The Caribbean is called the islands and states that are washed by the Caribbean Sea. This sea washes 9 continental countries and 26 island states.

Table: Caribbean states with capitals

The name of the country	Capital
Belize	Belmopan
Venezuela	Caracas
Guatemala	Guatemala
Honduras	Tegucigalpa
Colombia	Bogota
Republic of Costa Rica	San Jose
United Mexican States	mexico city
Nicaragua	Managua
Panama	Panama
Republic of Cuba	Havana
Dominican Republic	Santo Domingo
Haiti	Port-au-Prince
Jamaica	kingston
Puerto Rico	San Juan
Trinidad and Tobago	Port of Spain
Guadeloupe	Bas-Ter
Commonwealth of Dominica	Roseau
Saint Lucia	Castries
Curacao	Willemstad
Antigua and Barbuda	St. John's
Barbados	bridgetown
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Kingstown
Virgin Islands (US)	Charlotte Amalie
	St. George's
Caiman	Georgetown
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Buster
Aruba	Oranjestad
Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)	road town
Anguilla	Valley
Montserrat	Brades
Saint Martin	Marigot
Saint Barthelemy	Gustavia

The Caribbean Sea washes many coasts belonging not only to continental powers, but also to island ones, and the union of these states is usually called the countries of the Caribbean. The island states stretch between North and South America, one of the largest being the Antilles, whose area is 245,000 square meters. km.

Christopher Columbus proclaimed this place the "West Indies", because in 1492, returning from Europe, his team got lost and, moored to the shores of the Bahamas, decided that it was. Since then, the Spaniards have been actively exploring new lands. Soon, for the development of land and the construction of plantations, slaves began to be imported to the island. Africans were especially valued, because they were resistant to hot climates and therefore more hardy.

The period of colonization lasted three centuries, after which, gradually, individual islands began to gain independence. The first liberated colony was San Domingo, which gained independence from France in 1804. Others followed her. But colonial history left its imprint on the culture of peoples. Locals mixed with people from Africa and other regions, religion, customs and blood merged, which gave rise to a completely new culture, unique in its own way.

Piracy in the Caribbean

Almost a century after Christopher Columbus set foot on new lands, mistakenly assuming that they opened only a new route to Asia, and not new lands, pirates began to settle in the Caribbean islands. The newly discovered land areas were fertile, all developed countries tried their best to claim the islands, ships came and went constantly, and carried many valuable things, no doubt, this attracted pirates. The most favorite islands for them were Tortuga and Port Royal.

The period of prosperity of the island for pirates is considered the first 30 years of the XVIII century, during these years such personalities as Blackbeard, Charles Vane and many others became famous.

Caribbean Islands Today

On the this moment, like many warm countries, island states thrive only thanks to tourism, it is he who brings the lion's share of GDP to the regions. The lists of resorts are huge, the country can be chosen based on culture, local cuisine, service and season. Despite the fact that the islands washed by the Caribbean Sea have a year-round resort, there is still a seasonality, in some months there is a rainy season. At this time lovers beach holiday it is better to stay elsewhere, I am glad that this seasonality does not occur on the islands at the same time.

Nature here is unique in its own way:

• white sandy beaches as from the picture;
• clear and warm bluish water;
• rich flora and fauna of the tropical forest.

Many people dream of relaxing here, but due to the flight distance for residents of a number of countries, such a trip can seriously hit the wallet. The list of benefits of rest here is complemented by the presence of the most delicious ripe fruits that will replenish your body's vitamin stores.

List of popular resorts

Cuba

The Russians, for example, fell in love with Cuba and, despite the very expensive flight, the attendance of this country by our compatriots is growing every year. And the plus is that due to the friendly relations of our states, Russians do not need a visa. You can stay on the island without a prior permit for 90 days.

Holidays in Cuba are suitable for any generation, young people can dance until they drop at the brightest parties, tasting the famous Cuban rum, and the older generation will be able to treat themselves to real Cuban cigars and beautiful views of the sea.

Haiti

Typical beach in Jamaica

Puerto Rico

An island of seclusion and tranquility with a large number of small uninhabited islets around. This is perfect place in order to take a break from the hustle and bustle of people, including.

On the island, you can easily take a boat and sail to the nearby islands, they are not inhabited, and you can feel like the owner of the whole island for a moment!

You should not be afraid of predatory animals, they are not here, only a small Koki frog can cause inconvenience and deafen you with its sounds.

Barbados

One of the former pirate islands, and this zest is still inherent in the island, there are many museums where you can trace and learn the history of the island, and compared to other Caribbean island countries, it is the richest in terms of the number of museums and architectural monuments.

Being a British colony in the past, it retained some features, for example, in its conservative part, swimming and topless appearances are strictly prohibited, and even more so, it is unacceptable to be completely naked, so nudist sunbathing is excluded.

Tortuga

The most favorite island among pirates in the past, here was the buying and selling of stolen and mined in the expanses of the sea. Everything on this island is made in a pirate style, here they love and honor their past and have fun from the heart all year round. It was on this island that the film "Pirates of the Caribbean" was filmed, which brought him even greater popularity. Here, locals dressed as pirates roam everywhere, who, for a modest fee, will allow you to take a fun photo with their participation. People come here to have fun to the fullest and with all their hearts.

