caves. The islands are divided into different groups of islands, archipelagos (the Bahamas, for example).

Note: George Washington called the fabulous archipelago of the Bahamas - the islands of endless June.

Caribbean Island States:

• Haiti
• Jamaica
• Puerto Rico
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Guadeloupe, Martinique (French jurisdiction)
• Dominica
• Saint Lucia
• Curacao
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Barbados
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Virgin Islands and Minor Outlying Islands (US jurisdiction)
• Grenada
• Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (Netherlands jurisdiction)
• Cayman islands
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Aruba
• British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Montserrat (UK jurisdiction)
• Sint Maarten and Saint Maarten
• Saint Barthélemy
• Navas Island, Serranilla and Bajo Nuevo

The predominant languages ​​in the Caribbean are Spanish, English, Dutch, Haitian, Creole and Papiamento.

What is the area of ​​the Caribbean Sea?

1,063,000 square miles or 2,754,000 square kilometers. The Caribbean Sea is one of the largest seas in the world.

Where is the Deepest Point in the Caribbean Sea?

Powerful rifting led to the formation of narrow troughs and the emergence of deep basins. You can find the deepest Cayman Trough. It has a depth of 25,220 feet or 7,886 meters below sea level. This place is located in the middle of the water area - where Jamaica and the Cayman Islands are.

What bays and bays does the Caribbean Sea have?

The seas include the Gulf of Honduras, the Gulfs of Venezuela, the Gonaves, Golfo de los mosquitoes and the Gulf of Darien.

Barrier Reef.
The Caribbean Sea is famous for its amazing barrier reef. People call it the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. The report notes that it is regarded as the second largest barrier reef in the world. The barrier reef can be seen along Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and the Mexican coasts. Belize Barrier Reef in 1996 UNESCO included as a World Heritage Site.

Coral Reef.
About 9 percent of the world's coral reefs are located in the Caribbean Sea. Coral reefs in the Caribbean are concentrated in the region of Central America and along the coasts of the Caribbean islands. Here you can see pearl divers.

Coral reefs in the Caribbean are in danger of extinction. Corals are bleaching, due to the effect global warming, rising sea temperatures.

On average, the weather in the Caribbean Sea has an air temperature of about 21-29 degrees C.

Pirates. Movies about pirates are filmed mainly in the Caribbean. Not surprisingly, this region was chosen by pirates: piracy has flourished here since the 17th century.

The Caribbean region is a seismically hazardous area. Hurricanes and storms with a power of more than seven points (and even Tsunamis) occur periodically here, bringing destruction with them. The Atlantic (tropical) hurricane season occurs from June to November. The deadliest hurricane in the history of the West Indies, the Great Hurricane, hit in 1780. The most destructive of the storms were hurricanes: Katrina, Jeanne, Ivan, Galveston. ... Up to 12 hurricanes happen in the Atlantic during the season. And the most record-breaking in terms of the number of hurricanes (19 times) was 1995 and 1933.

• Probably, the Caribbean Sea took its name from the Indians of the Carib tribe. But its main inhabitants are immigrants from continental Europe and Africa.
• Another interesting fact. There are more churches per square mile in Jamaica than in any other country in the world. This is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.

The Caribbean Sea, or the Central American Sea, is the marginal sea of ​​the Atlantic Ocean. Its northern border runs from the Yucatan Peninsula to the Greater Antilles, further along the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico and Jamaica). The Virgin Islands, located east of Puerto Rico, are part of the Lesser Antilles. The latter are made up of a large number small islands forming an arc directed southeast from the Anegada Strait and further south, where the arc adjoins the shelf of South America, forming the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea. Major islands this volcanic arc—Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Lucia, and others. mountain ranges Venezuela. The southern border of the Caribbean Sea is the northern shores of three countries - Venezuela, Colombia and Panama. The eastern shores of Central America form the eastern stepped border of the Caribbean Sea, the first step of which is Honduras, the second Yucatan Peninsula. The Yucatan Strait, 220 km wide, connects the Caribbean Sea with the Gulf of Mexico.

Numerous straits up to 2000 m deep between the Greater and Lesser Antilles connect the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. The total area of ​​the Caribbean Sea is 2640 thousand km2. The greatest depth of the Caribbean Sea is slightly more than 7100 m. In the Cayman Trench, the following main basins are located from east to west: Grenada (3000 m), Venezuelan (5000 m), Columoon (4000 m), Cayman (6000 m) and Yucatan (500 m). Minor basins are the Virgin Islands Basin, the Dominican Trench, and the Caryaco Basin. Average depth basins of about 4400 m. From east to west stretch the main underwater ridges: Aves, Beata, Jamaica and Cayman. The Caribbean Sea is located in the trade wind zone, and therefore the winds blowing from the east and NNE are very stable here. Intense precipitation occurs during the summer months when tropical weather conditions prevail. The most abundant precipitation falls east of the Isthmus of Panama - more than 2000 mm for 6 months, from June to November. Few hurricanes originate directly in the Caribbean, but many hurricanes come through the Lesser Antilles in late summer and early autumn.

