The Antilles (the same in French; Antillas in Spanish; Antillen in Dutch) refers to the islands forming the greater part of the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea. The Antilles are divided into two major groups: the "Greater Antilles" to the north including the larger islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), and Puerto Rico; and the smaller "Lesser Antilles" on the southeast — comprising the northerly Leeward Islands, the southeasterly Windward Islands, and the Leeward Antilles just north of Venezuela. The Bahamas, though part of the West Indies, are generally not included among the Antillean islands.^[1] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1500x900, 577 KB) Summary Self modified from https://www. ... “West Indian” redirects here. ... Map of Central America and the Caribbean The Caribbean Sea (pronounced or ) is a tropical sea in the Western Hemisphere, part of the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. ... The Greater Antilles, an island group in the Caribbean Sea, are part of the Antilles. ... Early map of Hispaniola The island of Hispaniola (from Spanish, La Española) is the second-largest island of the Antilles, lying between the islands of Cuba to the west, and Puerto Rico to the east. ... Location of the Lesser Antilles (green) in relation to the rest of the Caribbean Islands of the Lesser Antilles The Lesser Antilles, also known as the Caribbees,[1] are part of the Antilles, which together with the Bahamas and Greater Antilles form the West Indies. ... The Leeward Islands are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles. ... The Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles. ... The Leeward Antilles are a chain of islands in the Caribbean – specifically, the southerly islands of the Lesser Antilles (and, in turn, the West Indies) along the southeastern fringe of the Caribbean Sea, just north of the Venezuelan coast of the South American mainland. ...

Geographically, the Antilles are generally considered^{[citation needed]} part of North America. Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico – due to the prevalence of Spanish – are included in Latin America. Geography - (from the Greek words Geo (γη) or Gaea (γαία), both meaning Earth, and graphein (γράφειν) meaning to describe or to writeor to map) is the study of the earth and its features, inhabitants, and phenomena. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ...

In terms of geology, the Greater Antilles are made up of continental rock, as distinct from the Lesser Antilles, which are mostly young volcanic or coral islands. This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Animated, colour-coded map showing the various continents. ... Cleveland Volcano in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska photographed from the International Space Station For other uses, see Volcano (disambiguation). ... Extant Subclasses and Orders Alcyonaria    Alcyonacea    Helioporacea Zoantharia    Antipatharia    Corallimorpharia    Scleractinia    Zoanthidea [1][2]  See Anthozoa for details For other uses, see Coral (disambiguation). ...

Background

The word Antilles originated in the period before the European conquest of the New World — Antilia being one of those mysterious lands which figured on the medieval charts, sometimes as an archipelago, sometimes as continuous land of greater or lesser extent, its location fluctuating in mid-ocean between the Canary Islands and India. Frontispiece of Peter Martyr dAnghieras De orbe novo (On the New World). Carte dAmérique, Guillaume Delisle, 1722. ... Antillia (or Antilia) was a phantom island said to lie in the Atlantic Ocean far to the west of Spain. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Mergui Archipelago The Archipelago Sea, situated between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland, the largest archipelago in the world by the number of islands. ... Anthem: Arrorró Capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife Official language(s) Spanish Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 13th  7,447 km²  1. ...

After the 1492 arrival of Christopher Columbus's expedition in what was later called the West Indies, the European powers realized that the dispersed lands comprised an extensive archipelago enclosing the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Thereafter, the term Antilles was commonly assigned to the formation, and "Sea of the Antilles" became a common alternate name for the Caribbean Sea in various European languages. Also film, 1492: Conquest of Paradise. ... Christopher Columbus (1451 – May 20, 1506) was a navigator and colonialist who is one of the first Europeans to discover the Americas, after the Vikings. ... Map of Central America and the Caribbean The Caribbean Sea (pronounced or ) is a tropical sea in the Western Hemisphere, part of the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ...

Greater Antilles

Main article: Greater Antilles

• Cuba
• Hispaniola
  • Dominican Republic
  • Haiti
• Jamaica
• Puerto Rico (U.S. commonwealth)
• Cayman Islands (geographical zone under Cuba)

The Greater Antilles, an island group in the Caribbean Sea, are part of the Antilles. ... Early map of Hispaniola The island of Hispaniola (from Spanish, La Española) is the second-largest island of the Antilles, lying between the islands of Cuba to the west, and Puerto Rico to the east. ... For other uses of Commonwealth, see Commonwealth. ...

Lesser Antilles

Main article: Lesser Antilles

• Anguilla (Br.)
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Aruba (Neth.)
• Barbados
• Bonaire (Neth. Ant.)
• British Virgin Islands
• Curaçao (Neth. Ant.)
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guadeloupe (Fr.), known as the French Antilles together with Martinique.
• Martinique (Fr.), known as the French Antilles together with Guadeloupe.
• Montserrat (Br.)
• Netherlands Antilles (Neth.)
• Redonda (part of Antigua and Barbuda)
• Saba (Neth. Ant.)
• Saint Barthélemy (Fr.)
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Martin (Fr.)/ Sint Maarten (Neth. Ant.)
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Saint Eustatius (Neth. Ant.)
• Trinidad and Tobago
• U.S. Virgin Islands

Location of the Lesser Antilles (green) in relation to the rest of the Caribbean Islands of the Lesser Antilles The Lesser Antilles, also known as the Caribbees,[1] are part of the Antilles, which together with the Bahamas and Greater Antilles form the West Indies. ... Anthem: Tera di Solo y suave biento Capital (and largest city) Kralendijk Official languages Dutch Government See Politics of the Netherlands Antilles  - Bonaire Administrator  - Governor of N.A. Frits Goedgedrag Constitutional monarchy part of the Netherlands Antilles  Area  - Total 288 km² 111 sq mi  Population  - 2001 census 10,791  - Density... For other uses, see Curaçao (disambiguation). ... Redonda is an uninhabited island dependency of Antigua and Barbuda. ... Motto Remis Velisque (Latin) With oars and sails (English) Anthem Saba you rise from the ocean Capital The Bottom Largest city The Bottom Official languages Dutch, Papiamento and English (unofficial) Government See Politics of the Netherlands Antilles  -  Saba Administrator A.J.M. Solagnier  -  Governor of N.A. Frits Goedgedrag Constitutional... Anthem For Sweden - The Land of The Incredible Biffs Capital (and largest city) Gustavia Official languages Swedish Government  -  Prime Minister of Sweden Nick XII Bonaparte  -  Prefect Per af Biffsläkt  -  President of the Territorial Council none yet; however Henning is the mayor of Saint-Barthelemy Overseas Collectivity of Sweden   -  Swedish... St. ... Motto Semper pro grediens (Latin) Anthem O sweet Sint-Maartens Land Capital (and largest city) Philipsburg Official languages Dutch, English Government See Politics of the Netherlands Antilles  -  Administrator Franklyn Richards constitutional monarchy part of the Netherlands Antilles, separate country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands as from December 15... Map showing location of Sint Eustatius relative to Saba and Sint Maarten/Saint Martin Sint Eustatius (also Saint Eustace and Statia), pop. ...

Footnotes

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.