One of the most beautiful beaches with unusual sand you can find it in. There is a coastal strip with white, gray, gold and even black sand. The fact is that a volcano previously functioned on the island, hence the ash-colored beaches.

Now the volcano is no longer active, and in its center there is a lake. In this country, it will be interesting to visit the capital of St. George's, there is a lot of interesting architecture and there are no wooden buildings in the city, because it burned repeatedly and the government decided to ban the construction of buildings made of wood, as well as taller than the height of local palms.

Trinidad and Tobago

This state has conquered the hearts of ecotourism lovers, it is located on 7 islands and it is quiet and calm here all year round, with the exception of the carnival period, when dances and dances continue until the morning for several days in a row.

Dominican Republic

Indescribably beautiful beaches, clear and azure water, cheerful entertainment programs, delicious food and great restaurants with unforgettable views. All architectural delights and museums are concentrated in Santo Domingo, but the rest of the cities are remarkable only for their impeccable landscapes.

The Caribbean is an island nation located in the Caribbean Sea between North and South America. They include Bahamas and the Greater and Lesser Antilles, with a total area of ​​almost 245,000 km².

Second official name of this region - the West Indies - arose after Christopher Columbus, sailing from Europe to India across the Atlantic Ocean, accidentally discovered new lands, confusing them with India. This happened in 1492 and since then the Spaniards began to actively develop new territories. The indigenous tribes of the Caribs and Arawaks who lived here were eventually partially taken out to work on plantations in South America, and the rest became extinct.

Along with Spain, other European states began to claim new lands, among which were Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark. In addition to the colonies they founded here, the pirate brotherhood also flourished, the settlements of which were not inferior in power and wealth to large European colonies. The fact is that the trade that unfolded between the colonies and European states attracted not only landowners and merchants, but also filibusters who lived off easy prey.

Cocoa beans, coconut palms, cotton, agave, vanilla, tobacco, corn, indigo, which grow here in large quantities, as well as sugar cane and coffee tree, which are well established in the local tropical climate, were most often the subject of trade. Large areas of plantations were developed, to work on which slaves were brought in from Africa, known for being heat tolerant and extremely hardy.

Centuries later, when the colonies outlived themselves as a form of controlled overseas territories, and the islands gained independence and became independent states, the population was a wild mixture of different peoples, religions, traditions and customs, which over many centuries assimilated and brought out a new, unlike others, original culture.

Today, for the whole world, the countries of the Caribbean are a cluster of exotic paradise islands, which can give an unforgettable vacation on the edge of the earth. Almost all states focus on the tourism industry, because they do not own a large industry.

Built from volcanic rocks or coral reefs, the islands are covered with lush tropical vegetation and inhabited by amazing animals and birds, including monkeys, peccaries, possums, agoutis, crocodiles and turtles, as well as parrots, hummingbirds and other birds with rather bright plumage. The coastal waters of the islands teem different types fish, including colorful coral fish and sharks of several species.

A whole developed tourism infrastructure, consisting of large hotel complexes and uninhabited islands with separate bungalows, entertainment complexes and water parks, restaurants and discos. Vacationers can enjoy all kinds of sea and active rest: surfing, windsurfing, parasailing, yachting, kayaking, fishing, diving with sharks or just diving, as well as other equally interesting activities.

The West Indies is the traditional historical name for the islands of the Caribbean Sea, including Caribbean, the Bahamas and islands in the adjacent waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean (including some continental islands - off the coast of the continent). It is contrasted with the East Indies ("East India") - the countries of South and Southeast Asia. It should also be understood that the West Indies and the West Indies are completely different regions, although "West Indies" is translated as "Western Indies", but it is not.

Some believe that it is correct to say the West Indies (eng. West-Indies, "Western Indies"), since the West Indies includes the Spanish West Indies, Portuguese, Danish and other West Indies - the lands of each European state in this region since the end of the 15th century. Some of these West Indies are called the Antilles, for example, the English say French West Indies, and the French say both French West Indies and French Antilles are the same thing. However, the name of this region of the West Indies was given by the first European navigators erroneously, since they thought that they got to India, moving westward from Europe. Hence the name of the indigenous people - the Indians. When more European countries occupied the lands of the New Continent, the term West Indies appeared - then they stopped confusing the western part of India with the West Indies. Thus the West Indies and the West Indies are to some extent different concepts. The first concept means the entire region, and the second - political and economic (trade) formations in this region.

Geography

The West Indies is located between South and North America, between 10° and 26° north latitude and 59°-85° west longitude, from the mouth of the Orinoco to the Florida and Yucatan peninsulas. The Great Soviet Encyclopedia classifies the West Indies as part of North America.

