The Caribbean Sea is a body of water located in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. Here are 15 curious facts according to its Wikipedia entrance:
- It’s an American mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean. “The Caribbean Sea is an oceanic sea largely situated on the Caribbean Plate. The Caribbean Sea is separated from the ocean by several island arcs of various ages.”
- Its area of about 2,754,000 km2 (1,063,000 sq mi) makes it one of the largest seas on Earth.
- “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”.
- It’s bounded by the following territories: Mexico and Central America (west and southwest), the Greater Antilles (north), the Lesser Antilles (east), the northern coast of South America (south).
- It is home to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the world’s second-largest barrier reef.
- As a region, it has a high level of biodiversity, and many species are endemic.
- “The Caribbean Sea had been unknown to the populations of Eurasia until 1492 when Christopher Columbus sailed into Caribbean waters on a quest to find a sea route to Asia.”
Following the colonization of the Caribbean islands, the Caribbean Sea became a busy area for European-based marine trading and transports, and this commerce eventually attracted pirates such as Samuel Bellamy and Blackbeard. - As of 2015, the area was home to 22 island territories and bordered 12 continental countries.
- Its deepest point is the Cayman Trough, which is located between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica and can be found at 7,686 m (25,217 ft) below sea level.
- “The geological age of the Caribbean Sea is estimated to be between 160 and 180 million years.”
- It “was formed by a horizontal fracture that split the supercontinent called Pangea in the Mesozoic Era.”
- “The Caribbean seafloor is divided into five basins separated from each other by underwater ridges and mountain ranges.”
- The Caribbean is home to about 9% of the world’s coral reefs covering about 50,000 km2 (19,000 sq mi), most of which are located off the Caribbean Islands and the Central American coast.
- Tropical cyclones (hurricanes) threaten the Caribbean Sea-rimed nations. While landfalls are infrequent, the resulting damages are significant.
Tell me, how many of these facts did you know?