Hydrological regime

Circulation. Most of the straits connecting the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean are shallow, which prevents a large water exchange. Only some straits have a depth of more than 1000 m, and they play a leading role in the circulation of the waters of the Caribbean Sea. The main strait through which the waters exit the Caribbean Sea is the Yucatan Strait. The depth of its threshold is about 2000 m.

The direction of the main flow of the Caribbean Sea in the upper 1500-meter layer is from east to west. Below this depth, the waters of the Caribbean Sea are isolated from the ocean, so there is a very slow and variable current. In the Caribbean Sea, water comes from the Atlantic Ocean, brought by the drifting Guiana Current, which runs along the coast of South America to the northwest. Having reached the Lesser Antilles, the Guiana Current forks. The main branch passes into the Caribbean Sea through the central straits of this island arc, mainly through the straits north and south of the island of St. Lucia; the other branch merges into the North Equatorial Current and runs along the eastern and northern borders of the Caribbean towards the Bahamas. The waters of the Guiana Current form in the Caribbean Sea, after they pass the Grenada Basin and the Aves Ridge, a well-developed zonal circulation with a maximum flow velocity 200-300 km north of the coast of South America. A branch of the Guiana Current joins the Caribbean Current and continues westward through the Aruba Passage into the Columbia Basin. In the western part of the basin, it turns north, crosses the Jamaica Range, and then goes along the Cayman Basin to 85-86° W. where it turns north again and exits the Caribbean Sea through the Yucatan Strait.

The axis of the Caribbean current usually passes over the greatest depths from the Lesser Antilles to the Yucatan Strait. To the north and south of the axis of the Caribbean current, the flows are basically parallel. Their direction slightly changes with depth, while the speed decreases continuously with increasing depth, for example, to<5 см/с на глубинах свыше 1500 м в Венесуэльской и Колумбийской котловинах. В Кайманской и Юкатанской котловинах глубинное течение проявляется лучше, но его все же можно считать медленным.

The speed of the surface currents of the Caribbean Sea is determined by seasonal changes in the speed of the trade winds. The highest velocity of the Caribbean current on the surface is observed at the end of winter (39.1 cm/s) and at the beginning of summer (41.2 cm/s). The average speed of the Caribbean Current on the surface during the year is 0.7 knots, or 38 cm/s. During observations from ships, higher velocities were noted, reaching 138.9 cm/s on the main axis of the Caribbean Current. Estimated velocities can be calculated from density measurements. The calculation shows that the main axis of the current is preserved in the upper 300–400 m layer, and its velocity rapidly decreases from 40–60 cm/s at the surface to 10 cm/s at a depth of 300 m. depth 1000-1500 m; below this depth, the current is too slow to be calculated by the geostrophic method. There are counter currents along the coasts of Cuba, Haiti and South America (to the east). In the western regions of the Columbia, Cayman and Yucatan basins, the countercurrents are directed towards the center of the Caribbean Sea. The zonal current is disturbed by meridional transport, which is caused by the deviation of the flow at the border with the mainland.

The transport of water through sections from north to south can be calculated from geostrophic velocities. In the west, its average value is 30 million m3/s. The straits of the Greater Antilles do not play a significant role in the overall transport. Through the meridian 64 ° W. it is basically the same as through the 84°W meridian. The Caribbean Current accounts for approximately 30% of the total transport (75–90 million m3/s) of water by the Gulf Stream. (The remaining 70% enters the Gulf Stream from the Antilles current, which flows into it north of the Bahamas.)

A feature of the circulation of the waters of the Caribbean Sea is the rise of deep waters to the surface off the coast of South America. The upward movement of water masses in the Caribbean Sea, as in other areas of the World Ocean, is caused by the action of the wind: surface water is driven away from the coast and replaced by deep water. The rise of deep waters does not extend to great depths and is not significant below 250 m. As a result of the rise of deep waters, productivity increases, this is an area of ​​​​intensive fishing. The corresponding subsidence of surface water occurs in the Venezuelan and Columbia Basins along 17°N.

Salinity of the Caribbean

The salinity field in the Caribbean Sea is characterized by four layers. Two of them, surface waters and subtropical subsurface waters (50-200 cm) are associated with the area of ​​warm waters of the ocean and are separated from the area of ​​cold waters at a depth of 400-600 m by a layer of water with a low (below 3.0 ml/l) oxygen content; the other two layers are represented by cold Subantarctic intermediate waters (700–850 m) and North Atlantic deep waters (1800–2500 m).

