This is a list of sovereign states and dependent territories in the Caribbean.
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In a general sense, the Caribbean can be taken to mean all the nations in and around the Caribbean Sea that lie within an area that stretches from The Bahamas in the north to Guyana in the south, and Suriname in the east to Belize in the west in a general sense. This is an expanse (mostly of ocean) which measures about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) from north to south, and over 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometres) from east to west.
When the Central and South American nations that border the Caribbean Sea (many of which have a cultural and linguistic heritage that sets their history out of the scope of the region) are excluded, the Caribbean covers the same geographical area as the West Indies, containing a total of 16 sovereign states (general sense) and 12 island territories that remain dependencies in one form or another, to the countries of France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.[1]
Sovereign states
Other than Cuba and the Dominican Republic, all other 14 sovereign states (general sense) (and one British Overseas Territory) in the Caribbean are member nations of the Caribbean Community, which is an international organisation formed to promote regional integration and collaboration among its member nations. Honduras, Belize, Guyana, and Surinam can be considered as part of the Caribbean.
Note that Bermuda is a member nation of the Caribbean Community, though the island nation lies in the North Atlantic Ocean, not in the Caribbean.
Other than 13 Caribbean island countries, four continental mainland countries, namely Honduras, Belize, Guyana, and Suriname, have also been included in the following table (by United Nations geoscheme).
Dependent territories
Montserrat is a member nation of both the Caribbean Community and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States despite being a dependent territory of the United Kingdom. San Andrés and Providencia; Guadeloupe and Martinique; the Caribbean Netherlands (BES islands); as well as the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela and Nueva Esparta; are not included here because they are not technically dependent territories of Colombia, France, the Netherlands, and Venezuela respectively, instead, they are integral parts of the countries abovementioned. Navassa Island, an uninhabited disputed territory administered by the United States and claimed by Haiti, is also excluded.
The phrase "Caribbean countries"
Depending on the speaker and the context, the phrase "Caribbean countries" can have a variety of meanings,[31] such as those shown in the images below.
Caribbean countries in the strictest sense
Caribbean countries as defined by the United Nations geoscheme
Caribbean countries in a general sense
Caribbean countries in the widest application of the phrase
See also
References
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