The West Indies are a group of Caribbean islands. The West Indies got its name because Christopher Columbus mistakenly assumed he was in India when he landed on Hispanola, a small island off the coast of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
The Dominican Republic and Haiti are two of several nations in the West Indies. Hispanola is only one of many islands.
Hispanola is part of the Greater Antilles, a grouping of islands in the West Indies. All three of these islands are part of the Greater Antilles. Cuba and Jamaica are sovereign nations with national flags, governments, economies, and distinctive cultures.
As a territory of the United States, Puerto Rico does not have its government and is not a nation.
The Caribbean islands of Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti are popular destinations for beachgoers because of their pristine white sands and crystal-clear seas.
Because Cuba is a communist nation, it is less popular with tourists. Visitors to Cuba are now in more significant numbers than they were merely a few years ago.
The West Indies also includes a group of islands known as the Lesser Antilles. The Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands are two minor groupings in the Lesser Antilles. Barbuda, Antigua, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saba, St. Martin, and Anguilla are part of the Leeward Islands.
There are five Windward Islands: Martinique, Grenada, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines, Dominica, and St. Lucia, all in the Caribbean. Tourists flock to these island nations for their stunning beaches, clear water, lush vegetation, and other natural attractions.
Also See: Southern European Countries 2022
Bermuda and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago are two more nations in the West Indies. Bermuda is one of the three points of the Bermuda Triangle. Although some people regard Suriname and Guyana as West Indies nations, they are really on the continent of South America.
The Virgin Islands, like Puerto Rico, is part of the West Indies and a US territory. If you’re a citizen of the United States, you may go to the British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico without leaving the nation.
Country | 2022 Population |
---|---|
Haiti | 11680.2830 |
Cuba | 11305.6520 |
Dominican Republic | 11056.3700 |
Jamaica | 2985.0940 |
Puerto Rico | 2829.8120 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 1406.5850 |
Guyana | 794.0450 |
Suriname | 596.8310 |
Barbados | 288.0230 |