West indies map. West Indies West Indies - "West Indies", Antilles, Caribbean, Caribbean, Caribbean

23.09.2019

west indies

WEST INDIA (English West Indies, lit. - West India) common name islands of the Atlantic approx. between the continents of the North. and Yuzh. America. Includes islands: Bahamas, B. Antilles, M. Antilles, etc. Most of the islands were discovered during the voyages of H. Columbus (1492-1502), who mistakenly took them for part of India. Unlike India (East Indies), these islands later became known as the West Indies. The total area of the islands is approx. 240 thousand km2. Population 35 million (1993). The states are located on the islands: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Haiti, Grenada, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, British possessions, The Netherlands, France and the USA.

West Indies

(English West Indies, literally ≈ Western India), the common name for the islands of the Atlantic Ocean between the continents of North and South America; elongated in the form of an arc with a length of about 3500 km. In V.-I. includes the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles. The islands belong to North America. The total area is about 240 thousand km2. Population over 24 million. (1968). The relief of the islands is highly dissected, predominantly mountainous; heights up to 3175 m (on the island of Haiti). Many acting and extinct volcanoes; frequent earthquakes. Deposits of manganese ore, chromite, iron ore, asphalt, oil, bauxite, phosphorite. The climate is tropical trade wind. In the lowlands, the vegetation is mainly cultivated, in the mountains there are laurel and coniferous forests.

On the islands V.-I. the states of Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, as well as a number of possessions of Great Britain, the Netherlands, France and the United States are located.

Ethnic composition. The bulk of the modern population is made up of Negroes, the descendants of slaves who were imported from Africa in the 16th and early 19th centuries. (Haiti - over 90%, Barbados - about 89%, Jamaica - about 80%), as well as mulattos (Dominican Republic - about 70%, Puerto Rico - at least 50%). Descendants of Europeans (mainly Spaniards) are found in significant numbers only in Cuba (about 50%), Puerto Rico, in Dominican Republic... In other countries, the white population (mainly British) does not exceed a few percent. The ethnic composition of Trinidad is peculiar, where about 50% are descendants of immigrants from India. All countries have small groups of Chinese and Syrians. The few descendants of the indigenous Indian population, almost completely exterminated during colonization, survived only on the islands of Dominica, Cuba, Trinidad. Languages: Spanish - in the former colonies of Spain (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico), English - in the former English colonies (Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados), French - in the former and current French colonies (Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique) ; local dialects prevail everywhere. In the Dutch colonies, in addition to the Dutch and of English language, the papiamento dialect is widespread. By their religious affiliation, the inhabitants of the former Spanish and French colonies are Catholics, the rest are Protestants of various persuasions. Most Indians are Hindus. Remnants of African beliefs also persist in some countries.

A.D.Dridzo.

Historical sketch. Most of the islands of East India, inhabited by the Arawak and Caribbean Indian tribes, were discovered during the voyages of Columbus (1492-1502), who mistakenly took them for part of India. In contrast to India in the East (East Indies), these islands later came to be called V.-I. Colonization V.-I. by the Spaniards was accompanied by the universal extermination of the Indians, and already from the middle of the 16th century. began a massive import of slaves from Africa to work on sugar and tobacco plantations, in mines. With the decline of the power of Spain, V.-I. became the main object of rivalry between European powers in America. During the 17th and 18th centuries. as a result of seizures, wars and under international treaties, Great Britain acquired the islands of St. Christopher (St. Kitts), Barbados, Antigua, Montserrat, Jamaica, Grenada, Dominica, Trinidad, etc .; France ≈ the islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe, Haiti; Holland - the islands of Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire; Denmark - the islands of Saint John, Saint Thomas and Santa Cruz from the Virgin Islands group. By the beginning of the 19th century. Spain retained only Puerto Rico and Cuba.

The brutal exploitation of the plantations caused frequent slave revolts against the oppressors. The largest of them is in Haiti at the end of the 18th century. ≈ grew into a war of independence, as a result of which the Republic of Haiti was proclaimed in 1804. In 1844, the Dominican Republic was created in the eastern part of the island of Haiti. The rest V.-I. still remained in colonial dependence. Slavery was abolished by law in the English colonies in 1833, the French in 1848, the Dutch in 1863, and the Spanish in 1880.

From the 2nd half of the 19th century. intensified penetration of the United States into V.-I. As a result of the Spanish-American War of 1898, Puerto Rico became a US colony, Cuba was declared an independent republic (1902), although in fact it became a US protectorate in 1901 (see "Platte Amendment"). The United States has repeatedly occupied Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. In 1917, the United States bought the Danish part of the Virgin Islands.

The victory of the Great October Socialist Revolution in Russia rendered big influence for deployment in V.-I. anti-imperialist national liberation movement. In the 20s and 40s. in many countries V.-I. the communist parties arose. In the 30s. major anti-imperialist and anti-colonial demonstrations took place in Cuba (revolution of 1933), in British V.-I. The first political parties arose in the British colonies, which put forward the slogan of independence.

