1. 5 Themes of Geography Caribbean Assignment Period 5 group 4

2. Location- Where is it?

3. L OCATION Exact: 25 N to 10 N 85 W to 60 W Relative: The Caribbean is Northwest of the Gulf of Mexico, Northeast of the Atlantic Ocean, and South of the Caribbean Sea. Latin America is South of the Caribbean and Central America is to the West of the Caribbean

4. P LACE -P HYSICAL AND H UMAN CHARACTERISTICS

5. P LACE - W HAT IS IT LIKE THERE ? Physical- Located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator. Around the Equator is where the climate is warmer, so the Caribbean has warm temperatures; allowing diverse plant and animal life. Belize Barrier Reef in the Caribbean's

6. T HE C ARIBBEAN S EA The Caribbean Sea enclosed the Antillean islands and the mainland of Central and South America, linking both regions. It connected people with trade routes, and there is a great resource of sea life. The temperature of the sea ranges between 73 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. G REAT A NTILLES AND L ESSER A NTILLES The Great Antilles are four islands; Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico. In this area is where the volume of the population is because of good land to farm and the mountain ranges. The Lesser Antilles are mostly the small islands from the Virgin Islands to Trinidad. There are many mountainous islands.

8. R IMLAND S TATES Rimlands are coastal zones on the mainland, in the Caribbean it begins with Belize and extends to the coast of Central America to northern South America. Belize and Guinas are rimland states in the Caribbean. Belize: has limestone mountains Guinas: have rolling hills, the rimland retains most of the forests

9. C LIMATE Warm year-round and lots of rainfall, the rainfall supports the tropical forests which determines the seasons (greater than 80 inches) There is a dry basin in the western Hispaniola, a lot of the natural vegetation was removed to accommodate the agriculture and fuel needs. The tropical ecosystems are still intact. From July to October, there are different high-pressure zones and winds that generate moisture –laden and unstable atmosphere conditions.

10. C LIMATE -H URRICANES Several hurricanes hit the Caribbean, it starts in July forming from the westward moving low- pressure from the west coast of Africa that pick up moisture and speed while moving across the Atlantic.

11. V EGETATION -F ORESTS, S AVANNAS, AND M ONGROVES The forests were cleared for the Europeans’ plantations, not the land is used mostly for export crops; the Guianas’ rainforest are still intact because the economy relies on mining. The Savannas and Mangroves: the savannas have fertile grasslands that are good for farming. While the Mangroves are very important for the young crustaceans and fish.

12. V EGETATION -A RID Z ONES The arid zones are around the Antillean Mountains, where it is difficult to farm. Although, salt is produced, goats are raised there, and is a great spot for resorts.

13. T HE R URAL -U RBAN C ONTINUUM The communities of the Caribbean people, copy the plantations from where slaves were used. Rural communities are organized, men search out for farm work, resulting in matriarchal family structure. People live in House yards, which are small enclosed properties of a half acre or less of land, livestock and gardens are taken care of inside the work space. Usually owned by women.

14. C ARIBBEAN CITIES 60% of people in the Caribbean live in cities. Cities are laid out on a grid with a central plaza, because the cities use to be susceptible to the raids by the Europeans and pirates. For housing, shantytowns filled the informal sector. Shantytowns in Cuba

15. HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS

16. C ULTURAL D IVERSITY Many ethnicities comprise the Caribbean such as Africans, Asians, and Europeans. Creolization is when African and European cultures blend into the Caribbean culture. Due to the mix of cultures, languages are transformed into different dialects, later on into new languages.

17. C ULTURAL I MPRINT OF C OLONIALISM Due to the European colonies settling in the Caribbean islands, the indigenous societies lost their unique culture and social system. Plantation-based agriculture dependence forced work labor. Plantation America depended on African labor, leading to a reliance on mono-crop production and indentured labor. Elite families would rule the plantations, and rigid class lines were set.

18. N EO -A FRICA African slaves were introduced to the Americas in the 16 th century because of the demographic collapse of the Amerindians. African diaspora was the forced removal of Africans from their native area. Maroon societies were communities of runaway slaves, compelling examples of cultural diffusion across the Atlantic. Founded in isolated areas; Bush Negroes of Suriname.

19. A FRICAN R ELIGIONS Widely practiced religion was Voodoo, they had their own priesthood and unique patterns of worship. Their impact was immense, as Voodoo priests were used to scare of government opposition.

20. C REOLIZATION AND C ARIBBEAN I DENTITY Creolization-blending of African, European, and a few Amerindian cultures founded in the Caribbean. A complex culture is created since if reflects influences of the many people in the regions.

21. L ANGUAGE Spanish (24 million speakers, dominate) French (8 million speakers, also referred to as patois, with African syntax. Official language in Haiti) English (6 million) Dutch ( ½ million, declining) Spanish is the official language, and universally spoken. The other languages have different accents and tones.

