The Antilles is an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west, the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest, and the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east.
The West Indies (red), which includes the Antilles and the Lucayan Archipelago.
The Antillean islands are divided into two smaller groupings: the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles. The Greater Antilles includes the Cayman Islands and larger islands of Cuba, Hispaniola (subdivided into the nations of the Dominican Republic and Haiti) and Navassa Island, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. The Lesser Antilles contains the northerly Leeward Islands and the southeasterly Windward Islands as well as the Leeward Antilles just north of Venezuela. The Lucayan Archipelago (consisting of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands), though a part of the West Indies, is generally not included among the Antillean islands.
Geographically, the Antillean islands are generally considered a subregion of North America. Culturally speaking, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico – and sometimes the whole of the Antilles – are included in Latin America, although some sources use the phrase "Latin America and the Caribbean" instead (see Latin America, "In Contemporary Usage").
In terms of geology, the Greater Antilles are mostly made up of continental rock accreted on the North American Plate from relative movement of the Caribbean Plate. The Lesser Antilles are mostly young volcanic islands created by the Lesser Antilles subduction zone.
Background
Map of Antilles / Caribbean in 1843
The word Antilles originated in the period before the European colonization of the Americas, Antilia being one of those mysterious lands which figured on the medievalcharts, 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.
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 constituted an extensive archipelago in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The Antilles were called multiple names before their current name became the norm. Early Spanish visitors called them the Windward Islands (today having a narrower definition). They were also called the Forward Islands by 18th-century British. Thereafter, the term Antilles was commonly assigned to the formation, and "Sea of the Antilles" became a common alternative name for the Caribbean Sea in various European languages.[citation needed]
Some sources, such as Encarta in Spanish, include the Bahamas in the Antilles. [1] Archived 2009-10-04 at the Wayback Machine(in Spanish). Archived 2009-10-31.
"85.04.04: The Geophysics and Cultural Aspects of the Greater Antilles". teachersinstitute.yale.edu. Archived from the original on 2018-03-23. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Antilles". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 126.
Kitchin, Thomas (1778). The Present State of the West-Indies: Containing an Accurate Description of What Parts Are Possessed by the Several Powers in Europe. London: R. Baldwin. p. 5. Archived from the original on 2015-02-21. Retrieved 2013-08-30.
The Antilles is an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest and the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east The West Indies red which includes the Antilles and the Lucayan Archipelago The Antillean islands are divided into two smaller groupings the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles The Greater Antilles includes the Cayman Islands and larger islands of Cuba Hispaniola subdivided into the nations of the Dominican Republic and Haiti and Navassa Island Jamaica and Puerto Rico The Lesser Antilles contains the northerly Leeward Islands and the southeasterly Windward Islands as well as the Leeward Antilles just north of Venezuela The Lucayan Archipelago consisting of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands though a part of the West Indies is generally not included among the Antillean islands Geographically the Antillean islands are generally considered a subregion of North America Culturally speaking Cuba the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico and sometimes the whole of the Antilles are included in Latin America although some sources use the phrase Latin America and the Caribbean instead see Latin America In Contemporary Usage In terms of geology the Greater Antilles are mostly made up of continental rock accreted on the North American Plate from relative movement of the Caribbean Plate The Lesser Antilles are mostly young volcanic islands created by the Lesser Antilles subduction zone BackgroundMap of Antilles Caribbean in 1843 The word Antilles originated in the period before the European colonization of the Americas 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 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 constituted an extensive archipelago in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico The Antilles were called multiple names before their current name became the norm Early Spanish visitors called them the Windward Islands today having a narrower definition They were also called the Forward Islands by 18th century British Thereafter the term Antilles was commonly assigned to the formation and Sea of the Antilles became a common alternative name for the Caribbean Sea in various European languages citation needed Countries and territoriesNASA image of the AntillesLucayan Archipelago The Bahamas Turks and Caicos Islands United Kingdom Greater Antilles Cayman Islands United Kingdom Cuba Isle of Youth Hispaniola Haiti Dominican Republic Jamaica Puerto Rico United States Lesser Antilles Los Roques Venezuela Lesser AntillesLeeward Antilles Aruba Kingdom of the Netherlands Bonaire Netherlands Curacao Kingdom of the Netherlands Federal Dependencies of Venezuela Aves Island Los Monjes Archipelago La Tortuga Island La Sola Island Los Testigos Islands Los Frailes Islands Patos Island Los Roques Archipelago Blanquilla Island Los Hermanos Archipelago Orchila Island Las Aves Archipelago Nueva Esparta State Venezuela Margarita Island Coche CubaguaLeeward Islands Anguilla United Kingdom Antigua and Barbuda Antigua Barbuda Redonda British Virgin Islands United Kingdom Guadeloupe France Fort Napoleon Les Saintes GuadeloupeLa Desirade Les Saintes Marie Galante Montserrat United Kingdom Saba Netherlands Saint Barthelemy France Saint Martin Collectivity of Saint Martin France Sint Maarten Kingdom of the Netherlands Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts Nevis Sint Eustatius Netherlands Spanish Virgin Islands Puerto Rico United States Virgin Islands United States Saint Croix Saint Thomas Saint JohnWindward Islands Dominica Grenada Martinique France Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesOther islands Barbados Trinidad and Tobago Tobago TrinidadSee alsoAntilliaReferences ae n ˈ t ɪ l iː z Antillean Creole Antiy Spanish Antillas French Antilles Dutch Antillen Haitian Creole Antiy Papiamento Antiyas Jamaican Patois Antiliiz Some sources such as Encarta in Spanish include the Bahamas in the Antilles 1 Archived 2009 10 04 at the Wayback Machine in Spanish Archived 2009 10 31 85 04 04 The Geophysics and Cultural Aspects of the Greater Antilles teachersinstitute yale edu Archived from the original on 2018 03 23 Retrieved 2017 11 21 One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Antilles Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 2 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 126 Kitchin Thomas 1778 The Present State of the West Indies Containing an Accurate Description of What Parts Are Possessed by the Several Powers in Europe London R Baldwin p 5 Archived from the original on 2015 02 21 Retrieved 2013 08 30