During World War II (1939--45), the United States increased its influence in Hungary and India. Under the Anglo-American agreement of 1940, the United States received for 99 years the right to build military bases in British possessions in America. With the creation of the Caribbean Commission (1942), the resources of the colonies of European powers were actually transferred to the hands of the United States. While brutally cracking down on the liberation movement in the colonies, which intensified especially after the end of the war (the arrests of the leaders of the movement in Jamaica in 1943, the military reprisals against the strikers of the island of Grenada in 1951, the suppression of the 1950 uprising in Puerto Rico), the ruling circles of the imperialist powers at the same time were forced to maneuver by proclaiming a series of political reforms that were supposed to cover up colonial rule in the countries of V.-I. To this end, Martinique and Guadeloupe were declared "overseas departments" of France (1946), Puerto Rico - "freely annexed (to the USA) state" (1952), the Dutch colonies in V.I. ≈ " part of Kingdom of the Netherlands "(1954). The English colonies were united in 1958 to form the West Indies Federation.

The victory of the Cuban Revolution of 1959 led to the emergence of the first socialist state in America and contributed to a new upsurge in the liberation movement in Hungary. The West Indies Federation disintegrated in 1962; independent states were formed - Jamaica (1962), Trinidad and Tobago (1962), Barbados (1966). The English colonies of Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts – Nevis – Anguilla (1967) and Saint Vincent (1969) received internal self-government and were declared "states associated with the United Kingdom."

Political division of the West Indies

States and territories

Modern status

Square, km2

Population, thousand people (1968)

Capital or administrative center

Bahamas

British possession

Nassau (Nassau)

Independent state

Bridgetown

Bermuda

British possession

Hamilton

Virgin Islands

British possession

Virgin Islands: Santa Cruz

Saint thomas

Saint John US Possession

ý58 Charlotte Amalie

Independent state

Port-au-Prince

Guadeloupe

Overseas Department of France

"Associated State of Great Britain"

Saint Georges

Dominica

"Associated State of Great Britain"

Independent state

Santo Domingo

Cayman islands

British possession

Georgetown

Independent state

Martinique

Overseas Department of France

Fort-de-France

Montserrat

British possession

Dutch

Saint Martin (southern part)

Sint Eustatius

Autonomous overseas part

ýWillemstad

═ (about. Curacao)

Puerto Rico

"Freely acceding (to the USA) state"

2723 San Juan

Saint Vincent

"Associated State of Great Britain"

Kingstown

Saint Kitts ≈ Nevis ≈ Anguilla

"Associated State of Great Britain"

Saint Lucia

"Associated State of Great Britain"

Turke and Caicos Islands

British possession

Grand Turk

Independent state

Port of Spain

Independent state

Kingston

* The date of proclamation of independence is indicated in brackets.

Lit .: Peoples of America, vol. 2, M., 1959; Countries Latin America in modern international relations, M., 1967, ch. nine.

E. L. Rovinskaya.

Wikipedia

West Indies

West Indies- the traditional and historical name of the islands of the Caribbean Sea, including the Caribbean Islands (see list), the Bahamas and islands adjacent to them in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Contrasted with the East Indies - the countries of the South and South-East Asia... It should also be understood that the West Indies and West Indies are completely different regions, although "West Indies" is translated as "West India", but it is not.

Some believe that it is correct to speak of the West Indies, since the West Indies include the Spanish West Indies, Portuguese, Danish and other West Indies - the lands of every European state in this region since the end of the 15th century. Some of these West Indies are called Antilles: for example, the English say the French West Indies, and the French say both the French West Indies and the French Antilles are one and the same thing. However, the name of the West Indies region was given by the first European sailors erroneously, since they thought that they had got to India, moving westward from Europe. Hence the name of the indigenous people - Indians. When more European countries occupied the lands of the New Continent, the term West Indies appeared - then they stopped confusing the western part of India with the West Indies. Thus, the West Indies and West Indies to some extent different concepts... The first concept means the entire region, and the second - political and economic formations in this region.

Examples of the use of the word West Indies in literature.

Barrington Island and the Pirates About two centuries ago, Barrington Island was the refuge of a famous branch of pirates from West Indies, who, after being expelled from the waters of Cuba, went beyond the Darien Isthmus, plundered the Pacific coast of the Spanish colonies and regularly, with the accuracy of a modern postal service, lay in wait for the royal ships with the treasury, plying between Manila and Acapulco.

West Africa, the rocks of Gibraltar, Malta, Jamaica, several small slave colonies in West Indies, British Guiana in South America and, on the opposite side of the globe, two transit points for prisoners in Australia and Tasmania.

Almost always, after listening to conversations going on in Providence Harbor, several people immediately deserted and replaced them with new team members recruited into West Indies, it became very difficult for Curwen.

On all islands West Indies there was alluvial gold, and the Indians were used to wash the sand.

The President intended to use for this purpose aviation and naval forces operating from bases in Greenland, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, the United States, Bermuda and West Indies, and possibly later in Brazil.

Don Miguel de Espinosa - Admiral of Spain in West Indies and his nephew Don Esteban dreamed of capturing this adventurer and hanging him on the side of their ship.

A little time passed, and the anatomist realized that this strange disease, this monstrous deformity, in essence, something like a new West Indies.

Didn't Barbados itself disappear in one of those terrible earthquakes that happen in West Indies?

Secondly, he went this morning to bother to appoint me to the vacant position of company commander, which is in West Indies, and since he intends to use all his influence for this, neither he nor I have any doubts of success.

The punch seemed extremely tasty to us and led to a long conversation between Owen and our host about the benefits of the unification of kingdoms, which opened up a charitable opportunity for Glasgow to establish trade with the British colonies in America and West Indies and, thanks to new markets, expand its export.

He reported that common yam beans are cultivated in some parts West Indies and in South America, moreover, their breeding is facilitated by the fact that the plant has insecticidal properties.

Cuba, Cuba, Cubana Legalize Marijuana Cuba is the capital West Indies It is still buried for everyone, Jamaica is nearby, reggae are dancing nearby The same climate - marijuana is the land of Rastaman.

If it is now Martinique's turn, then one can only wonder that this did not happen before, because there is something to profit from on this island, and France does not have West Indies armed forces able to resist these conquistadors.

The purpose of his arrival in Nevis - the largest in West Indies slave market, - he said, was the acquisition of some guy fit as a cabin-cabin.

The Spanish navigator Christopher Columbus took the islands discovered by him in 1492 in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean for the Asian country of India. It soon became clear that these were the islands of America, but the name remained. And now there are two Indies on the world map: one in Asia - eastern, the other in America - western, or West Indies.

The West Indies are located between North and South America, where the Atlantic Ocean merges with the waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

It consists of several archipelagos: Greater Antilles - Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Jamaica; Lesser Antilles - Virgin, Windward, Leeward; Bahamas. There are three states of Latin America: on the island of Cuba - the Republic of Cuba, in the western part of the island of Haiti - the Republic of Haiti, in the east - the Dominican Republic. The islands of Jamaica, Trinidad and a number of Lesser Antilles are English possessions. Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are US possessions. Among the many islands there are possessions of France, the Netherlands, Venezuela.

The area of the West Indies is 240 thousand km 2, the population is about 20 million people. Negroes and Creoles live here - the descendants of the first Spanish conquerors and later colonizers. A large group of mulattoes was formed from the swept away marriages of Europeans and blacks. Cuba and Puerto Rico are dominated by Creoles; in the Dominican Republic, mulattoes; in Haiti and Jamaica, blacks; in Trinidad - Negroes and Indians. Cubans and Dominicans speak Spanish, while Haitians speak a dialect of French with many African words. Puerto Rico has two state languages- Spanish and English, in Jamaica - English.

The islands of the West Indies for their natural beauty and lush vegetation are called the pearls of the American Mediterranean. Annually from different countries of the world many tourists come here. Singly and in whole garlands, the islands rise above the sea; they are created by age-old vibrations of the earth's crust, the action of volcanic forces and sea corals. The mountain ranges of the Sierra Maestra in Cuba, the Central Cordillera in Haiti, and the Blue Mountains in Jamaica rose high out of the water. All of them are constantly shrouded in a light haze. There are sharp contrasts of mountain heights and sea depths: the depression of Puerto Rico is the deepest in Atlantic Ocean(9218 m). The tops of the island of Haiti reach 3175 l. There are hot radioactive springs in the mountains, and earthquakes are frequent.

The Necklace of the Windward Islands is almost entirely composed of extinct and active volcanoes... The terrible eruption of the Mont Pele volcano on Martinique Island in 1902 destroyed Saint-Pierre in a few minutes and covered it with a thick layer of ash. Only one person remained alive, imprisoned in an underground casemate.

The mountain ranges of the large islands are adjoined by low plateaus and slightly hilly fertile plains. Sugarcane, tobacco, coffee, oranges and bananas yield good yields on these plains.

The West Indies lie near the equator and have a hot and humid climate. In winter there is a dry period of the year. average temperature January + 23 °. The summer period is rainy. The heat of the afternoon is tempered by the sea breeze. They await the breeze with great impatience, they will know about its approach by the lambs on the waves.

In late autumn, hurricanes - "tornadoes" sweep over the islands. They cause tremendous disasters: they destroy villages, destroy plantations, and sometimes even entire sections of forest.

The rivers of the West Indies are short and rough. During showers, they overflow the banks and flood vast areas. The most long river West Indies - Kauto - flows in the eastern part of Cuba. In Cuba, Jamaica and the Bahamas there are underground karst rivers. They wander underground and only occasionally come to the surface.

Of the plants, the most common are ferns, legumes, orchids. Many of them are nowhere else on the globe do not meet. Once the islands were covered with dense tropical forests of palms, laurel trees, bamboo, ferns. Valuable species of trees grew here: red, zest with fragrant wood, bakout with very hard wood. Now the forests have been heavily cut down, they were replaced by rugged thickets of bushes (juniper, podocarpus), grassy savannas, mangroves in swamps. In the forests that have been preserved in places, mosses and lichens grow on the trunks of trees, thick lianas are thrown from one tree to another. In the upper tiers of the forest, among the intertwining branches, small hummingbirds flutter, black and green murmurs scream, tropical ants drag the earth and food to the nests located in the trees. At night, the thicket sparkles with millions of fireflies.

The most attractive among the trees are royal palms and ceibas. The height of the royal palm tree reaches 30 m. The peasants cover the roofs of huts with its one and a half meter leaves, and the fruits are used to feed livestock and make industrial oils. The height of the ceiba is 50 m. The total tree has a very thick trunk and bright foliage. Seiba fruit pods are filled with short silky fibers; locals stuff them pillows. In cities, seibs decorate parks and squares.

There are many other valuable tree species in the West Indies. Local artists have long carved a variety of figurines from mahogany. Ebony (ebony) and rosewood are used to make expensive furniture and parquet. For the production of wooden boxes and pencils, cedar is used. Colorants are obtained from log and saffron trees.