It consists of several groups of large and small islands, namely: from the Large and Small Antilles and the Bahamas and some continental islands (off the coast of the continent) in this region. The surface of all the islands is 244,890 km² (the Greater Antilles - 216,260, the Lesser Antilles - 14,095 and the Bahamas - 14,535). All the Antilles rise significantly above sea level. The Bahamas are formed by coral reefs. The highest mountains are in the western part of Haiti (Duarte Peak, 3087 m), in the eastern part of Cuba (2375 m) and in the northern part of Jamaica (2341 m); eastern shores The Lesser Antilles are covered with plains; mountains descend steeply into valleys. Numerous bays of the islands provide convenient harbors. Cuba, the Virgin Islands and the Bahamas are surrounded by huge coral reefs jutting out to the surface of the sea and covered with palm trees. Many islands (especially the Lesser Antilles) bear traces of volcanic origin.

Greater Antilles

Lesser Antilles and Bahamas

Island	Area km2	Population (2009)	The country
Abaco	1681,0	16 692	Bahamas
Andros	5957,0	7 386	Bahamas
Anguilla	96,0	14 436	United Kingdom
Anegada (BVI)	38,0	200	United Kingdom
Antigua	281,0	67 000	Antigua and Barbuda
Aruba	180,0	106 050	Netherlands
Barbados	430,0	284 589	Barbados
Barbuda	161,0	1 500	Antigua and Barbuda
Bas-Ter	848,0	186 000	France
Bequia	18,0	5 000	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Grand Bahama	1373,0	51 756	Bahamas
Bonaire	288,0	13 389	Netherlands
Canouan	13,0	2 000	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Virgin Gorda (BVI)	21,0	1 100	United Kingdom
Grand Terre	589,0	197 000	France
Dominica	746,0	72 514	Dominica
Grenada	310,0	80 000	Grenada
Inagua	1671,0	911	Bahamas
Jost van Dyck (BVI)	8,0	260	United Kingdom
Carriacou	34,0	6 000	Grenada
Koche	61,0	8 242	Venezuela
Curacao	444,0	142 180	Netherlands
La Desirade	21,1	1 591	France
margarita	956,8	436 900	Venezuela
Marie-Galante	158,0	13 470	France
Martinique	1128,0	397 730	France
Mero (Mairo)	4,0	300	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Montserrat	102,0	6 409	United Kingdom
Mustique	5,7	500	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Nevis	93,0	11 500	Saint Kitts and Nevis
New Providence	207,0	248 948	Bahamas
Orchila	40,0	100	Venezuela
Petite Martinique	2,4	900	Grenada
Saba	13,0	1 737	Netherlands
Santa Cruz (ABO)	213,0	53 234	USA
Saint Barthélemy	21,0	8 255	France
Saint Vincent	346,0	117 000	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint John (ABO)	50,8	4 197	USA
Saint Kitts	169,0	39 000	Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia	619,2	172 884	Saint Lucia
Saint Martin	91,9	68 382	Netherlands/France
St. Thomas (AVO)	80,9	51 181	USA
Sint Eustatius	21,0	2 886	Netherlands
Tobago	300,0	54 084	Trinidad and Tobago
Tortola (BVI)	55,7	14 000	United Kingdom
Trinidad	4821,0	1 250 000	Trinidad and Tobago
Union	8,0	5 000	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Climate

The Caribbean waters are full of life. Coastal coral reefs provide shelter a huge number Living creatures. Various types of invertebrates, cartilaginous and bony fish. Among the large predators, various types of sharks are found here, including the bull shark, tiger shark, silky shark and Caribbean reef shark.

History of the Caribbean

Columbus in 1492 discovered the Bahama, Cuba, Haiti and Portorico; on these islands, as well as in the Bahamas and Jamaica, there lived two different tribes who spoke different languages: the Caraibs - a warlike tribe and the Arawaks (arrowaks, Arawaks) - a peaceful one. From the Caribs by the end of the 19th century, the smallest number remained on the shores South America where the Spaniards moved them.

The Spaniards established the first colonies in Cuba; since 1503 the whole land was divided among the Europeans, and the natives were enslaved and at the beginning of the 17th century they completely died out. From the second half of the 16th century, the islands fell into complete decline: not a single foreign European ship could transport goods, the inhabitants themselves had to trade only with Seville, and from 1720 with Cadiz; the mass of colonists moved out, all the small coastal cities were destroyed in order to stop the smuggling trade; from 1630, the colonies were plundered by filibusters, who formed a real robber state. With the formation of colonies of other European powers in the West Indies (from the 17th century and especially from half of XVIII c.) the West Indian colonies began to prosper again.

At the end of the 19th century, all the islands, with the exception of Haiti with neighboring small islands (77,254 km²), were colonies of European states.

Spanish colonies (largest - area - 128,148 km²):

• Puerto Rico

British colonies (34,499 km²):

• Jamaica and Cayman Islands - 11,443 km²
• Bahamas - 14,535 km²
• Trinidad - 4544 km²
• Windward Islands, or Barbados with the islands of Tobago, Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia - 2150 km²
• Leeward-Islands, or the Governorate of Antigua (Antigua), with the island of Antigua and a group of islands: Dominica, Montserrat (Montserrat), St. Christopher, Nevis, Anguilla (Anguilla) and Tortola (Tortolla), total - 1827 km²

French Antilles or French West Indies (French colonies) (2858 km²):

• large islands of Martinique (988 km²)
• Guadeloupe with neighboring islands(1870 km²).