The waters lying on the boundary between the main layers are mixed due to turbulence. The salinity of surface waters depends on evaporation, atmospheric precipitation, land runoff and advection caused by currents. Salinity in winter is higher off the coast of South America (36 ind.), and this is partly due to the rise of saline subtropical subsurface waters to the surface. In the north of the Caribbean Sea, salinity on the surface decreases and becomes less than 35.5 ppm. In the Cayman and Yucatan basins, the highest salinity (Sbprom) is observed south of Cuba. Further south, the salinity of surface waters also decreases to 35.5 ppm. off the coast of Honduras. In summer, heavy rainfall and runoff from land reduce the salinity of surface waters by about 0.5 ppm in the south and by 1.0 ppm. in the north.

Information about the distribution of salinity in the western part of the Caribbean Sea is still insufficient.
Subtropical subsurface water has the highest salinity. It is a thin layer (which indicates the predominance of horizontal mixing over vertical in a stable layer), which has a slope from south (50-100 m) to north (200 m).
The main axis of the flow of subtropical subsurface water coincides with the axis of the Caribbean current. The salinity of this water is more than 37% in the eastern regions of the Venezuelan basin. In the Yucatan Strait, as a result of mixing, salinity decreases to 36.7 ppm. a
Subantarctic intermediate water, which forms in the zone of the southern polar front, is the least saline. Its layer also has a slope from the south (600-700 m) to the north (800-850 m). In the southern Caribbean this layer is thicker. West of 65°W e. its northern edge becomes thinner and disappears, not reaching the northern border of the Caribbean Sea. The salinity of this layer is less than 34.7 ppm by V, but as the waters move, it increases so much that this layer cannot be found in the Yucatan Strait. Its axis also coincides with the axis of the Caribbean current. Below this layer is a layer of North Atlantic deep water that enters the Caribbean Sea through the rapids of the straits between the Lesser Antilles. The water of this layer is extremely homogeneous, with a salinity of about 35 ppm.

Caribbean Sea temperature

The temperature field of the Caribbean Sea has a tropical character, i.e. warm water on the surface and a well-marked thermocline at a depth of 100–200 m, which prevents vertical mixing and heat penetration from the surface into the depths. Below 1500 m, the water temperature is approximately 4°C with slight fluctuations from basin to basin. The temperature rises by a few tenths of a degree at greater depths (below 3000 m) due to the influence of increasing pressure. The temperature distribution of the surface layer determines the position of the temperature equator in the northern Caribbean Sea.

At the end of summer, the temperature of the surface layer of the Caribbean Sea is 28.3 ° C in the south and 28.9 ° C in the north. In the west of the Caribbean, the warmest month is August, in the east it is September. The temperature of the surface layer of the Caribbean Sea in winter is about 3 ° C lower. In the Caribbean Sea, surface layer temperatures show small gradients and seasonal fluctuations. Below a depth of 150 m, seasonal fluctuations are not observed. The central regions of the Caribbean Sea receive an average of 6.28 * 10^18 cal / day of heat per year, with a deviation from this average of ± 0.5 * 10^18 cal / day.

And located in the tropical zone of the Western Hemisphere. In the northwest, the reservoir borders the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico) and connects to the Gulf of Mexico through the Yucatan Strait between Yucatan and Cuba. To the north and east are the Greater and Lesser Antilles. In the south, the sea washes the northern coast of South America. To the west and southwest is the coast of Central America. Here Caribbean waters join the Pacific Ocean through the Panama Canal.

Geography

The reservoir in question is one of the largest in the world. Its area is 2.754 thousand square meters. km. The volume of water is 6.860 thousand cubic meters. km. The maximum depth is 7686 meters. It is fixed in the so-called Cayman trough. It is located between Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. This is an underwater trench between the North American and Caribbean plates. The average depth of the reservoir is 2500 meters.

Countries

A huge sea washes many countries. In South America, these are Venezuela and Colombia. In Central America: Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize. The last in this series is the Yucatan Peninsula. Its northern part is occupied by 3 Mexican states, and to the south there are lands belonging to Belize and Guatemala.

In the northern part of the Greater Antilles, there are states such as Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. The territory of the Lesser Antilles is occupied by such countries as Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago.

Caribbean Sea on the map

Islands

For those who are not in the know, you need to know that the Bahamas never belonged to the Caribbean. They are located north of Cuba and south of Florida. These are the waters of the Atlantic, and historically this area is called the West Indies. Here it covers both the Caribbean and the Bahamas. This term appeared after the discovery of America by Columbus.

In the reservoir under consideration are the Antilles, subdivided into Large and Small. The first includes 4 large islands: Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. This also includes small islands located near Cuba and forming the Los Canarreos and Jardines de la Reina archipelagos.

The Lesser Antilles are much more numerous. They are influenced by the northwest trade wind and are subdivided into windward and leeward or southerly. In the first group, there are about 50 islands. The southern group stretches along the coast of South America and includes both individual islands and archipelagos.