Many cultivated plants were introduced to the West Indies by Europeans. Sugar cane and coffee tree, coconut tree and bananas are widespread here as well as local crops: tobacco, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, cassava.

The fauna of the islands, with the exception of birds, is poor. There are no large mammals, predators, and there were none when the islands were discovered. The Europeans brought here horses, mules, sheep, goats, cows, pigs. Pets quickly adapted to the tropical climate.

A variety of fish are found in the rivers and coastal waters of the seas; sharks often swim up to the shores, and to protect them from them, the swimming areas are surrounded by a steel net. There are many sea sponges at the bottom of the sea, and pearl shells are found here and there.

The life of the population of the West Indies before its discovery by Columbus has been little studied. It is believed that man lived on the islands in ancient times. This is confirmed by archaeological finds and excavation of cemeteries. Remains of monumental buildings have not been found. Apparently, the local inhabitants never reached the comparatively high development that the peoples of Mexico and Central America.

At the time of the discovery of the West Indies, the Arawaks lived in the Greater Antilles (the word "Arawak" means "millers"); they knew how to make flour from the roots of the tropical plant cassava. The ancestors of the Arawaks came here from South America. The Caribbean lived in the Lesser Antilles. On their high-speed boats, they often appeared off the coast of Cuba and Haiti, burned and plundered Arawak settlements, killed men and took women with them; this can explain what greatly surprised the first Europeans: many women of the Lesser Antilles spoke one language, and men - another.

The Indians hunted birds and fished, gathered wild fruits, and did a little farming. They had no pets, with the exception of the guaniquinehe rats, which they fed for meat. When fishing for turtles and large fish, the Indians were helped by a small fish, with a flat head studded with suction cups. This fish was lowered on a long rope into the sea and then pulled out along with the prey. The Indians lived in small huts (bohio). They slept on the ground or in cotton-wicker hammocks. The utensils for storing food and water were made from pumpkin. The Indians did not wear clothes, only sometimes they tied up small aprons made of grass. Almost everyone smoked, calling the folded leaves of a plant unknown to Europeans then tobacco. In everyday life, there was great mutual trust: the huts were not locked, theft was rare and was considered the most terrible crime for which the culprit was flayed.

The Indians greeted the first Europeans kindly and trustingly. But the greedy Spanish colonialists soon betrayed their confidence. Mercilessly exploiting the Indians, the Spaniards forced them to perform the most difficult work on the plantations and mines.

By the middle of the XVI century. on the islands of the West Indies, the indigenous population is almost gone.

To work on sugar, tobacco, coffee plantations, the Spanish colonialists began to import blacks from Africa. The entire history of the West Indies is filled with numerous uprisings of black slaves. One of the uprisings in Haiti grew into a revolution and ended at the end of the 18th century. the proclamation of the republic and the abolition of slavery. At the head of this uprising was the national hero of the Haitian people, a former Negro slave Toussaint Louverture.

At the end of the XVI century. England destroyed a huge Spanish fleet - "Invincible Armada", the power of Spain was undermined. England, France, the Netherlands, in the fight against Spain and among themselves, tore the West Indies apart. By the end of the XIX century. all the islands were divided among the European colonialists. The United States began to seize foreign lands later than other capitalist countries. They put forward the slogan: "America for Americans," which meant "America for the United States."

In 1898, as a result of the US war against Spain island Puerto Rico became a US colony (as did the Philippines in Asia). Cuba gained independence, which was formal, like the independence of the previously emerged Republic of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In fact, they became colonies of the United States of America.

The American, British, French and Dutch imperialists are in charge of the West Indies. The American imperialists have long been attracted to these countries not only because of economic, but also strategic benefits. Air and sea routes pass through the West Indies; they link the United States to South America, Africa, the Middle East, and all of Asia. The Americans have built many naval and air bases on the West Indies. The bases are located not only in the possessions of the United States, but also in the territories of other countries. For many decades, large monopolies of foreign capital and local Creole feudal lords have plundered natural resources and brutally exploited the peoples of the West Indies.

The backbone of the West Indies economy is sugar. Large areas of sugar cane are cultivated in Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica in the Dominican Republic. Ocean steamers carry West Indian sugar around the world. Sugarcane is cultivated on plantations; its dense stems with long green leaves rise up to 5 m and more. The thick stems are so close to each other that it is only with great difficulty that one can wade through this dense green thicket. Sugar cane is bred by cuttings, the rhizome of one planting gives a harvest from 4 to 15 years. On the globe, cane sugar is produced no less than beet sugar, and in other years, much more. From 1 hectare of sugar cane, from 4 to 15 tons of sugar are obtained. In the production and export of sugar, the West Indies (mainly Cuba) occupy one of the first places in the world. The modern sugar factories of the West Indies are giants. Their total capacity is designed to produce 7-8 million tons of sugar per year. Most of these factories, with surrounding cane plantations, were owned or controlled by the large US sugar companies. Now the sugar factories of Cuba belong to the state.

Foreign monopolies imposed sugar specialization on the West Indies and thus slowed down the development of other branches of its economy. Coffee is cultivated in Haiti and Puerto Rico, cocoa is cultivated in Trinidad and the Dominican Republic, bauxite is mined and logged in Jamaica, cattle are raised in the savannas of Puerto Rico, and in the Lesser Antilles islands - Trinidad, Aruba and Curacao - refining oil. Trinidad is also famous for its natural asphalt lake from which asphalt is mined. And on the islands of Aruba and Curacao, phosphorites are mined. The Dominican Republic is home to the world's largest natural rock salt deposit. Manganese, chromite, nickel, cobalt are mined in Cuba.