Dutch Antilles or Dutch (Dutch - that is, the Netherlands) West Indies (Netherlands colonies) (1130.33 km²) consisted of Curacao islands, Sint Eustatius (St. Eustache) and Saba.

The Danish West Indies (Danish colonies) (359 km²) consisted of the islands of the Holy Cross (Santa Cruz), St. John (St. John) and St. Thomas (St. Thomas). Later they went to the USA. From 1784 to 1878 there was a Swedish colony on St. Barthelemy (21 km²).

The black population appeared on the islands from the time of the importation of African slaves here (about 1511). In the British colonies, slavery was abolished from 1834, in Haiti, slavery ceased from the time of the Negro uprising at the end of the 18th century, in the Danish colonies - from 1847, in the French - from 1848, then - in the Dutch and Spanish colonies.

Currently, most of the West Indies are occupied by independent states.

Assistance to the countries of the Caribbean is actively provided by Great Britain within the framework of the Commonwealth. In 1999, the Caribbean Forum was established. He launched several programs, among which is the creation of the General Caribbean Department of Inland Investment. Currently, London maintains close ties with the countries of the region, which are provided with financial assistance, including to combat drug trafficking and epidemics.

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Caribbean countries have become popular holiday destinations for many people from different parts of the Earth. Their list was supplemented by both mainland and island states.

Caribbean Sea on the world map in Russian

The Caribbean is famous for modern civilization since its discovery in the 15th century. The discoverers named the sea after the tribes Caribbean that inhabited the coast, although the sea has changed its name many times throughout history.

The Caribbean Sea has a romantic and sinister history of piracy, which flourished in the 18th century.

Piracy has long sunk into the past, but is of interest to this day. It was the story of the pirates of the Caribbean that became the plot for the film of the same name. The modern Caribbean Sea is the most fashionable and popular resorts of the world, attracting people with their amazing heavenly beauty.

The Caribbean Sea is an attractive holiday destination. You can choose a vacation to your taste in any country, almost at any time of the year, which is facilitated by the climate. Caribbean is land of eternal summer!

Where is?

The Caribbean Sea is the open sea in western hemisphere, in a swimming pool Atlantic Ocean, it seems to connect two parts of the American continent, located between South and Central America and the Antilles. Through the Panama Canal it is connected to the Pacific Ocean, through the Yucatan Strait it has access to the Gulf of Mexico.

Climate

Climate of the Caribbean tropical, with a predominance of east winds - trade winds. Tropical hurricanes are also not uncommon, especially strong in the northern regions of the sea. The most hurricane season is from June to November. Most often, devastating hurricanes, from which coastal residents have suffered more than once, occur in the first months of autumn.

Sometimes hurricanes are so destructive that this event becomes part of history.

The amount of precipitation can vary depending on the winds and on what area of ​​the sea this or that island is located.

Temperature about the same in the Caribbean. average temperature in summer +28°C, in winter from 23 to 27°C.

List of basin countries

The Caribbean Sea washes the shores of many states and territories, both continental and insular.

What territories it washes: states and their capitals

Continental states, which washes the Caribbean Sea, are located in northern, central and south America.

The only country North America in the Caribbean - or, as it is called in the official language, the United Mexican States. The capital is Mexico City.

South American countries:

• Colombia, the official name of the Republic of Colombia. The capital is Bogota;
• Venezuela or officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The capital is Caracas;
• Republic of Panama, partly located in Central America. The capital is Panama.

Central American countries:

1. Republic of Nicaragua, capital - Managua;
2. Republic of Honduras, the capital is Tegucigalpa;
3. Republic of Guatemala, capital - Guatemala;
4. Republic of Costa Rica, capital - San Jose;
5. Belize capital is Belmopan.

island states Caribbean:

• Cuba, official name, unofficial - Liberty Island. The capital is Havana;
• Dominican Republic, capital - Santo Domingo;
• Haiti, the official name of the Republic of Haiti, the capital of Port-au-Prince;
• Jamaica, capital - Kingston;
• Puerto Rico, officially called the Freely Associated State of Puerto Rico or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The capital is San Juan.

Read more about Puerto Rico in: history, climate, animal, vegetable world and other.

It is possible to single out the territories that are part of European countries: (Anguilla), France (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin), the Netherlands (Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius), this is due to the history of the colonization of the lands of the Caribbean. As well as territories belonging to the United States Virgin Islands, the capital is Charlotte Amalie.

Washed Islands

The islands of the Caribbean are Antilles Large and Small and Bahamas.

• Greater Antilles include the island of Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Cayman Islands. The smallest island is Little Cayman, its area is 28.5 km².
• Lesser Antilles these are: a chain of small islands, the largest of them are Trinidad and Tobago and Martinique, the smallest is Petit Martinique, only 2.4 km², with a population of 900 people.
• Bahamas include 700 small islands, and only 30 of them are inhabited.

Tourism in the Caribbean

The variety of resorts in the Caribbean makes it difficult to choose the best because each island is good in its own way. In the Caribbean, anyone will find a vacation to their liking. For Russian tourists the obstacle is the long and expensive journey to the Caribbean.

A nice bonus is that Russians do not need a visa to enter some states.