Closer to the western coast of the reservoir, there are several archipelagos. These are the Cayman Islands (Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac), Islas de la Bahia, belonging to Honduras, as well as the Miskitos and Turneff Islands. There are separate islands of San Andres and Providencia.

Rivers

Many rivers flow into the huge reservoir. The largest river in South America is the Magdalena. It flows through Colombia and has a length of 1550 km. Its annual flow is the largest and is approximately 230 cubic meters. km. The second Colombian river is called Atrato. Its length is 644 km. Some of the rivers flow into Lake Maracaibo (the largest in South America). It is connected to the Venezuelan Gulf of the Caribbean Sea by a shallow strait, the depth of which does not exceed 4 meters.

The reservoir is also fed by about 30 rivers of Central America. There are rivers and islands. For example, the Cauto River in Cuba. Its length is 343 km. Or the Artibonite River in Haiti with a length of 240 km. There are rivers in Jamaica. These are Milk River and Black River.

Climate

The climate is tropical. It is formed by the subtropical Caribbean Current, which is a continuation of the South Trade Wind Current. Warm waters flow from the southeast to the northwest and through the Yucatan Strait go to the Gulf of Mexico, where the Gulf Stream is born. Therefore, the annual temperature is kept in the range from 21 to 29 degrees Celsius.

Trade winds dominate the reservoir. Their speed ranges from 16 to 30 km/h. Tropical hurricanes occur in the northern part of the reservoir. Their speed can reach up to 120 km/h. Such strong winds sometimes bring real tragedy: people die, houses collapse, crops die. For example, Hurricane Mitch, which formed in the western part of the sea in October 1998, brought a lot of grief. 11 thousand people died and the same number went missing. 2.7 million people were left without housing. They were mostly citizens of Nicaragua and Honduras.

Economy

The Caribbean Sea is inextricably linked with oil production. Approximately 170 million tons of oil per year are produced in its water area. In addition, the fishing industry is well developed. Sea waters give up to 500 thousand tons of fish per year. However, human activity pollutes the environment. First of all, this negatively affects coral reefs, which are steadily bleaching, and their ecosystem is being destroyed.

In the near future, this may not affect the tourism industry in the best way. Up to 40 million tourists visit this area every year. Their net profit is about 30 billion dollars. Many tourists are attracted by diving and the beauty of coral reefs. Approximately 3 million local residents living on the islands are somehow connected with the tourism business. So the issues related to ecology are quite acute.

CARIBBEAN SEA, Caribbean Sea (Caribbean Sea), a semi-enclosed marginal sea in the western part of the tropical zone of the Atlantic Ocean. In the west and south it is bounded by the mainland coasts of Central and South America, in the north and east by the ridge of the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico) and the Windward Islands from the Lesser Antilles group. It is connected by the Yucatan Strait with the Gulf of Mexico, by numerous straits in the archipelagos of the Greater and Lesser Antilles - with the Atlantic Ocean, the Panama Canal - with the Pacific Ocean. The area is 2777 thousand km2, the volume is 6745 thousand km3. The greatest depth is 7090 m (Caiman trench).

The shores of Central America are low-lying, wooded, those of South America are mostly high, steep, with separate low areas covered with mangroves. Most of the islands have mountainous and steep coasts. The western and partially southwestern coasts of the sea are bordered by reefs. The main large bays are located in the western and southern parts of the sea: the Honduran, Mosquitos, Darien, Venezuelan Gulf with Lake Maracaibo, Paria. Of the large islands - Jamaica; many small islands, most of them in the western and southeastern parts of the sea.

The shelf is well expressed only off the coast of Honduras, Nicaragua and Venezuela (100-240 km), the continental slope is steep, on average about 17°, in some parts of the slope there is a steepness of up to 45°. On the bottom, strongly dissected by underwater ridges, deep basins stand out: Yucatan (4800 m), Colombian (4259 m), Venezuelan (5420 m), Grenada (4120 m). In the north of the Caribbean Sea, from west to east, along the southern foot of the underwater ridge of the same name, the Cayman Trench stretches. Most of the submarine ridges (Aves, Beata, Marcelino Sill, etc.) are apparently submerged island arcs. Bottom sediments are mainly represented by calcareous foraminiferal silts. Turbidity flows are an important factor in the formation of sediments for the flat relief of the basins; the most powerful precipitations were found in the north of the Venezuelan basin (up to 12 km).