But the lives of the islands' multimillion-dollar population depend on sugar prices, which are set by foreign monopolies. During crisis years, when sugar prices fall sharply, over sunny islands dark clouds are gathering: vast fields of sugarcane remain uncleared, factories stop, traffic in port cities freezes, and workers are doomed to unemployment and hunger. There are many unemployed in the "good" years, as the harvesting of sugar cane and sugar production take a short winter (dry) period, the summer months - the "off season". Every year tens of thousands of people move in search of work from one island to another or leave for the continent. It was their hands that built the Panama Canal, they work on the banana plantations of Central America and create fabulous profits for the American fruit company.

The peoples of the West Indies are protesting against enslaving dependence on the imperialist countries. They want to freely and comprehensively develop their economy, raise their culture and living standards. Revolutionary Cuba, which achieved true independence in 1959, set a heroic example for the peoples of the West Indies and all of Latin America. The Cuban Republic is described separately in this volume (see, article "Cuba").

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Under the name "Islands in the West Indies" unite the islands The Caribbean, which stretch in an arc from Florida to Venezuela. This includes the Bahamas, Greater and Lesser Antilles, Cayman Islands, Trinidad, Tobago. Many scientists believe that these are the tops of a ridge submerged in the ocean - the western part of the Alpine-Himalayan belt. The islands of the West Indies are arcs of the transition zone. Areas of the continental crust are combined with volcanic formations of the oceanic type. Mountains of considerable height adjoin here (the city of Duarte on the island of Haiti - 3175 meters), and the deep-water trench of Puerto Rico (8385 meters). It is believed that if the protrusion of the Greater Antilles rose to the surface, it would be one of the highest ridges on Earth. On the islands of the West Indies there are about one and a half dozen states and territories belonging to the USA, France, and Great Britain. The largest of the countries are Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico on the islands of the same name. There are two states on the island of Haiti - Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The geological structure of the islands of the West Indies is heterogeneous.

They are composed of pre-Cretaceous crystalline shales, volcanic rocks, sandstones and limestones of the Cretaceous period in Cuba, and "radiolarian lands" (weakly cemented siliceous rocks) in Jamaica and Haiti. The Greater Antilles are Meso-Cenozoic folded structures, the Lesser Antilles are a young volcanic zone (Martinique, Grenada and Dominica are a volcanic chain on a common submarine base), the Bahamas and some small islands are coral.

The relief of most of the islands in the West Indies is dominated by mountains, only along the coasts there are narrow low-lying areas. The exception is the largest island in the region - Cuba.

The mountains here occupy a small area in the southeast (the Sierra Maestra ridge and block massifs - 1000-1900 meters high) and in the center (the dissected massif of Guayama - up to 1156 meters). The rest of the territory is plains with outlier uplands. Karst processes are widely developed on the island. In the west and southeast there is a tropical tower and domed karst (mogotes), on the heights there are caves and karr fields, on the coastal lowlands there are numerous sinkhole forms.

Karst landforms are characteristic of many islands, as limestones are widespread.

Volcanism is developed in the region. There are many islands in the arc of the Lesser Antilles, including active ones. The entire region is characterized by a high degree of seismicity.

Climatic conditions determine the position of the West Indies between 10 ° and 28 ° N. NS.

21 ° C, - 26 ° C. Only in the north of Cuba facing to the side North America, in winter there are sharp drops in temperature to 10 ° C (sometimes even lower), associated with the invasion of cold air masses (nortes). Precipitation is unevenly distributed, its amount, as elsewhere in the area of trade wind dominance, largely depends on the orography and exposure of the slopes. On the eastern and northeastern slopes, 1500-3000 mm fall per year, in the inner and south-western regions, less than 1000 mm. The seasons differ significantly in terms of humidification: dry and warm in -, stuffy and humid in -. Although average monthly temperatures differ by no more than 5 ° С, locals distinguish 4 seasons of the year: - - dry and cool, April - - dry and warm, July-November - humid and hot, -December - humid and cool. A relatively dry season occurs on the leeward areas of the islands in winter, when the trade wind weakens and becomes high. However, there are no severe droughts here either.

A characteristic feature of the islands is strong winds associated with hurricanes and tornadoes. The wind speed can reach 200 km / h. Tropical cyclones invade the islands every year. 88% of the passage of these destructive vortices occurs in October.

The distribution of vegetation is related to the peculiarities of the climate.

In the well-watered areas facing to the side, like on the Isthmus, tropical rainforests prevailed, now almost everywhere replaced by plantations of tropical crops. With an annual rainfall of less than 1600 mm, deciduous forests grow. IN central parts the larger islands have patches of savannah with royal palm trees. In arid regions, with an annual rainfall of 600-500 mm, xerophytic thickets (cacti, agaves, acacia, etc.) are widespread. There are mangroves in river deltas and along the shores of the ocean. In the West Indies, the species composition of the flora is rich, which is generally atypical for the islands. The region lies on the routes of plant migration, mixing of different flora, besides, the islands are separated by narrow straits, which facilitates migration. Nowadays, the vegetation is very much changed by people and each island has its own specific features.