Popular resorts

Resorts where possible visa-free entry:

• Montego Bay- a resort for lovers of fun, movement, "hip-strip". The city of a never-sleeping port and luxurious hotels;

One of the most expensive resorts world is located just in the Caribbean Sea. Read about this and other resorts that not everyone can afford.

• Negril – white sandy beaches, peace, the kingdom of palm trees, a natural area, remote from the noise of cities and industries;
• Ocho Rios charming with its inconsistency: on the one hand - quiet fishing towns, on the other hand - the center of cruise tourism. Both lovers of solitude and fans of parties can find a place for themselves in this resort.

The best beaches

Among the best beaches Caribbean Sea, there are those that deserve additional attention:

The Caribbean Sea is attractive with comfort, romance and a certain share of danger, as Caribbean beaches often find themselves in the path of hurricanes. The strongest winds and complete serenity, the opportunity to choose a vacation and a beach to your liking, enjoy sea ​​views sports, to observe the life of plants and animals in the pristine corners of nature, attracts people from all over the world.

See video About holidays in the Caribbean:

Caribbean: Mexico

Within the Caribbean region, three components are more or less clearly distinguished: 1) Mexico; 2) Central America; 3) West Indies(Table 10.1). The geographical specificity of the isolated world of the islands of the West Indies is quite obvious, and Mek-

Table 10.1 Caribbean Independent States: A Statistical Data Bank

The country	Area, thousand km 2	Population, million people	venous)ST, %	Lifespan, years	Consumption	GDP
Estest prirs	men	women	kcal/day	total, billion dollars	for 1 person, USD
Mexico		110,2	1,0			3 168,0	1068,0
CENTRAL AMERICA:
Belize	23,0	0,3	2,3			2 888,8	1,8
Guatemala	108,9	12,0	2,3			2 330,9	63,0	5 200
Honduras	112,1	7,2	2,2			2 396,3	20,2	2 800
Dominican Republic	48,7	9,1	1,5			2333,5	60,0
Costa Rica	51,1	4,0	1,5			2760,5	40,4
Nicaragua	131,8	5,5	1,9			2314,1	13,2
Panama	75,5	3,1	1,6			2495,8	22,3
Salvador	21,0	6,7	1,7			2463,4	34,2
WEST INDIA:
Antigua and Barbuda	0,4	0,07	0,6			2395,6	0,8
Bahamas	13,9	0,3	0,6			2 500,0	5,7
Barbados	0,4	0,3	0,4			3 202,7	4,8
Haiti	27,7	8,1	2,3			1 977,5	12,9
Grenada	0,3	0,09	0,3			2684,8	0,4	5 000
Dominica	0,8	0,07	-0,1			2946,6	0,4	5 500
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	0,4	0,1	0,3				0,3
Saint Kitts and Nevis	0,3	0,04	0,5			---	0,3
Saint Lucia	0,6	0,2	1,3			---	0,9
Trinidad and Tobago	5,1	1,1	-0,9			2702,9	13,9
Jamaica	11,5	2,7	0,8			2707,8	11,6

Sika - a kind of Latin American regional "center of power" - is too impressive for its size, population and economic parameters to be one of the "banana republics" of Central America.

The natural originality of the region was mentioned earlier. We only note that mountain system The Cordillera not only runs through it from north to southeast mainland, gradually turning into separate ranges on the border of Panama with Colombia. The insular part of the Caribbean is also an area of ​​the Cordillera fold belt. Central America and the West Indies are distinguished by lush vegetation, exotic wildlife and marine life. The tropical climate and nature make this part of the world attractive for tourists. However, earthquakes, including catastrophic ones, often occur here. Hurricanes* that rage in the region from July to October turn out to be even more of a disaster than earthquakes for the Caribbean and Central America. Hurricanes occur more often than earthquakes, and cover vast areas, devastating them almost completely.

The population of the region is approaching 200 million people. Ethnic composition very motley, which is connected with the large immigration processes that took place here in the past. Indigenous peoples (Indian peoples) make up from 2 to 6%, blacks and mulattoes - 80 - 90%, whites - 2 - 3 %. The white population dominates in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and is 1/3 in Cuba. The share of the urban population in the region remains on average about 50%.

In ancient times, the territory of the region was inhabited by Indian tribes and nationalities. At the beginning of the XVI century. the Spanish conquistadors invaded here, who, by force of arms, as well as using intertribal hostility, broke the stubborn resistance of the Indians, seized their lands and established a regime of cruel exploitation, which was predominantly feudal-serfdom in nature. Many Indian tribes were almost completely destroyed. Slaves were brought here from Africa. The new territories served as a base for the expansion of the Spanish colonial empire. The economic life of the region was entirely determined by the interests of the metropolis, which considered overseas possessions only as a source of natural wealth and profit. Industry, with the exception of small handicraft workshops in the cities and the beginnings of mining, was absent. The indigenous population was completely illiterate and experienced the monstrous arbitrariness of the colonial authorities. The privileged top

* It is interesting to note that the Spanish word for "hurricane" (bugasan) is of Caribbean origin.

The societies were representatives of the metropolis, who concentrated in their hands almost all the highest administrative, military and ecclesiastical positions.

