Why in the news?

• Venezuela deployed thousands of troops along its border with Colombia in reaction to the U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean Sea.

Caribbean Sea

• Location: The Caribbean Sea is a large tropical sea of the western Atlantic Ocean.
• Boundaries: It is bounded by the Greater and Lesser Antilles to the north and east, Central America to the west, and the northern coast of South America to the south, covering an area of about 2.7 million sq. km.
• Major Islands: Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, and Trinidad & Tobago are located in the Caribbean Sea.
• Ocean Features:
  • The sea floor consists of five deep basins separated by underwater ridges: Yucatán Basin, Cayman Basin, Colombian Basin, Venezuelan Basin, and Grenada Basin.
  • The Cayman Trench is the deepest part of the Caribbean Sea.
• Ocean Currents: The Caribbean Current, a branch of the North Equatorial Current, flows westward through the sea and eventually contributes to the Gulf Stream.
• Climate:
  • The region has a tropical maritime climate with warm temperatures year-round.
  • It is prone to hurricanes, especially from June to November.
• Economic Importance:
  • Major activities include tourism, shipping, fishing, and oil extraction.
  • The Panama Canal connects the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean, making it a vital global trade route.
  • Ports like Kingston (Jamaica), Havana (Cuba), and Cartagena (Colombia) are key maritime hubs.