Altitudinal zonation is expressed on the mountain ranges of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe.

Rain forests with tall trees 30-40 meters in height, the trunks of which are covered with mosses and lichens, rise up to 600-900 meters. Above, there are deciduous forests, where you can find the Mancinilla tree ("death tree") 45-60 meters high with thick ribbed leaves and poisonous fruits, similar in appearance to apples. There are over 30 types of palm trees in Cuba, including the royal one. In the past, significant areas on the island occupied pine forests, in geographical names often found Spanish "pinot" - pine (the island of Pinos off the coast of Cuba, Pinar del Rio, Pinares de Mayari, etc.) In Jamaica there are a lot of flowering species, mainly orchids, and ferns. On the coasts of many islands there are coconut plantations.

The fauna of the islands is close to the South American one, but poorer in species. Many species of animals have been exterminated.

Caimans live in the swamps, there are turtles, iguanas lizards, bats. There are marsupials - possums, South American raccoons, agouti (humpback hares). Red flamingos have survived in the Bahamas. The world of small birds is rich: hummingbirds, todi (relative of kingfisher), owls, Puerto Rican parrot.

The islands have good agro-climatic resources suitable for growing tropical crops, and fertile soils on the plains. In the countries of the region, large areas are occupied by sugar cane. Cuba stands out as a world sugar producer. They also grow tobacco, tropical fruits, coffee, and cocoa. The region is also rich in minerals. There are a variety of ores, phosphorites, Jamaica occupies a prominent place in the world for the reserves and production of bauxite. The West Indies have excellent recreational resources. The tourism industry is an important source of income for many countries. On some islands, such as the Bahamas, Cayman, international tourism- the basis of the economy.

The nature of the islands is vulnerable. Cultivation, destruction of forests, extraction of minerals cause the intensified development of negative processes: erosion, soil washout, land depletion. In Jamaica, opencast mining of bauxite causes great damage to nature. On the islands in the West Indies, some measures are being taken to restore forests, protected areas are being organized, but they are clearly not enough.

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West Indies

English West-Indies, Netherlands. West-Indië




Characteristics


Largest island	Cuba

total area	244 890 km²

Highest point	3087 m

Population	42,000,000 people (2009)

Population density	171.51 people / km²

Location

19 ° N NS. 74 ° W etc.


Water area	Atlantic Ocean








West Indies at Wikimedia Commons

West Indies(English West-Indies, Dutch. West-Indië - "Western India" or "Western Indies") - the traditional historical name of the islands of the Caribbean Sea, including the Caribbean islands (see the list), the Bahamas and islands adjacent to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean (including some continental islands off the coast of the continent). Contrasted with the East Indies ("East Indies") - countries and.

Name

The name of the West Indies region was given by the first European sailors, who mistakenly believed that they came to India, moving westward from Europe. Hence the name of the indigenous people of America - Indians. The West Indies should be distinguished from the West Indies - these are completely different regions, although "West Indies" literally translates as "West Indies".

There is an opinion that it is correct to say "West-Indies" (English West-Indies, "West Indies"), since the West Indies include the Spanish West Indies, Portuguese, British, French and other West Indies - the lands of each states of Europe in this region since the end of the 15th century. Some of these West Indies are called Antilles: for example, the English use the term "English West Indies", and the French say both "French West Indies" and "French Antilles". When most European countries occupied the lands of the New Continent, the term West Indies appeared. Thus, the West Indies and the West Indies are somewhat different concepts. The first concept means the entire region, and the second - political-economic (trade) formations in this region.

Geography

The West Indies are located between the Americas, between 10 ° and 28 ° north latitude and 59 ° and 85 ° west longitude, from the mouth of the Orinoco to the Florida and Yucatan peninsulas. The Great Soviet Encyclopedia attributes the West Indies to, however, all the islands, except Cuba, Jamaica, Juventuda, and, are located closer to the shores than to the shores of the North.

The West Indies consist of several groups of islands, namely: the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles and the Bahamas. The area of all islands is 244 890 km² (Greater Antilles - 216 260, Lesser Antilles - 14 095 and Bahamas - 14 535). All Antilles rise significantly above sea level. The Bahamas are formed by coral reefs. The highest mountains are in the western part of Haiti (Peak Duarte, 3087 m), in the eastern part of Cuba (2375 m) and in the northern part of Jamaica (2341 m); the eastern shores of the Lesser Antilles are covered with plains; the mountains descend steeply into the valleys. The islands' numerous bays provide convenient harbors. Cuba and the Bahamas are surrounded by huge coral reefs that rise to the sea surface and are covered with palm trees. Many islands (especially the Lesser Antilles) bear traces of volcanic origin.

The following states and territories are located on the territory of the archipelago:

Climate

West Indies

The climate of the West Indies is fairly even. The hot and damp season, spring, begins in May; in the middle of the month, the first periodic rain falls, which is repeated every day around noon. After two weeks of rains, a dry tropical summer begins. The heat is somewhat mitigated by offshore coastal winds and east trade winds that blow throughout the year; however, despite the intense heat, the climate is damp, which contributes to the development of yellow fevers and other diseases common in tropical countries. Cleaner and healthier air in the mountains. In July, the rains are stronger, especially in the Greater Antilles, and in the Lesser Islands, most of the rain falls in August and October; then large floods of rivers occur. Hurricanes rage from August to October, often causing severe devastation. From the end of November, winter begins (a relatively dry time), lasting until May - the best and most pleasant time of the year.