The climate is maritime, warm, with little seasonal variability, determined by the location of the Caribbean Sea in the zone of trade wind circulation of the atmosphere. Average air temperatures in February are 24-27 °C, in August 27-30 °C. The amount of precipitation increases from east to west from 500 to 2000 mm per year. The largest average monthly precipitation falls in summer off the coast of Panama (up to 400 mm), the smallest in winter off the coast of Cuba (about 20 mm). Northeast trade winds prevail over the sea with speeds of 5-7 m/s. Storm conditions are usually associated with tropical hurricanes, in which wind speeds reach 40-60 m/s. Hurricanes cross the Caribbean Sea in the western and northwestern directions at a speed of 10-20 km / h with an average frequency of 3 times a year (in some years more than 10).

Water exchange with the Atlantic Ocean is carried out mainly through deep straits: Windward, Sombrero, Dominica, etc.; with the Gulf of Mexico - through the Yucatan. Excitement is predominantly east and northeast, on average 3-4, rarely 5 points. The magnitude of annual level fluctuations is small and usually ranges from 8 to 30 cm. Short-term level fluctuations are observed during the passage of tropical hurricanes. The tides are irregular semi-diurnal, off the coast of Venezuela - irregular diurnal, up to 1 m.

The circulation of water is set by the branches of the Antilles current and the Guiana current, entering the Caribbean Sea through the northern and eastern interisland straits. These waters spread in a westerly direction called the Caribbean Current. In the eastern part of the sea, the current moves in two streams at a distance of 200-300 km from each other. At about 80° west longitude, both streams merge into one. The current velocity in the western part of the sea reaches 70 cm/s. Off the coasts of Cuba and Jamaica, the current forms several anticyclonic gyres; cyclonic eddies are observed along the coasts of Venezuela, Panama, and Costa Rica. The waters of the Caribbean Current through the Yucatan Strait are carried out into the Gulf of Mexico. In the strait, the highest speeds of surface currents from the mainland coast are up to 150 cm/s.

The water temperature on the surface during the year varies from 26 °C in winter to 29 °C in summer. Deep-water basins are filled with Atlantic waters with a temperature of about 4.3°C. The average salinity of water on the surface is from 35.5 to 36.5‰. By the end of the summer season, due to the abundance of precipitation and fresh river runoff, salinity decreases by 0.5-1.0‰, its lowest values ​​​​(33-34‰) near the islands of Trinidad and Tobago are explained by the large fresh runoff of the Orinoco River. The highest salinity of surface waters is in a narrow strip off the coast of South America and the coasts of Haiti and Cuba (over 36‰).

There are about 800 species of fish in the Caribbean Sea, of which more than half are edible. Of the commercial fish, representatives of the families of snappers, serranids, crucians, several types of mullets, slabs, as well as sardinella, horse mackerel, mackerel, tarpon, anchovies are of the greatest importance. Fish of the open ocean are widespread - tuna, marlin, sailboats, common dormice, sharks.

The Caribbean coast is known for its beautiful beaches, it is the largest recreational area with numerous resorts. Lively shipping; passes the sea route through the Panama Canal, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Main ports: Santiago de Cuba (Cuba), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), Maracaibo (Venezuela), Barranquilla and Cartagena (Colombia), Colon (Panama).

Lit .: Zalogin B. S., Kosarev A. N. Sea. M., 1999.M.G. Deev.

Water temperature in the Caribbean. Caribbean Sea coast water temperature

The given data show the surface water temperature on the coast of the seas and oceans. To see the values, select the country and then the city you are interested in.

10 Fun Facts About The Caribbean

In addition to water temperature, we also provide information about the weather for today, tomorrow and in the coming days, surf forecast, sea state and roughness, sunrise / sunset and moonrise data.

List of countries and territories in the Caribbean Sea

Caribbean sea water temperature monthly:

Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in january
Sea Temperature in Caribbean Sea in February
Water temperature in the Caribbean Sea in march
Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in april
Water temperature in the Caribbean Sea in May
Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in june
Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in july
Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in august
Sea Temperature in Caribbean Sea in september
Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in october
Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in november
Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in December

To calculate the sea temperature, satellite data are used together with the results of observations at ground stations.

Water temperature, weather forecast and sea conditions are updated daily. Temperatures in shallow areas near the shore may be slightly higher than those shown here.

Location of the Caribbean Sea: western part of the Atlantic Ocean, between Central and South America.

Caribbean area: 2,754 thousand km2

Average depth of the Caribbean Sea: 2 491 m

Deepest Caribbean Sea: 7,680 m (Cayman Trench).

Bottom reliefCaribbean: deep-sea ridges (Cayman, Aves, Beata, Marcelino threshold), basins (Grenada, Venezuelan, Colombian, Bartlet, Yucatan).

SalinityCaribbean: 35.5-36‰.

currentscaribbean moving from east to west, when leaving the Gulf of Mexico give rise to the Gulf Stream.

Inhabitants of the Caribbean: sharks, flying fish, sea turtles and other tropical fauna; there are sperm whales, humpback whales, seals and manatees.