Flows of gold, silver and colonial goods contributed to the struggle for dominance over the region. Pirates of England, France, Holland, Portugal, and then the naval forces of these states took part in it. As a result of stubborn confrontation by the end of the XIX century. Spain lost almost all of its colonies, replaced by Great Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United States.

It is characteristic that even before the end of the liberation struggle of the Spanish colonies for independence, the United States, in the notorious “Monroe Doctrine”* proclaimed by them in 1823, declared its colonialist claim to hegemony in all of Latin America, and after some time embarked on the path of carrying out in relation to countries both Central and all of Latin America, the policy of armed aggression and territorial robberies. Practically all the countries of Central America were subjected to armed robbery by the United States.

The intensification of US expansion contributed to the emergence of a dependent production structure and the persistence of economic backwardness, deepening social instability and further impoverishment of broad sections of the population in the countries of the region.

The process of socio-economic dominance of the United States in the region was accompanied by the creation in the period of 30-40s. 20th century in almost all Central American countries (except Costa Rica) military-police-type dictatorships similar in their programs and methods of action. Expressing the interests of foreign monopolies and large local landowners, these regimes set as their goal the complete suppression of any social and political movement in their countries. The countries of the region were engulfed by an underground guerrilla movement and civil wars.

In the second half and mainly in the 80-90s. 20th century the political situation in most countries has returned to normal. Civil regimes came to power in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua. The situation remains relatively stable in Belize (the former British Honduras), Costa Rica, which pursues a policy of neutrality (in this country, in accordance with the Constitution, the creation of a regular army is prohibited), and Pan-

* The "Monroe Doctrine", named after the then US President John Monroe, was formally directed against the aggressive encroachments of the European powers on the Western Hemisphere. Its motto was "America for Americans". But, in fact, the "Monroe Doctrine" served as an ideological cover for the establishment of US hegemony over the Latin American republics.

Me, through which the inter-oceanic Panama Canal passes.

Among the island territories of the region, a special place is occupied by the Republic of Cuba - a socialist state that arose on political map January 1, 1959 In the group of the Greater Antilles, Puerto Rico stands out, a possession of the United States, which has the political status of a state "freely joined" to the United States with the rights of self-government. In addition to Puerto Rico, the United States owns part of Virgin Islands. For the United States, these islands are of great economic and military-political importance. In the Caribbean, the possessions of European states are still preserved: the Netherlands (some of the Lesser Antilles off the coast of Venezuela - Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, etc.), Great Britain (part of the Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Anguilla, etc.), France (Guadeloupe, Martinique). The European Caribbean retains military bases or serves as offshore world capitals. Almost all restrictions on the registration of firms and banks, the placement of capital, real estate trading, and the transfer of profits have been lifted here.

The modern economy of the region is highly dependent on foreign capital, and primarily on American, as well as Western European. The structure of the economy includes the service sector (58% of GDP), industry (30%), agriculture (12%). Agriculture traditionally specializes mainly in the production of sugar cane, bananas, and coffee, which makes the countries of the region completely dependent on the situation and fierce competition on the world market. The industry is mainly represented by the processing of agricultural raw materials. El Salvador's industry is distinguished by a relatively diverse sectoral structure. The Panama Canal plays an important economic role. About 9 thousand ships from many countries of the world pass through it every year. The sectors of the economy associated with the maintenance of the canal account for almost 30% of Panama's GDP. In the Caribbean countries, illegal types of economic activity (“shadow economy”) are widely represented, where 30-40% of GDP is formed.

Mexico is a kind of link between Anglo-Saxon America and the Latin American “periphery”. As a member of NAFTA, it simultaneously initiates activities within the framework of the "group of three" (Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia), which has concluded a free trade agreement with each other and with Central America. Another regional direction is the Mexican-Canadian-Chilean integration, the prospects of which are associated with the fact that these two states, according to a number of economic indicators, were in the 90s. most ready for "free trade".

Foreign economic relations of the countries of the region traditionally develop with the USA and EU countries. They account for 2/3 of the trade turnover of this part of Latin America. The countries of the region face fierce competition in the world market for their main products - raw sugar, bananas, coffee, and are forced to re-profile the traditional production of goods. Tourism is developing intensively. The region has powerful

offshore zones.

United Mexican States-- the second largest country in terms of population and economic potential in Latin America. Mexico has a storied history. On its territory were some of the most developed civilizations of the Western Hemisphere - the Maya, Toltecs and Aztecs. The most powerful was the culture of the Aztecs, who created in the XIV century. powerful empire. At the beginning of the XVI century. she was conquered by the Spaniards. An independent Mexico flocked in 1821. In the meantime, the neighborhood with the United States played a negative role. In 1845, the United States annexed Texas, and in 1846-1848. during the war unleashed against Mexico, they captured more than half of the Mexican territory north of the river. Rio Bravo del Norte. In 1910-1917 in Mexico there was a bourgeois-democratic revolution, after which the country embarked on the path of active socio-economic modernization. Modern Mexico is the most dynamic state in the region, which has achieved impressive success in the economy and politics. In terms of socio-economic development, it is among the 20 leading countries in the world.

Mexico is located between the world's two largest oceans (Figure 10.2). Part of the Atlantic Ocean, washing the country from the east, is the American Mediterranean Sea. The borders between Mexico and the United States of America were established at the end of the war of 1846-1848. Later in 1882-1894. borders with Guatemala and Belize were defined. Wide access to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as close proximity to the United States, have a strong influence on all aspects of Mexican life.

More than half of the country's territory is occupied by the Mexican Highlands, bordered by powerful mountain ranges. Plains and lowlands are located in coastal areas. The diversity of geological structures determines the richness of the country in minerals. The largest natural asset of the country is oil and natural gas in the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico is one of the world's leading producers of silver, polymetallic, copper, manganese ores, and mercury. It also has large reserves of iron ore, coal, and uranium. Water resources are sufficient for economic development. However, over 80% of hydro resources are concentrated in lowland

Rice. 10.2. Administrative division(states) and economic regions

States: / - Baja California Sur, 2 - Baja California Northern, 3 - sonora, 4 - Chihuahua, 5 - Sinaloa, 6 - Durango, 7 - Coahuila, 8 - Nuevo Leon, 9 - Zacatecas, 10 - Nayarit, // - Tamaulipas, 12 - San Luis Potosi, 13 - Aguascalientes, 14 - Jalisco, /5 - Guanajuato, 16 - Michoacan, 17 - Querétaro, 18 - Hidalgo, 19 - puebla, 20 - Mexico City, 21 - federal district, 22 - Morelos, 23 - Tlaxcala, 24 - Colima, 25 - Guerrero 26 - Oaxaca, 27 - Veracruz, 28 - Chiapas, 29 - Tabasco, 30 - Campeche, 31 - Quintana Roo, 32 - Yucatan. Economic regions: / - Central-East, // - Central-West, /// - North-West, IV- Northern, V- Northeast, VI- Eastern. VII- Southern, VIII- Yucatan

part of the country suffering from excessive moisture. Inland areas, where the bulk of the population lives, in contrast, experience chronic water shortages.

The population of Mexico is growing rapidly. Most Mexicans are mestizos of Hispano-Indian origin (60%), as well as Indians (30%). In total there are over 40 Indian tribes and nationalities. The largest of them are the Aztecs and the Maya. The main part of the population of Mexico is concentrated in the center of the country, where 40% of its inhabitants are located on 7% of the territory. The population of Mexico is characterized by significant migration, mainly

the new direction of which is determined by the neighborhood with the United States. Several hundred thousand Mexicans cross the American border legally and illegally every year. At the same time, the number of illegal migrants braceros- can reach 0.5 million people per year. In total, the population of Mexican origin in the United States is now over 13 million people.

More than 70% of the Mexican population are city dwellers. There are 4 millionaire cities in the country: Mexico City (20 million people with suburbs), Guadalajara (2.8 million), Monterrey (2.5 million), Pueblo (1.5 million people). The metropolitan agglomeration, which is becoming the largest in the world, sharply dominates.

City mexico city- the oldest of the capitals of the Western Hemisphere. It arose on the site of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, founded in 1325. By the time the Spaniards invaded, more than 300 thousand people lived in Tenochtitlan (for example, in London then there were 200 thousand inhabitants). On the site of Tenochtitlan destroyed by the Spaniards in 1521 was erected new town- Mexico City. It was built in accordance with the canons of Spanish architecture, also experiencing French influence. Now Mexico City is a real "museum under open sky". There are about one and a half thousand monuments and historical relics, ten archaeological zones, many other unique cultural sites, which, in turn, are adjacent to modern buildings. The center of the city is Sokolo Square (Constitution Square is the second largest in the world). Also noteworthy is the Plaza of the Three Cultures, reflecting the historical periods of the development of Mexico.

Modern Mexico City is the largest industrial, financial and shopping center countries. The oldest university in the Western Hemisphere was founded here (1551), the first book in America was printed (1539), and the first National Geography Society was created. The rapid growth of the population and the high concentration of industrial enterprises create great difficulties in the life of the Mexican capital. They are largely associated with geographic location cities. Mexico City lies at an altitude of 2250 m in a mountain basin, where smog constantly stands. Air pollution here is one of the highest in the world. Big problems are also connected with providing the city with water.

Mexico is a federal republic made up of 31 states and federal district capital Cities. Geographically, Mexico belongs to two Americas - Latin and North. This circumstance has a pronounced political and socio-economic significance, which determines the modern face of the country. Since 1994, Mexico, together with the United States and Canada, has been a member of the largest free trade zone NAFTA.

In terms of GDP, Mexico ranks second in Latin America after Brazil. Significant economic potential, diversified economy and rich mineral resource base make Mexico one of the developed countries in the world.

Some features of economic development distinguish Mexico from other Latin American countries. Mexico is the only country in the region that has carried out a radical agrarian reform that has ensured the dynamic development of agriculture. Mexico was one of the first in Latin America to nationalize natural resources and create a strong public sector that actively participated in the economic life of the country. Mexico was the first in the foreign world to nationalize the oil industry (in 1938) and the first in Latin America to establish diplomatic relations with the USSR.

In the 1980s Mexico was gripped by a powerful crisis that forced the state to revise its economic policy and move to a new development model. Deep market transformations have covered all sectors of the economy and areas of activity. Entry into NAFTA ensured broad economic cooperation with the United States and Mexico's "jump" towards an "open economy".