Flora and fauna

Tobago beach

The islands are covered with lush American vegetation; tropical plants grow in the lowlands, and European fruit trees grow in the mountains. The inner regions of the large islands are occupied by huge meadows (savannas). The main plant wealth of the islands is the products of processing industrial crops; vanilla grows wildly in the forests of Jamaica, agave in Cuba and the Bahamas; indigo, cocoa, coconut trees, tobacco, cotton grow on many islands. A breadfruit imported from Tahiti is cultivated in Jamaica. Of grain crops, corn is widely cultivated, while wheat is very scarce. The main export items are sugar and coffee. The sugar cane growing in the West Indies was brought here with the Spaniards in the 16th century, and the coffee tree by the Dutch and French from Arabia.

Before the arrival of Europeans, there were very few native species of four-legged animals on the islands: agouti, bakers (Mexican pig), opossum and breeds of small monkeys, but quite a few scorpions and snakes. To this day, caimans live in calm waters, and turtles are caught in Jamaica. Island birds are distinguished by their brilliant plumage: parrots, hummingbirds. All domestic animals were transported from Europe for agricultural purposes, but now cattle and horses are found in the wild, just like in the savannahs of South America.

The waters of the Caribbean are full of life. Coastal coral reefs provide shelter for a huge number of living creatures. Various types of invertebrates, cartilaginous and bony fish. Large predators are found here different kinds sharks, including bull shark, tiger shark, silk shark and Caribbean reef shark.

Historical background

Historical map of the West Indies

Columbus in 1492 discovered the Bahama, Cuba, Haiti and; on these islands, as well as in the Bahamas and on, there lived two different tribes who spoke different languages: the Caribs - a warlike tribe and the Arawaks ( arrowaks, Arawaks) - peaceful. By the end of the 19th century, the smallest number of the Caribs remained on the shores where the Spaniards resettled them.

The Danish West Indies (Danish colonies) (359 km²) consisted of the islands of St. Cross (Santa Cruz), St. John (St. John) and St. Thomas (St. Thomas). Later they moved away from 1784 to 1878. there was a colony on the island of Saint Barthelemy (21 km²).

The black population has appeared on the islands since the importation of African slaves here (about 1511). In the British colonies, slavery was abolished in 1834, in Haiti, slavery ceased since the uprising of the Negroes at the end of the 18th century, in the Danish colonies since 1847, in the French since 1848, then in the Dutch and Spanish colonies.

Currently, most of the West Indies are occupied by independent states.

Assistance to the Caribbean countries is actively provided by Great Britain within the framework of the Commonwealth. In 1999, the Caribbean Forum was established. He launched several programs, including the creation of a Caribbean-wide Department of Inland Investment. Currently, London maintains close ties with the countries of the region, which are provided with financial assistance, including for the fight against drug trafficking and epidemics.

Notes (edit)

West Indies // Great Soviet Encyclopedia: [in 30 volumes] / Ch. ed. A.M. Prokhorov. - 3rd ed. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1969-1978.
Al. Gromyko Great Britain era of reforms, M., 2007

Literature

West Indies

Antilles, Caribbean islands and "West India" are one and the same - the historical nickname for the Caribbean region, which lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. There is a certain moment of confusion in the concept of Western India, as the West Indies is translated as Western, but in fact it is not only Western India, but India in general, the West Indies are often opposed to Eastern India or the East Indies. The word Western Indies can be considered more correctly here, since all of Western India also includes the Portuguese, Danish, Spanish West Indies, many states had their colonies here since the 15th century.

The name West Indies was given to this region by mistake, as we remember, the discoverers thought that they found a way to India, moving in a western direction from Europe, by the way, from here came the name of the local American aborigines, who were mistakenly called the indigenous people of India - Indians, also this concept is not to be confused with the word Indians, which denotes the population of real India. When the discoverers realized their mistake, they began to call the new lands Western India, the division today is that the West Indies are the western part of India itself, and the West Indies are already the territory of America. However, in this article, we will continue to refer to the Caribbean region as the West Indies in the singular.

Antilles or the ghost island of Antilia

In fact, in reality, there are no Antilles, the whole point is that Antilia is named this region due to the legend that there is a ghost island, which began to appear on world maps since the 15th century, it was a flat rectangle of land stretching from north to south in the Atlantic Ocean west of the Iberian Peninsula. For the first time this island was drawn by the Venetian cartographer Giovanni Pizzigano in 1424, even before the discovery of America, Antilia was depicted on the map in shape equal to the territories of Portugal. There were 7 bays in Antilia, in which there were mythical cities. To the north of Antilia was the legendary island of Satan (Satanazes), crowned with a small island of Saya. To the west of Antilia was the island of Royllo. These islands are united in the so-called Antilia group. Later, the island of Satan was renamed the island of Demons, in the 16th century, Antilia began to be identified with Azores San Miguel.

The Antilles are technically the Greater and Lesser Antilles, the Greater Antilles Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.

Demon Island

Demon Island existed on maps from the early 16th century to the mid-17th century near Newfoundland. According to legend, wild and very terrible animals lived on the island, as well as demons that attacked any ships passing by. The island of Demons was invented by the cartographer Johannes Ruysch in 1508, it is assumed that it was the renamed island of Satan Satanazes, which was located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Antilia. In the 17th century, people got tired of the tales about the island of Satan - Demons and did not depict it on maps anymore.