Additional information about the Caribbean: The Caribbean Sea borders the Gulf of Mexico, the shortest sea route passes through it, connecting the ports of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Panama Canal.

caribbean sea wikipedia
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Caribbean Sea: where is it on the map, photo, area, depth, rivers, fish, countries, cities

caribbean sea- a semi-enclosed sea in the Atlantic Ocean, located between Central and South America. Countries washed by the Caribbean Sea: Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Cuba, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, etc.

Area: 2,754,000 sq.

Caribbean Sea - corals, animals, tourism, pirates, interesting facts

km. Average depth: 2500 m. Maximum depth: 7686 m.

The following rivers flow into the Caribbean Sea: Plantaine Garden, Magdalena, Rio Grande, San Juan, Coco, Aguan, Motagua, Rio Hondo, etc.
Sea resort cities: Cancun (Mexico), Varadero (Cuba), Montego Bay (Jamaica), Bridgetown (Barbados), Freeport (Bahamas), etc.

The main ports of the Caribbean Sea: Cartagena (Colombia), Santiago de Cuba (Cuba), Maracaibo (Venezuela), Colon (Panama), Limon (Costa Rica), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), Kingston (Jamaica).

Large bays: Mexican, Honduran, Venezuelan, Darien, Batabano, Gonave, Guacanaybo, Paria.

The most important islands of the Caribbean: Antilles, Bahamas, Caymans, Turneff, Islas de la Bahia. Largest island: Cuba.

Animal life: angelfish, silky shark, hawksbill turtle, barracudas, moray eels, tuna, lobsters, sardines, monk seal, sharp-winged crocodile, etc.

Photos of the Caribbean Sea:

Where is it on the map:

Oceans, lakes and rivers

caribbean sea

The Caribbean Sea belongs to the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. In the northwest, the reservoir borders the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico) and connects to the Gulf of Mexico through the Yucatan Pass between Yucatan and Cuba.

In the north and east there are large and small Antilles. In the south, the sea is washed by the northern coast of South America. To the west and southwest is the coast of Central America. Caribbean waters are connected to the Pacific Ocean through the Panama Canal.

geography

The reservoir is considered one of the largest in the world.

Its surface is 2.754 thousand square meters. km. The amount of water is 6,860 thousand cubic meters. km. The maximum depth is 7686 meters. It is installed in the so-called trench candle. It is located between Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.

This is an underwater trough between the North American and Caribbean plates. The average depth of the reservoir is 2500 meters.

member

Many countries erase many seas. In South America, these are Venezuela and Colombia. In Central America: Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize.

The last in this series is the Yucatan Peninsula. The northern part occupies 3 Mexican states, and in the south - territories belonging to Belize and Guatemala.

In the northern part of the Greater Antilles, there are countries such as Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.

The Antilles region is home to such countries as Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago.

Caribbean on the map

islands

Those who don't know should know that the Bahamas never belonged to the Caribbean. They are located north of Cuba and south of Florida. These are the waters of the Atlantic, and historically this area is called the West Indies.

It covers both the Caribbean and the Bahamas. This term appeared when Columbus discovered America.

In the reservoir under consideration there are the Antilles, divided into large and small. The first includes four large islands: Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. This includes small islands located near Cuba and form the Los Canareos and Jardines de la Reina archipelagos.

The Lesser Antilles are much more numerous.

They are influenced by the northeast trade wind and are divided into wind, rain or south. The first group has about 50 islands. The southern group extends along the coast of South America and includes both individual islands and archipelagos.

Closer to the western coast of the reservoir there are several archipelagos. These are the Cayman Islands (Grand Cayman, Mali Cayman, Cayman Brach), the Department of Island Bay Islands, which are located in Honduras, as well as the Miskitos and Turneff Islands.

There are separate islands of San Andres and Providencia.

Rivers

There are many rivers in a large body of water. The largest of them is the South American Magdalen River. It passes through Colombia and is 1550 km long. The annual flow is the largest and is approximately 230 cubic meters.

km. Another Colombian river is called Atrato. Its length is 644 km. Some rivers go to Lake Maracaibo (the largest in South America). The Caribbean Sea is connected to the Gulf of Venezuela by a small slope, the depth of which does not exceed 4 meters.

In Central America, we also feed about 30 rivers.

The islands have rivers. For example, the Cauto River in Cuba. Its length is 343 km. But the Artibonite River in Haiti is 240 km long. There are rivers in Jamaica. This is the river of milk and the black river.

climate

The climate is tropical. It is created by the Subtropical Caribbean Current, a continuation of the South Trade trend. Hot water flows from the southeast to the northwest and passes through the Yucatan Channel in the Gulf of Mexico, from where the Gulf Stream takes.

Therefore, the annual temperature ranges from 21 to 29 degrees Celsius.

Windmills are dominated by the trade winds. Their speed is from 16 to 30 km / h. There are tropical hurricanes in the northern part of the reservoir. Their speed can reach 120 km / h. Such strong winds sometimes suffer a real tragedy: people die, houses are destroyed, cultures die.

