The Lucayan Archipelago, also known as the Bahamian Archipelago, is an island group comprising the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the British Overseas Territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The archipelago is in the western North Atlantic Ocean, north of Cuba and the other Antillean Islands, and east and south-east of Florida.
Lucayan Archipelago | |
|---|---|
 Location within the Caribbean | |
| Coordinates: 23°44′N 75°22′W / 23.74°N 75.37°W | |
| Continent | North America |
| Subregion | Caribbean |
| Countries and territories | |
| Area | |
• Total | 14,308 km2 (5,524 sq mi) |
| Population (2016) | |
• Total | 443,000 |
| • Density | 24.6/km2 (64/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Bahamian, Turks Islander, Caicos Islander |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
William Keegan writes: "Modern political considerations aside, the islands form a single archipelago with common geological, ecological, and cultural roots." Though it is part of the Caribbean region, the Lucayan Archipelago is not geographically located within the Caribbean Sea.
Countries and territories
The Mouchoir Bank, the Silver Bank, and the Navidad Bank are a submerged continuation of the archipelago, to the southeast of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Mouchoir Bank is disputed between the Turks and Caicos Islands and Dominican Republic; Silver Bank and Navidad Bank are part of the Dominican Republic.
Etymologies of island names
The Lucayan Archipelago was named for the original native Lucayan people. Julian Granberry and Gary Vescelius suggest the following Lucayan (Taíno) etymologies for various Lucayan islands.
| Indigenous name | Modern name | Lucayan form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inagua | Inagua | i+na+wa | Small Eastern Land |
| Baneque | Inagua | ba+ne+ke | Big Water Island |
| Guanahaní | Little Inagua | wa+na+ha+ni | Small Upper Waters Land |
| Utiaquia | Ragged Island | huti+ya+kaya | Western Hutia Island |
| Jume(n)to | Crooked/Jumento | ha+wo+ma+te | Upper Land of the Middle Distance |
| Curateo | Exuma | ko+ra+te+wo | Outer Far Distant Land |
| Guaratía | Exuma | wa+ra+te+ya | Far Distant Land |
| Babueca | Turks Bank | ba+we+ka | Large Northern Basin |
| Cacina | Big Sand Cay | ka+si+na | Little Northern Sand |
| Canamani | Salt Cay | ka+na+ma+ni | Small Northern Mid-Waters |
| Cacumani | Salt Cay | ka+ko+ma+ni | Mid-Waters Northern Outlier |
| Macareque | Cotton Cay | Ma+ka+ri+ke | Middle Northern Land |
| Amuana | Grand Turk | aba+wa+na | First Small Land |
| Caciba | South Caicos | ka+siba | Northern Rocky |
| Guana | East Caicos | wa+na | Small Country |
| Aniana | Middle Caicos | a+ni+ya+na | Small Far Waters |
| Caicos | North Caicos | ka+i+ko | Nearby Northern Outlier |
| Buiana | Pine Cay | bu+ya+na | Small Western Home |
| Boniana | Pine Cays | bo+ni+ya+na | Small Western Waters Home |
| Yucanacan | Providenciales | yuka+na+ka | The Peoples Small Northern [Land] |
| Ianicana | Providenciales | ya+ni+ka+na | Far Waters Smaller [Land] |
| Macubiza | West Caicos | ma+ko+bi+sa | Mid Unsettled Outlier |
| Mayaguana | Mayaguana | ma+ya+wa+na | Lesser Midwestern Land |
| Amaguayo | Plana Cays | a+ma+wa+yo | Toward the Middle Lands |
| Yabaque | Acklins Island | ya+ba+ke | Large Western Land |
| Samana | Samana | sa+ma+na | Small Middle Forest |
| Yuma | Long Island | yu+ma | Higher Middle |
| Manigua | Rum Cay | ma+ni+wa | Mid Waters Land |
| Guanahaní | San Salvador | wa+na+ha+hi | Small Upper Waters Land |
| Guateo | Little San Salvador | wa+te+yo | Toward the Distant Land |
| Guanima | Cat Island | wa+ni+ma | Middle Waters Land |
| Ayrabo | Great Guana Cay | ay+ra+bo | Far Distant Home |
| Nema | New Providence | ne+ma | Middle Waters |
| Ciguateo | Eleuthera | siba+te+wo | Distant Rocky Place |
| Lucayoneque | Great Abaco | luka+ya+ne+ke | The People's Distant Waters Land |
| Bahama | Grand Bahama | ba+ha+ma | Large Upper Middle [Land] |
| Habacoa | Andros | ha+ba+ko+wa | Large Upper Outlier Land |
| Canimisi | Williams Island | ka+ni+misi | Northern Waters Swamp |
| Bimini | Bimini | bimini | The Twins |
See also
- List of Caribbean islands
- West Indies
References
- Keegan:20, 183
- Carew, James; Mylroie, John (1997). Vacher, H.L.; Quinn, T. (eds.). Geology of Bahamas, in Geology and Hydrology of Carbonate Islands, Developments in Sedimentology 54. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science B.V. pp. 91-139. ISBN 9780444516442.