Antilia before the discovery of America, possibly on European maps portrayed this continent. Translated from Portuguese "Ante-Ilha" is the island "Opposite" or "Others", thus the name suggested that the mythical island is located directly opposite Portugal, the word "Ante-Ilha" is often associated with the Latin word "Aprositus" - "Inaccessible ”, Another version - Antilia - Plato's Atlantis, Antilia is also referred to the island of Iceland and even Ireland.

Geography of the West Indies, Antilles, Caribbean, Caribbean region

The West Indies lies on the border between North and South America, we will rank the West Indies as North America.

West Indies, Antilles, Caribbean and in general Caribbean region- these are the Bahamas, Lesser and Greater Antilles. The area of the Greater Antilles is - 216 260 square kilometers, Small 14 095, Bahamas - 14 535. The Antilles of volcanic origin and high mountains, the Bahamas are coral reefs and plains. Highest point The West Indies is the Peak Duarte mountain 3087 meters in Haiti, in Cuba there is a mountain 2375 meters high, in Jamaica 2341 meters. Many islands boast charming coves, the Virgin Islands, Cuba and especially the Bahamas are surrounded by huge coral reefs that are now covered with vegetation and palm trees.

The Greater Antilles is Cuba with an area of 110,860 square kilometers and a population of 11 million. Haiti has an area of 76,480 square kilometers and a population of 20 million. Jamaica has an area of 10,991 square kilometers and a population of 2.7 million. The Cayman Islands are 264 square kilometers and have a population of 55,000. Puerto Rico area 9104 square kilometers and a population of 4 million.

Lesser Antilles and Bahamas

In the Lesser Antilles and the Bahamas, the largest island in terms of area is Andros - Bahamas 5957 square kilometers, then Trinidad island 4821, Abaco - Bahamas 1681.0, Inagua - Bahamas 1671, Grand Bahama 1373, Martinique-France 1128, Margarita - Venezuela 956.8 Basse Terre - France 848, Dominica 746, Saint Lucia - 619.2 Grand Terre - France 589.

In terms of population, the largest island is Trinidad 1,250,000 people, the highest population density on the island of New Providence - the Bahamas 1202.65 people per square kilometer.

Climate West Indies, Antilles, Caribbean, Caribbean

At first glance, the West Indies boasts an even climate, almost ideal conditions for beach holiday, however, it is problematic for white people to live permanently in such a climate.

So, the summer is very hot, while this is the rainy season, spring begins in May, this is the start of the rainy season, the showers go mostly at noon like clockwork, in June the tropical summer begins, nevertheless, the heat is cooled by the sea breeze and periodic showers, especially with eastern passes. The rainy climate leads to the appearance of fever and other similar diseases, from this point of view it is safer away from the coast in the mountains.

In the Greater Antilles, the peak of rains is gained in June, on the Lesser in August and October, this is the time of flooding of local rivers.

Hurricane season in West Indies, Antilles, Caribbean, Caribbean

Hurricanes run from August to October.

Best time for a vacation in the Caribbean, Antilles

Winter begins in November and lasts until May, which is the best time to travel to the Caribbean.

Vegetable and animal world West Indies and Caribbean

The flora of the Caribbean islands can overwhelm Europeans, the coastal regions have a variety of tropical vegetation, and many fruit trees can be found in the mountains. The low-lying areas of the islands are savannas, where many industrial crops grow, for example, agave in the Bahamas and Cuba, vanilla in Jamaica, tobacco, coconut palms, cocoa, indigo grow everywhere, breadfruit is cultivated in Jamaica, as well as throughout America corn is widely cultivated here, and wheat is traditionally scarce.

The countries of the Caribbean region export bananas, pineapples, coffee, sugar, for example, sugar came here from Canary Islands in the 16th century, and the coffee is from Arabia.

Pets were brought from Europe, many of them have run wild and are found in wildlife... There are also small animals - possum, Mexican pig monkeys, agouti, a large number of snakes and scorpions.

Coral reefs hide a huge variety of fish, but there are also large predators, such as the Caribbean reef shark or tiger shark.

Discovery of the Caribbean and West Indies

The Caribbean or West Indies were discovered by Columbus in 1492, first entering the Bahamas, then Haiti, Puerto Rico and Jamaica. Two tribes lived on the islands, one of them was peaceful - the Arawaks, the second was not peaceful - the Caribs, the latter were completely exterminated by the Europeans. The first colonists in the Caribbean region appeared in 1503, from that moment all the aborigines were turned into slaves and until the 17th century they completely died out or were destroyed. Since the second half of the 17th century, the Caribbean region fell into decay, the place is famous for its pirates, who ruled the seas for a long time.

Slavery in the Caribbean lasted from 1511 until its abolition in Great Britain in 1834 in the Danish colonies from 1847, in the French from 1848, then in the Dutch and Spanish colonies and in Haiti after the slave uprising.

The Spanish colonies are only Cuba and Puerto Rico, but in terms of area they were the largest.

The Antilles belonged to the Netherlands, including Curacao, Sint Eustatius (St. Eustachia) and Saba.

Denmark of the Holy Cross (Santa Cruz), St. John (St. John) and St. Thomas (St. Thomas).

For some time the Swedes owned the island of Saint Barthelemy.