For example, Hurricane Mitch, created in the western part of the sea in October 1998, brought a lot of sadness. 11 thousand people were killed, and the same number was not enough. There were 2.7 million people homeless. They were mostly citizens of Nicaragua and Honduras.

economy

The Caribbean Sea is inextricably linked to oil production.

Approximately 170 million tons are produced offshore.

Caribbean Sea: "A true paradise on earth"

tons of oil per year. In addition, the fishing industry is well developed. Sea water annually provides up to 500 thousand tons of fish. However, human activity pollutes the environment. First, it negatively affects coral reefs, which are constantly bleaching and destroying their ecosystem.

In the near future, this may affect the tourism industry in the best possible way. Every year about 40 million tourists visit the region. Their net profit is about 30 billion dollars. Many tourists are attracted by the diving and the beauty of the coral reefs. About 3 million local residents living on the islands are somehow connected with the travel company. Therefore, environmental problems are quite acute.

Sergey Gubanov

Before you find out where the Caribbean Islands are on the world map, you need to get some general information about them. They include the Antilles, which rise significantly above sea level, as well as the Bahamas from coral reefs. Most of them are of volcanic origin. Some islands are surrounded by large coral reefs, the tops of which protrude from the water and are overgrown with palm trees.

The Greater Antilles include four large areas of land that stretch from the mainland, among them Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba. The Lesser Antilles include a scattering of small lands, which include the Bahamas, Caicos, Turks, Bourbuda, Antigua, the Virginia Archipelago, Guadeloupe, Barbados, and so on.

Hard to say, which country is the caribbean, since they include all land areas washed by the Caribbean Sea.

At the same time, parts of the archipelago territorially belong to different states. Previously, they were known to the world as the legendary Antilia, then as the West Indies, and only then as the Caribbean, comfortably located inside a kind of geographical depression between South and North America.

Some of the islands are not inhabited, but most of them still have a developed resort network. Today, about fifty islands are places where visitors come from all over the world.

The popularity of the local latitudes is explained by the harmonious combination of mild climate, rich historical heritage, as well as picturesque natural landscapes.

An important advantage of the Caribbean is the opportunity to relax all year round, because it is not cold here, eternal summer and sunny weather reign.

The big question is the need for visas. It is tourists who are constrained by visa restrictions who are most interested in Where is the Caribbean which countries they belong to. The Caribbean includes more than fifty islands, some of which are separate states, while others are considered the territorial property of France, America and England. However, most Caribbean sites do not require their guests to have a visa.

All cruises are operated from Mexico, the Dominican Republic and the United States, so the city of departure still needs to be reached by plane, so lovers of cruise travel will still not be able to do without a visa. The most common cruise destinations are Eastern, Southern and Western Caribbean. It is also worth noting that the cost of the tour depends on the number of islands included in the route.

Which Caribbean Islands to visit

Among the huge list of sites in the Caribbean, there are several areas that are most popular.

After the tourist has understood where the Caribbean islands are, he needs to make a specific choice where he will go to rest.

To do this, you should familiarize yourself with the basic information known about the most resorts. Some of them are distinguished by a developed tourist network, others make travelers fall in love with their remoteness from the usual civilization. Domestic tourists, as a rule, choose among such offers:

The list can go on for a very long time.

It is noteworthy that before you go traveling, you must also look at the weather of the Caribbean Islands by months, which will allow you to make the right choice.

Weather in the Caribbean

Weather conditions for different land areas belonging to the same archipelago may vary slightly.

In general, however, the climate ranges from humid to temperate tropical. It is worth noting that the humidity index for any island will remain consistently high, which contributes to the excellent growth of various types of vegetation.

Cleaner and drier air is always in mountainous areas. The air temperature here does not fall below +25 degrees. The water near the coast remains warm all year round, its temperature does not fall below +22 degrees.

Care should be taken when planning a vacation in these latitudes from September to November. Since this period is characterized by increased rainfall with possible hurricanes.

The local summer is characterized by moderate heat, which is facilitated by the trade winds blowing from the sea.

The peak of tourism falls on the period from December to April, so domestic travelers often celebrate the New Year here.

From August to November, the so-called "Dead season" begins in the Caribbean. It is worth noting that it is quite difficult to predict a Caribbean holiday, because on one part of the land there can be a torrential downpour, and on the other, the sun can burn brightly. Thus, it is important not only to view photos of the beaches of the Caribbean Islands on the Internet, but also to read the reviews of tourists who have already had time to relax here.

Caribbean countries have become popular holiday destinations for many people from different parts of the Earth. Their list was supplemented by both mainland and island states.