Mexico has large raw material reserves and occupies a leading position in the world in the extraction of many minerals. Oil and natural gas, which form the basis of Mexican energy, play a special role. The main oil and gas resources and production facilities of the industry are located on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, on the adjacent plains and on the continental shelf off the Yucatan Peninsula. Oil and gas exploration, production, processing, transportation and sale is carried out by the state oil consortium Pemex. Now Mexico is one of the largest producers and exporters of oil in the world market.

Most of the electricity is produced at thermal power plants. A significant share of hydropower - more than 20%. Natural hot springs are widely used, several geothermal power plants operate. On the basis of its own uranium reserves (in the state of Chihuahua), the Laguna Verde NPP operates (70 km from the city of Veracruz).

In the manufacturing industry, the main branches are metallurgical and machine-building, as well as oil refining and petrochemical. The light and food industries are well developed. Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy has a long tradition and relies on a diverse raw material base. Large smelters operate in Monclove, Lazaro Cardenas and Los Truchas. The smelting of lead, zinc, and copper stands out among the non-ferrous metallurgy industries.

In mechanical engineering, the first place is occupied by a powerful automotive industry, represented by well-known global auto giants. Mexico is also among the leading manufacturers of a variety of industrial equipment. The knowledge is growing

chenie the latest branches of the electronic industry. Most of the enterprises in this industry belong to the so-called "maquiladoras" - assembly-type plants operating using foreign raw materials and technologies, built mainly by American companies in the zone bordering the United States. They are based on American capital and cheap Mexican labor. Nearly 90% of their products go to the US market. Mexico is the largest assembly partner for the United States, well ahead of others.

In connection with the development of the oil refining industry, the role of the chemical industry has grown rapidly. It is characterized by the deepening of the processing of oil and gas raw materials. Mexico is a major producer of products such as polyethylene, ethylene, and methanol. The main petrochemical centers are La Cangrejera (one of the largest petrochemical complexes in Latin America), Coatzacoalcos, Minatitlán, Pahari-

The traditional branches of Mexican industry are textile and food. They are represented mainly by small and medium enterprises. The largest textile region is the state of Puebla (cotton industry), Mexico City (silk and wool industry), Yucatan (henequen processing). In the food industry, a large place is occupied by the production of beverages, sugar, and corn products.

The territorial structure of Mexico's industry has a historically determined feature. The main part of industrial production (as well as the population) is concentrated in the center of the country. Therefore, Mexico is characterized by the movement of economic activity to coastal areas - the "shift to the sea." This trend is actively manifesting itself at the present time: oil centers are growing on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, the picture is changing in the Pacific zone.

Agriculture is dominated by crop production. The main crops are corn, sorghum, beans, wheat. Mexico is one of the largest cotton producing countries. High-grade Mexican cotton is in great demand in the world market. Heneken (grown in the Yucatan), pepper, coffee, tomatoes, and various tropical fruits of export importance are also cultivated. Mexico is ahead of other Latin American countries in agricultural research spending.

Fishing plays a significant role in the country's economy. At the same time, aquaculture and seafood exports are intensively developing.

transport system countries are land, sea and air modes of transport. However, there are few communications in the country connecting the ocean coasts. The main part of transportation is carried out automobile transport. Foreign trade transportation is provided by sea transport. Mexico has a significant merchant fleet, primarily tankers.

Mexico's economic core is central zone. Here, in the southern part of the Mexican Highlands, there has long been a dense network of roads connecting the capital and surrounding large cities. The main economic power of the country is concentrated in this region of Mexico. North has the main capacities of non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy. Facing the United States, it is also distinguished by the chain of cities stretching across the oceans along the American border (Tijuana, Mexicali, Ciudad Juarez), where numerous branches of American enterprises operate. They are closely related to neighboring US cities (which is why they are often referred to as twin cities). Gulf Coast- this is the Atlantic facade of the country and its fuel base. South - the most backward part of Mexico, its "Indian periphery". There is no major cities. The industrial development of the south is now associated with the development of the Las Truchas iron ore deposits, on the basis of which a metallurgical plant and the city of Lazaro Cardenas were built.

Mexico's main foreign trade partner is the United States. In recent years, economic relations with another NAFTA member, Canada, have significantly expanded. The volume of trade with the EU countries and the influx of Western European capital into the Mexican economy are increasing. Another trend in Mexico's economic relations is the strengthening of the role of the countries of the Pacific basin. Relations with Japan are of particular interest here. Now Japan has become the second (after the US) trading partner of Mexico. The growing importance of the Asia-Pacific region in the world economy creates the prerequisites for economic ties between Mexico and Russia.

Control questions and tasks

1. How logical is it to distinguish three components within the region under consideration: Mexico, the West Indies, and the countries of Central America? 2. List non-self-governing (dependent) territories within the West Indies. To whom do they belong? 3. The table shows that the states of the West Indies differ significantly among themselves in terms of GDP per capita. Explain the reasons for the differences. 4. As you know, Mexico is one of the largest cotton-producing countries in the world. Where is cotton grown in this country?