Where Is the Caribbean?

A few months ago, I was travelling through Central America. While shopping for souvenirs at the airport, the cashier smiled after hearing my accent and asked, "So… where are you from?" "The Caribbean," I replied.

She paused for a second. Then she smiled again and asked, "Where is that?" I wasn't offended.

If anything, it reminded me how much of the world still doesn't really know the Caribbean beyond beaches, cruises, Usain Bolt and Rihanna. So let's change that.

Where is the Caribbean?

If you’re trying to picture the Caribbean on a map, think of the region as a beautiful chain of islands stretching between Florida in the United States and the northern coast of South America, with Mexico and Central America to the west.

The Caribbean region is made up of more than 7,000 islands, islets, reefs, and cays, although only a fraction are inhabited. Within the region are more than 30 countries and territories, including independent nations as well as overseas territories connected to countries such as the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and the United States.

And while we often talk about “the Caribbean” as one place, there is incredible diversity within those thousands of islands. We have different histories, languages, accents, foods, traditions, and cultures, sometimes even between neighbouring islands. That diversity is part of what makes the Caribbean so special.

Which islands are part of the Caribbean?

The Caribbean includes places like:

Antigua and Barbuda

The Bahamas

Barbados

Cuba

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Grenada

Haiti

Jamaica

St. Kitts and Nevis

St. Lucia

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Trinidad and Tobago

Along with territories such as Anguilla, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, the Cayman Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the British Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We also included Belize, Suriname and Guyana, our fellow CARICOM members.

Despite our differences, we share something remarkable. A love for community, a rich blend of cultures, music that moves people around the world and food that's impossible to forget.

That's why our slogan is Many Islands. One Heart. Because while every island has its own identity, there is also a shared Caribbean spirit that connects us all.

At Caribbean At Heart, we celebrate every island, every tradition, and every story. Whether your roots are in one island or many, there's a place for you here.

Question for you: If someone asked where the Caribbean is, how would you describe it in just one sentence? We'd love to read your answer.