Caribbean Countries: All 13 Sovereign Nations + Territories

The Caribbean has 13 sovereign nations: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. The region also includes over 20 dependent territories belonging to the US, UK, France, and the Netherlands.

All 13 Caribbean Sovereign Nations

Geographic Overview

The Caribbean Sea is bounded by Central and South America to the south and west, and by the chain of islands known as the West Indies to the north and east. The region spans roughly 2.75 million km2 of sea, dotted with over 700 islands, islets, reefs, and cays. The islands are divided into three main groups: the Bahamas (in the Atlantic, technically not in the Caribbean Sea), the Greater Antilles, and the Lesser Antilles.

Greater Antilles

The Greater Antilles are the four largest Caribbean islands: Cuba, Hispaniola (shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Jamaica, and Puerto Rico (a US territory). These four islands account for about 90% of the Caribbean's total land area and the majority of its population.

• Cuba is the largest Caribbean island (109,884 km2) and the most populous Caribbean nation. It is the only Caribbean country with a communist government. Havana is the largest city in the Caribbean.
• Hispaniola is the second-largest island, divided between two countries. Haiti occupies the western third, and the Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two-thirds. Haiti became the first independent Black republic in 1804 and the second independent nation in the Americas (after the US). The Dominican Republic has one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America.
• Jamaica is the third-largest Caribbean island and the birthplace of reggae music and Rastafarianism. Its Blue Mountains produce some of the world's most expensive coffee.
• Puerto Rico is an unincorporated US territory with 3.2 million people. Residents are US citizens but cannot vote in presidential elections.

Lesser Antilles

The Lesser Antilles form an arc of smaller islands stretching from the US Virgin Islands in the north to Trinidad and Tobago in the south. They are subdivided into:

• Leeward Islands (north): Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, plus territories including Anguilla (UK), Montserrat (UK), Guadeloupe (France), and the US and British Virgin Islands.
• Windward Islands (south): Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, plus Martinique (France).
• ABC Islands: Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao -- located off the coast of Venezuela and part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
• Trinidad and Tobago: The southernmost Caribbean nation, located just 11 km off the coast of Venezuela. It has the strongest economy in the English-speaking Caribbean, driven by oil and natural gas.

Major Caribbean Territories

Caribbean Community (CARICOM)

CARICOM is a regional organization of 15 Caribbean nations and 5 associate members, founded in 1973 to promote economic integration and cooperation. All 13 Caribbean sovereign nations are members except Cuba and the Dominican Republic (the DR has observer status). CARICOM members share the Caribbean Court of Justice and cooperate on trade, security, and disaster response. The CARICOM Single Market and Economy aims to create a unified economic space similar to the EU's single market.

Climate and Hurricanes

The Caribbean has a tropical maritime climate with warm temperatures year-round (25-35 degrees C). The region lies in the Atlantic hurricane belt, and the hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. Hurricanes are the most significant natural threat to Caribbean nations. Hurricane Maria (2017) devastated Dominica and Puerto Rico, and Hurricane Dorian (2019) caused catastrophic damage to the Bahamas. Climate change is intensifying hurricanes and raising sea levels, posing existential threats to low-lying island nations.

Key Facts

• The Caribbean has 13 sovereign nations and over 20 dependent territories.
• Cuba is the largest country by area (109,884 km2) and population (11.2 million).
• Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest sovereign state in the Americas (261 km2, 48,000 people).
• Haiti was the first independent Black republic (1804) and the second independent nation in the Americas.
• The Caribbean Sea is the second-largest sea in the world.
• Tourism accounts for a significant portion of GDP in most Caribbean nations.

Fun Facts

• Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the island of Hispaniola but have vastly different languages (French Creole vs. Spanish), economies, and cultures.
• Dominica (Commonwealth of Dominica) and the Dominican Republic are different countries often confused due to similar names.
• Barbados became a republic in 2021, removing Queen Elizabeth II as head of state while remaining in the Commonwealth.
• The Bahamas has over 700 islands, but only about 30 are inhabited.
• Trinidad and Tobago's Pitch Lake is the world's largest natural deposit of asphalt.