22. M USIC The Caribbean is well known for their music, such as reggae, calypso, merengue, rumba, zouk, and many others. The roots of the music reflects from the combination of African rhythms and European forms of melody and verse. Caribbean instruments, such as the steel drum pans of Trinidad

23. Movement-How are people and places connected?

24. People People: -circular migration - leave rest of family to work hard, save money then return home -chain migration - one family member is brought over at a time -rural-to-urban migration -indentured labor - workers contracted to labor on estates for set period of time (mostly from South/Southeast Asia) -African diaspora - forced removal of Africans from native land

25. Continued Tourism -Maroons -Caribbean Diaspora - economic flight of Caribbean people across the globe -Intraregional movement -“brain drain"/education

26. Goods Goods: -Offshore banking -Export of food products (bananas, sugar, coffee) -Manufacturing

27. Ideas Ideas: -Music (ex. reggae, calypso, rumba, etc.) -Slave labor -Languages (Spanish (24 million), French (8 million), English (6 million), Dutch (.5 million), Papiamento (Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, English blend)) -Religions (Voodoo/Vodoun (in Haiti), Santeria (Cuba), Obeah (Jamaica), Catholicism, etc.) -Fertility rate -HIV/AIDS & health care - Neocolonialism-economic and political strategies by which powerful states indirectly extend their influence over other, weaker states.

28. Human/Environment Interactions

29. Human Adaptation: How do people interact with the environment? Human Adaptations: Advancement in Technology helped warn people of uncharted Hurricanes. Wet lands are good for farming and crop production. Swampy regions make poor settlements but great for fishing regions. ITCZ gave a period of good weather which increased the rate of tourism for many Caribbean countries.

30. C ONTINUATION … Arid regions and change in weather due to altitudinal zonations makes it better to grow some crops in one area and other crops in another. Settlement Pattern changes due to climate and resources around the area.

31. Environmental Interaction Change: -Deforestation led to the extensions of some plants and animals. (ex: various shrubs and trees, songbirds, large mammals, and monkeys) -Depletion of biological resources -Water/air pollution over farming caused soil erosion (agricultural practice) -Reliance of biofuels caused depletion of resources and pollution of nearby rivers and lakes. -ITCZ (intertropical convergence zone) as well as Hurricanes

32. C ONTINUATION … -Arid lands due to different human practices (mainly farming) Wet and swampy climate Clearing of land to bring in profit and open up more tourism (Ex. Mangrove swamps are cleared for tourist beaches) Aerial view of mangrove swamps in the Caribbean

33. Region

34. P HYSICAL Physical: -The Rimland- Belize, Guyana, Suriname & French Guiana -Greater Antilles- four large islands which are Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic) & Puerto Rico -Lesser Antilles- double arc of islands from the Virgin Islands to Trinidad. Countries that are included in the Lesser Antilles include Anguilla, Antigua & Babuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, St. Kitts & Neuls, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenades, Trinidad & Tobago, and Turks & Caicos.

36. CONTINUATION El Yunque Rainforest- Found in Puerto Rico; it was protected by the Spanish in the 19th century but now the El Yunque is the smallest national rainforest in the U.S system. It is also the most diverse. Savannas and Mangroves- Mostly located in center beaches (effect: it exposes coast to increased erosion) found throughout the Caribbean.al Cuba; they have the best soil for crops like sugar cane and citrus. In Guyana the Savannas make the soil very acidic which decreases agricultural potential. Mangroves: poorly suited for human settlement. It is great for fishing however. Many are cleared to create coastal

37. Political Political: Cuba is a socialist government, which includes a dictator The colonies in the Caribbean were controlled by the French, Dutch and British. Now, they are mostly independent. In the lesser Antilles, the government role several times. Such as Guadalupe went from French to British 3 times. Currently under French rule. Revolutionary wars happened in hope for Independence, most wars happened in the Greater Antilles, Haiti, Dominican Republic, to gain independence from either the Spanish, French or British.

38. Cultural Cultural: Rhythmic beats that come from African rhythms and European forms of melody and verse. Styles of music such as Reggae, Calypso, Merengue, Rumba, and Zouk. Influence from other nations gave people the idea for pan drums to have for music, Carnival, when many people come together and spread their culture by singing and dancing in the streets. Lyrics address political issues and poverty.

39. Economic Sugar cane and coffee greatly contributed to the economic success of the Caribbean. Some small states such as the Lesser Antilles highly depended on the exportation and trade of bananas with Latin America and Europe. Movement from Agriculture to Manufacturing has greatly increased. Countries try to diversify there economies to insure export and trade success Vast production in Agriculture depleted lands so wages remain low. The expansion of land has become limited so more subsistence farming and production of goods (industry) has increased over the last decade. Free trade zones-duty free and tax attempt and industrial parks for foreign corporations-attracted foreign investment and assembly of goods for North American consumers.