Sea · Mexico, Belize, Guatemala
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a warm, tropical sea of the Atlantic Ocean between Central America, South America and the islands of the West Indies. It is famous for its coral reefs, sea turtles and colourful fish.
Picture credit: Kijan Ay (CC BY 3.0) · Cbusram (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Didier Moïse (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
Where is Caribbean Sea?
Part of: Atlantic Ocean.
Countries on its coasts: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curaçao, Martinique, Puerto Rico.
The story behind it
The Caribbean Sea is one of the largest seas on Earth, covering about 2.75 million km². Its name comes from the Caribs, one of the main peoples living here when Europeans arrived in the late 15th century. Two chains of islands, the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles, form its northern and eastern edges. Its deepest point lies in the Cayman Trough between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, about 7 686 metres down. Along the coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras runs the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second-largest barrier reef in the world, about 1 000 km long. Around 1 000 kinds of fish have been counted here, among them parrotfish, flying fish and giant manta rays, and sea turtles and manatees live here too. Over the warm water, hurricanes form, most of them in August and September. In the north-west, the Yucatán Channel links the sea to the Gulf of Mexico.
Find it on the globe
Caribbean Sea is there as a name written across its water — tap the water and its card opens. From far away the planet is only a blue ball; detail arrives as you zoom in, and this one appears once you are close enough. Open it on the globe.
Questions children ask
How big is the Caribbean Sea?
The Caribbean Sea covers about 2.75 million km², making it one of the largest seas on Earth. At its deepest point, in the Cayman Trough, it is about 7 686 metres deep.
Where does the name Caribbean come from?
The name comes from the Caribs, one of the main native peoples of the region. They lived there when Europeans arrived in the late 15th century.
When do hurricanes happen in the Caribbean Sea?
The hurricane season lasts from June until late in the year, and most storms come in August and September. On average about nine tropical storms form every year.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page was checked against public reference sources before publication. Where sources genuinely disagree, the text says so.
Last checked: