Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea (pronunciation: /ˌkærɪˈbiːən, kəˈrɪbiən/) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, to the east by the Lesser Antilles, and to the south by South America.

Etymology

The name "Caribbean" derives from the Caribs, one of the region's dominant Native American groups at the time of European contact during the late 15th century. After Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas in 1492, the Spanish term Antillas applied to the lands; stemming from this, "Sea of the Antilles" is a common alternative name for the Caribbean Sea in various European languages.

Related Terms

Atlantic Ocean: The body of water adjacent to the Caribbean Sea.
Caribs: The indigenous people from whom the Caribbean Sea gets its name.
Greater Antilles: The group of islands that includes the larger islands in the Caribbean Sea.
Lesser Antilles: The group of islands that includes the smaller islands in the Caribbean Sea.
Mexico: The country to the west of the Caribbean Sea.
Central America: The region to the southwest of the Caribbean Sea.
South America: The continent to the south of the Caribbean Sea.
Bahamas: The archipelago where Christopher Columbus first landed, located in the Atlantic Ocean to the north of the Caribbean Sea.