- Granberry, Julian, & Gary Vescelius (2004). Languages of the Pre-Columbian Antilles. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-5123-X.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Citations
- Granberry, Julian (October 1991). "Lucayan Toponyms". Journal of the Bahamas Historical Society. 13. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
Further reading
- Keegan, William F. (1992) The People Who Discovered Columbus: The Prehistory of the Bahamas. University Press of Florida ISBN 0-8130-1137-X
The Lucayan Archipelago also known as the Bahamian Archipelago is an island group comprising the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the British Overseas Territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands The archipelago is in the western North Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and the other Antillean Islands and east and south east of Florida Lucayan ArchipelagoArchipelagoLocation within the CaribbeanCoordinates 23 44 N 75 22 W 23 74 N 75 37 W 23 74 75 37ContinentNorth AmericaSubregionCaribbeanCountries and territories2 Bahamas Turks and Caicos Islands United Kingdom Area Total14 308 km2 5 524 sq mi Population 2016 Total443 000 Density24 6 km2 64 sq mi Demonym s Bahamian Turks Islander Caicos IslanderTime zoneUTC 05 00 EST Summer DST UTC 04 00 EDT William Keegan writes Modern political considerations aside the islands form a single archipelago with common geological ecological and cultural roots Though it is part of the Caribbean region the Lucayan Archipelago is not geographically located within the Caribbean Sea Countries and territoriesThe Bahamas Turks and Caicos Islands United Kingdom The Mouchoir Bank the Silver Bank and the Navidad Bank are a submerged continuation of the archipelago to the southeast of the Turks and Caicos Islands Mouchoir Bank is disputed between the Turks and Caicos Islands and Dominican Republic Silver Bank and Navidad Bank are part of the Dominican Republic Etymologies of island namesThe Lucayan Archipelago was named for the original native Lucayan people Julian Granberry and Gary Vescelius suggest the following Lucayan Taino etymologies for various Lucayan islands Indigenous name Modern name Lucayan form MeaningInagua Inagua i na wa Small Eastern LandBaneque Inagua ba ne ke Big Water IslandGuanahani Little Inagua wa na ha ni Small Upper Waters LandUtiaquia Ragged Island huti ya kaya Western Hutia IslandJume n to Crooked Jumento ha wo ma te Upper Land of the Middle DistanceCurateo Exuma ko ra te wo Outer Far Distant LandGuaratia Exuma wa ra te ya Far Distant LandBabueca Turks Bank ba we ka Large Northern BasinCacina Big Sand Cay ka si na Little Northern SandCanamani Salt Cay ka na ma ni Small Northern Mid WatersCacumani Salt Cay ka ko ma ni Mid Waters Northern OutlierMacareque Cotton Cay Ma ka ri ke Middle Northern LandAmuana Grand Turk aba wa na First Small LandCaciba South Caicos ka siba Northern RockyGuana East Caicos wa na Small CountryAniana Middle Caicos a ni ya na Small Far WatersCaicos North Caicos ka i ko Nearby Northern OutlierBuiana Pine Cay bu ya na Small Western HomeBoniana Pine Cays bo ni ya na Small Western Waters HomeYucanacan Providenciales yuka na ka The Peoples Small Northern Land Ianicana Providenciales ya ni ka na Far Waters Smaller Land Macubiza West Caicos ma ko bi sa Mid Unsettled OutlierMayaguana Mayaguana ma ya wa na Lesser Midwestern LandAmaguayo Plana Cays a ma wa yo Toward the Middle LandsYabaque Acklins Island ya ba ke Large Western LandSamana Samana sa ma na Small Middle ForestYuma Long Island yu ma Higher MiddleManigua Rum Cay ma ni wa Mid Waters LandGuanahani San Salvador wa na ha hi Small Upper Waters LandGuateo Little San Salvador wa te yo Toward the Distant LandGuanima Cat Island wa ni ma Middle Waters LandAyrabo Great Guana Cay ay ra bo Far Distant HomeNema New Providence ne ma Middle WatersCiguateo Eleuthera siba te wo Distant Rocky PlaceLucayoneque Great Abaco luka ya ne ke The People s Distant Waters LandBahama Grand Bahama ba ha ma Large Upper Middle Land Habacoa Andros ha ba ko wa Large Upper Outlier LandCanimisi Williams Island ka ni misi Northern Waters SwampBimini Bimini bimini The TwinsSee alsoGeography portalIslands portalWest Indies portalList of Caribbean islands West IndiesReferencesKeegan 20 183 Carew James Mylroie John 1997 Vacher H L Quinn T eds Geology of Bahamas in Geology and Hydrology of Carbonate Islands Developments in Sedimentology 54 Amsterdam Elsevier Science B V pp 91 139 ISBN 9780444516442 Granberry Julian amp Gary Vescelius 2004 Languages of the Pre Columbian Antilles Tuscaloosa AL University of Alabama Press ISBN 0 8173 5123 X a href wiki Template Cite book title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link CitationsGranberry Julian October 1991 Lucayan Toponyms Journal of the Bahamas Historical Society 13 Retrieved 8 December 2013 Further readingKeegan William F 1992 The People Who Discovered Columbus The Prehistory of the Bahamas University Press of Florida ISBN 0 8130 1137 X