Caribbean Sea on the world map in Russian

The Caribbean Sea has been known in modern civilization since its discovery in the 15th century. The discoverers named the sea after the tribes Caribbean that inhabited the coast, although the sea has changed its name many times throughout history.

The Caribbean Sea has a romantic and sinister history of piracy, which flourished in the 18th century.

Piracy has long sunk into the past, but is of interest to this day. It was the story of the pirates of the Caribbean that became the plot for the film of the same name. The modern Caribbean Sea is the most fashionable and popular resorts of the world, attracting people with their amazing heavenly beauty.

The Caribbean Sea is an attractive holiday destination. You can choose a vacation to your taste in any country, almost at any time of the year, which is facilitated by the climate. Caribbean is land of eternal summer!

Where is?

The Caribbean Sea is the open sea in western hemisphere, in the Atlantic Ocean basin, it seems to connect two parts of the American continent, located between South and Central America and the Antilles. Through the Panama Canal it is connected to the Pacific Ocean, through the Yucatan Strait it has access to the Gulf of Mexico.

Climate

Climate of the Caribbean tropical, with a predominance of east winds - trade winds. Tropical hurricanes are also not uncommon, especially strong in the northern regions of the sea. The most hurricane season is from June to November. Most often, devastating hurricanes, from which coastal residents have suffered more than once, occur in the first months of autumn.

Sometimes hurricanes are so destructive that this event becomes part of history.

The amount of precipitation can vary depending on the winds and on what area of ​​the sea this or that island is located.

Temperature about the same in the Caribbean. The average temperature in summer is +28°C, in winter from 23 to 27°C.

List of basin countries

The Caribbean Sea washes the shores of many states and territories, both continental and insular.

What territories it washes: states and their capitals

Continental States, which washes the Caribbean Sea, are located in northern, central and south America.

The only North American country in the Caribbean - or, as it is called in the official language, the United Mexican States. The capital is Mexico City.

South American countries:

• Colombia, the official name of the Republic of Colombia. The capital is Bogota;
• Venezuela or officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The capital is Caracas;
• Republic of Panama, partly located in Central America. The capital is Panama.

Central American countries:

1. Republic of Nicaragua, capital - Managua;
2. Republic of Honduras, the capital is Tegucigalpa;
3. Republic of Guatemala, capital - Guatemala;
4. Republic of Costa Rica, capital - San Jose;
5. Belize capital is Belmopan.

island states Caribbean:

• Cuba, official name, unofficial - Liberty Island. The capital is Havana;
• Dominican Republic, capital - Santo Domingo;
• Haiti, the official name of the Republic of Haiti, the capital of Port-au-Prince;
• Jamaica, capital - Kingston;
• Puerto Rico, officially called the Freely Associated State of Puerto Rico or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The capital is San Juan.

Read more about Puerto Rico in: history, climate, fauna, flora and more.

It is possible to single out the territories that are part of European countries: (Anguilla), France (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin), the Netherlands (Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius), this is due to the history of the colonization of the lands of the Caribbean. As well as territories belonging to the United States Virgin Islands, the capital is Charlotte Amalie.

Washed Islands

The islands of the Caribbean are Antilles Large and Small and Bahamas.

• Greater Antilles include the island of Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Cayman Islands. The smallest island is Little Cayman, its area is 28.5 km².
• Lesser Antilles these are: a chain of small islands, the largest of them are Trinidad and Tobago and Martinique, the smallest is Petit Martinique, only 2.4 km², with a population of 900 people.
• Bahamas include 700 small islands, and only 30 of them are inhabited.

Tourism in the Caribbean

The variety of resorts in the Caribbean makes it difficult to choose the best because each island is good in its own way. In the Caribbean, anyone will find a vacation to their liking. For Russian tourists, an obstacle is the long and expensive way to the Caribbean.

A nice bonus is that Russians do not need a visa to enter some states.

Popular resorts

Resorts where possible visa-free entry:

• Montego Bay- a resort for lovers of fun, movement, "hip-strip". The city of a never-sleeping port and luxurious hotels;

One of the most expensive resorts in the world is located just in the Caribbean Sea. Read about this and other resorts that not everyone can afford.

• Negril- snow-white beaches, peace, the kingdom of palm trees, a natural area, remote from the noise of cities and industries;
• Ocho Rios charming with its inconsistency: on the one hand - quiet fishing towns, on the other hand - the center of cruise tourism. Both lovers of solitude and fans of parties can find a place for themselves in this resort.

The best beaches

Among the best beaches in the Caribbean, there are those that deserve extra attention:

The Caribbean Sea is attractive with comfort, romance and a certain share of danger, as Caribbean beaches often find themselves in the path of hurricanes. The strongest winds and complete serenity, the opportunity to choose a vacation and a beach to your taste, enjoy sea sports, observe the life of plants and animals in the pristine corners of nature, attracts people from all over the world.

See video About holidays in the Caribbean: