Caribbean sea salinity. Where are the Caribbean Islands

The Caribbean (Central American) Sea is a marginal sea of ​​the tropical zone of the Atlantic Ocean. In the north, its borders run from the Yucatan Peninsula through the islands of Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico to the Virgin Islands, in the east - along the arc of the Lesser Antilles. The southern boundary of the sea is the coast South America(Venezuela, Colombia) and Panama. The western border runs along the coasts of Central America (Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and Mexico).

The sea area is about 2,777 thousand km 2, the volume of water is 6,745 thousand km 3, the average depth is 2429 m, the greatest depth is 7090 m.

Through numerous straits in the archipelagos of the Greater and Lesser Antilles, the Caribbean Sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean, and through the Yucatan Strait - to the Gulf of Mexico. Thus, the sea is a flowing basin through which the waters of the upper layer move from east to west. Therefore, the Caribbean Sea is sometimes called the "sea of ​​flowing waters."

Most of the straits connecting the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean are shallow, and only a few have a threshold depth of more than 1000 m. These are the straits of the Greater Antilles: Windward - 1650 m deep, Anegada - 1740 m and Lesser Antilles: Dominica - about 1400 m, as well as St. Lucie and St. Vincent - up to 1000 m. Through these straits, the main water exchange with the Atlantic Ocean occurs. From caribbean Water enters the Gulf of Mexico through the Yucatan Strait, which is about 2000 m deep.

The nature of the seashore is not the same. The coast of Central America is mostly low-lying and wooded, while the coast of South America is predominantly high and steep, with occasional low-lying areas covered with mangroves. Most of the islands in the West Indies are high and mountainous.

The western coast of the Caribbean Sea and part of the coast east of Maracaibo Bay are bordered by islands and reefs. In the western and southern parts of the sea there are the main bays: Honduras, Los Mosquitos, Darien, Maracaibo, Paria.

The shelf zone in the eastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula is actually absent and appears only off the coast of Honduras, reaching its maximum width (240 km) near Cape Patuca. Then it narrows again and does not exceed several kilometers off the coast of Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama. This entire shelf zone is replete with banks. Further, along the coast of South America, the shelf expands again, reaching 100 km off the coast of Venezuela.

There is almost no shelf off the coast of the West Indies archipelago, the slopes of the islands descend steeply to the sea. Particularly steep slope along the southern coast of Cuba, its slope is 17°, and in some places exceeds 45°.

Climate

The climate of the Caribbean Sea is determined by the trade wind circulation of the atmosphere, characterized by high air temperature, division of the year into two seasons (dry winter and wet summer), steady east and northeast winds and tropical hurricanes.

The air temperature changes little during the year, the annual difference of average monthly temperatures decreases from 4-6° in the north to 1-2° in the south. average temperature air in January 24-27°, in August 27-30°. The maximum temperature can reach 38°, and the minimum does not fall below 12-15°.

The amount of precipitation increases from east to west from 500 to 1000-2000 mm per year with a maximum in the summer months. The largest average monthly precipitation falls in summer off the coast of Panama - up to 400 mm, and the smallest - in winter on the southern coast of Cuba - no more than 20 mm.

The wind regime is determined by the trade winds blowing from the east or northeast. In the western part of the sea, the trade winds are less stable. Wind force averages 5-7 m/s. Breezes blow off the coasts of the mainland and islands.

The main storm activity in the Caribbean is associated with the West Indies hurricanes. The dimensions of these tropical cyclones in diameter are several hundred kilometers, the wind speed is 40-60 m/s. Hurricanes originate in the southwestern Caribbean Sea, east of the Lesser Antilles and off the Cape Verde Islands. From their origins, hurricanes generally move west and northwest to the Gulf of Mexico, where they turn to the northeast. The speed of a hurricane is 250-550 km per day, the average lifetime is 6 days. The average long-term frequency of hurricanes in the Caribbean Sea is 3 per year, but in some years up to 20 hurricanes can occur (most often in September).

In accordance with the nature of the winds, waves and swells of the eastern and northeastern directions prevail in the sea, the most typical (more than 50%) is a wave of 3-4 points. The repeatability of excitement with a force of 5 points or more is 4-5%. The calmest area is considered to be between the islands of Cuba, Jamaica and Haiti, where the frequency of calm reaches 10%.

Irregular semidiurnal tides are observed along most of the coast, and irregular diurnal tides in the Lesser Antilles and a small section of the Venezuelan coast. The tide never exceeds 1 m.

Seasonal fluctuations in the level are determined mainly by the ratio of the components of the water balance of the sea and water exchange with the Atlantic Ocean. As a result of the interaction of these factors, the highest position of the level is observed in early autumn (September - October), and the lowest - in January. At most observation points, the magnitude of annual level changes is in the range of 8-30 cm, but in some areas it can reach 80 cm.

Level fluctuations also occur with a sharp change in winds. Short-term level rises in various parts of the coast were noted during the passage of tropical cyclones.

Bottom relief

The bottom of the sea is strongly dissected by underwater ridges into several large basins: Grenada (more than 3000 m deep), Venezuelan (more than 5000 m), Colombian (more than 4000 m), Cayman (more than 6000 m) and Yucatan (more than 4500 m). Thus, a significant volume of water in the Caribbean Sea is below the depth of the thresholds in the straits, as a result of which the deep waters of the sea and the ocean have differences.

Bottom relief and currents of the Caribbean Sea

currents

The circulation of waters in the sea is formed under the influence of the Northern trade wind current, which is about 60°W. It is divided into two streams: one of them (the Guiana Current) enters the Caribbean Sea through the straits of the Lesser Antilles, the other (the Antilles Current) moves westward north of the Greater Antilles. From the Antilles Current, branches are separated that enter the Caribbean Sea through the northern straits of Anegada, Mona and Windward. In the sea, these waters are carried in a westerly direction.

Grenada island in the Caribbean

The waters of the Guiana Current enter the Caribbean Sea through the strait between the coast of South America and about. Grenada and the straits of the Lesser Antilles. Therefore, the Caribbean current in the eastern part of the sea has two branches: one runs 200-300 km from the coast of Venezuela, the other along the middle of the sea. Approximately 80° W. the southern branch turns north and the currents converge. The velocity on the surface here reaches 70 cm/s. Further, the main stream of the Caribbean Current follows the Yucatan Strait and exits through it into the Gulf of Mexico.

At the entrance to the strait, a jet separates from the main stream of water, which turns back and moves along the southern coast of Cuba to the Windward Strait. South of Cuba and Jamaica, anticyclonic gyres are formed. To the south of the main current, several cyclonic gyres stand out - off the coast of Venezuela, Panama and Costa Rica. In the summer season, cyclonic water movement is also characteristic of the Gulf of Honduras.

In the Windward Strait, most of the section is occupied by Atlantic waters. IN top layer they enter the sea in the eastern half of the strait, and in the western, off the coast of Cuba, a reverse flow is observed in a layer up to 100-120 m. In the deep layers, on the contrary, the Atlantic waters are pressed against the island. Cuba, and the stream from the sea goes along about. Haiti.

In the Mona Strait, there is a rather strong flow of Atlantic waters into the Caribbean Sea in the layer from the surface to 300 m. The reverse movement of waters from the sea to the ocean in the deep layers is very weak.

In the Anegada Strait, in the upper layer, the current is always directed from the ocean to the sea, and in the deep layers, from the sea to the ocean. The core of the waters going from the sea to the ocean is located at the horizons of 800-900 m, their speed is about 40 cm/s. However, as in the Windward Strait, the boundary between flows in different directions changes its position. Water exchange through the northern straits Windward and Anegada plays essential role in the balance of sea waters.

Most of the intermediate Atlantic waters enter the sea through the deep central straits of the Lesser Antilles: Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, as well as through the strait between about. Grenada and the mainland, despite the fact that its depth is no more than 750 m.

The main flow of waters of the Caribbean Sea goes through the Yucatan Strait to the Gulf of Mexico, and then through the Strait of Florida to the ocean. In the Yucatan Strait, the maximum current velocities, reaching 150 cm/s on the surface, are observed along the continental shelf, near the coast. The thickness of the upper current emerging from the sea reaches 700-800 m. In the bottom layers of the Yucatan Trench, both the inflow of deep water from the Caribbean Sea into the Gulf of Mexico and its reverse transfer can occur.

The deep current from the Yucatan Strait partially passes into the Windward Strait, skirting the tip of the Cayman Range from the west. Its other part enters the Columbia Basin, where the deep circulation has an anticyclonic character.

Water entering the sea in the deep layers of the Anegada Strait also forms an anticyclonic circulation in the Venezuelan and Grenada basins.

The influx of water from the Atlantic Ocean is the main factor in the formation of the hydrological structure of the waters of the Caribbean Sea. The vertical stratification of waters in the sea is related to the depth of rapids in the straits of the Greater and Lesser Antilles. The waters of the sea are well stratified up to a depth of 1200 m, weakly in the layer between 1200 and 1800 m, and very homogeneous below 1800 m and down to the bottom.

Water temperature and salinity

The horizontal distribution of water temperature and salinity is determined mainly by the circulation system in the sea. Only in the surface layer, the distribution of hydrological characteristics is associated with the effect of sea heating and cooling, evaporation, precipitation, and river runoff. The usual zonal distribution of water temperature (its decrease from low latitudes to high latitudes) is not observed in the sea.

Water temperature and salinity at the surface of the Caribbean Sea in summer

Due to the prevailing wind system eastern directions and the general transfer of water from east to west near the southern coasts of the sea (especially near Venezuela and Colombia), a surge effect and the rise of deep waters to the surface are observed. Therefore, in the eastern part of the sea, the highest water temperature on the surface is observed near the northern shores: 26-26.5 ° in winter and about 28 ° in summer. In the central part of the sea, the temperature is almost constant - 27-28°, and in the western part it varies from 26° in winter to 29° in summer.

Vertical movements of water in the coastal zone of the sea cause a characteristic inclination of isothermal surfaces in a layer up to 600 m. The thickness of the upper temperature-uniform layer reaches 100 m along the northern coasts of the sea, and only 20-30 m along the southern coasts. The temperature jump layer also deepens to the north side and rises on the southern shores of the sea. However, meridional differences in temperature gradually decrease with depth. So, on the horizon of 100 m off the coast of Venezuela the temperature is 19-20°, and near Puerto Rico, Haiti and Jamaica - 25-27°. On the horizon of 200 m, the difference in temperature at the southern and northern boundaries of the sea is 5°, and on the horizon of 600 m - 3-4°.

Below 600 m, horizontal temperature differences become insignificant. At a horizon of 800 m, the temperature in the sea area varies from 5.5 to 7°, and at a horizon of 1000 m - from 4.8 to 5.5°. Below 1000 m, the temperature drops very slowly to 4° at the horizon of 1600 m (i.e., near the depth of rapids in the Windward and Anegada straits). Deep Atlantic water with a temperature of about 4 °, entering through these straits into the sea, fills its entire deep-water part to the very bottom. From the Caribbean Sea, deep water penetrates into the Gulf of Mexico through a trough in the Yucatan Strait, the depth of which is slightly more than 2000 m. The presence of even small spatial differences in temperature at these depths indicates the ongoing renewal of deep water in the sea.

The salinity value in the surface layer in most of the sea area is 35.5-36.5‰. In summer, especially towards the end of the season, salinity on the surface in some areas is less than in winter by 0.5-1‰. This is due to the abundance of precipitation and increased river flow in the summer months. The lowest salinity is observed near the islands of Trinidad and Tobago (less than 35‰ in winter, 33-34‰ in summer) and near the southern part of the Lesser Antilles, which is associated with the influence of the Orinoco runoff. A narrow strip of waters with the highest salinity for the sea (36.2-36.8‰) is constantly observed along the coast of South America due to the rise of deep, more saline waters taking place here. Salinity of more than 36‰ is also typical for areas with little rainfall - south of the islands of Haiti and Cuba.

The vertical distribution of salinity is characterized by the presence of a subsurface maximum and an intermediate minimum.

The maximum salinity is associated with the oceanic subsurface subtropical water entering the sea through the straits of the Lesser Antilles. The maximum depth varies from 80 m along the southern shores to 150 m in the middle part and 180-200 m near the northern shores. Its core is located in the temperature jump layer, salinity in the core decreases from 36.9-37‰ in the eastern part of the sea to 36.5-36.7‰ in the Yucatan Strait.

The salinity minimum is formed due to the spread of intermediate subantarctic water in the sea, which also enters through the straits of the Lesser Antilles in the 700-800 m layer with a salinity of about 34.7‰. As we move to the west, the salinity in the minimum layer increases with mixing with the overlying and underlying waters and in the Yucatan basin it is 34.8-34.85‰.

Below the minimum layer, salinity rises again in the deep North Atlantic water, which enters the sea through the deepest straits of the Greater Antilles. At the 1700 m horizon, the salinity is slightly less than 35‰ and then does not change to the bottom.

The oxygen content in the upper layer of the sea up to 50 m thick is about 4.5 ml/l. Vertically, it decreases to a minimum (2.7 ml/l) in the 500-600 m layer. Further, with depth, the amount of oxygen again increases to maximum values ​​(5-6 ml/l), and then very slowly decreases towards the bottom. A significant concentration of oxygen at great depths is associated with the influx of ocean water. Therefore, interannual changes in the amount of oxygen in the layers of minimum and maximum are associated with an increase or decrease in the inflow of intermediate subantarctic and deep North Atlantic water into the sea.

According to the distribution of hydrological characteristics, the features of the water structure in the Caribbean Sea, the following water masses are distinguished:

surface tropical water - occupies a layer of 0-75 m, has a temperature of 26-28 ° and salinity of 35-36‰

subsurface subtropical water (75-300 m) - stands out according to the maximum salinity (36.6-37 ‰) in the temperature jump layer (19-25 °);

intermediate subantarctic water (300-1000 m) - characterized by a minimum salinity (34.7-34.85 ‰) and a temperature of 5-9 °;

deep and bottom water (1000 m - bottom) - is formed from deep Atlantic water with a temperature of 4-4.5 ° and salinity of 34.96-35‰. It occupies the largest volume. According to approximate calculations, the time of complete renewal of this water is about 1000 years.

A significant part of the volume of the Caribbean Sea is occupied by mixed waters.

The Caryaco depression, located on the Venezuelan shelf, with a depth of about 1400 m, is distinguished by special conditions. The depression is separated from the sea by a threshold with a depth of no more than 150 m, below which it is filled with almost homogeneous water with a temperature of about 17 ° and a salinity of 36.2‰. Outside the basin, the temperature in the same layers of water is much lower. The sinking of such warm water (with a temperature of up to 17 °) to depths exceeding 1000 m is a very rarely observed natural phenomenon.

At depths of more than 370 m in the Karyako depression, there is no oxygen and hydrogen sulfide appears. True, the maximum content of hydrogen sulfide here is only about 10% of its concentration in the depths of the Black Sea. Anaerobic conditions in the basin are created due to the limited water exchange with the sea and the total consumption of oxygen for oxidation. organic matter coming from the upper layers of the water.

Economic importance

The ichthyofauna of the Caribbean Sea has more than 800 species of fish, of which about 450 are edible. The number of commercial fish is from 50 to 60 species, but only a few of them provide the bulk of the catch. The vast majority of fish are concentrated on the shelf, especially in coastal areas, in places where deep waters exit and in areas where rivers flow into the sea.

sand shark

Tropical shelf fishes have conditions for both feeding and breeding in their habitats, so most of them do not make long migrations. The most important commercial shelf fish are snappers (reef perches). In second place are stone perches. Ronks, crucian carp, and slabs are very common. In some areas, the objects of fishing are sardinella, horse mackerel, mackerel, as well as soles, flounder, rays, sharks and some other fish species. Shallow waters with depths of up to 10-20 m, lagoons, small bays, and estuarine sections of rivers are distinguished by a special diversity of ichthyofauna. There are various types of mullets, tarpan, anchovies, soles, centropomus.

Ocean fish - tuna, marlin, sailfish, golden mackerel and other inhabitants of the deep Caribbean Sea - make long migrations, but most species of tuna breed and spend their first years of life in shelf waters and in areas of the continental slope. Accumulations of tuna are confined to zones of upwelling of deep waters, which are characterized by increased biological productivity.

(Spanish Mar Caribe; English Caribbean Sea) is one of the most beautiful tropical seas, part of the Atlantic Ocean basin. The marginal semi-enclosed sea, from the south and west is bounded by Central and South America, from the east and north by the Antilles (due to which the sea has a second name - Antillean).

In the northwest, the sea through the Yucatan Strait (Spanish: Yucatán Channel) communicates with the Gulf of Mexico; through many interisland straits - with the Atlantic Ocean; and in the southwest, through an artificially constructed 80-kilometer waterway (Panama Canal) - with the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The region where the Caribbean Sea stretches is known as the "Caribbean". Sea waters wash the shores of the following countries: in the south -, and Panama; in the west - Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and (Mexican Peninsula); in the north - Haiti, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Jamaica; in the east - the countries of the Lesser Antilles. The surface area of ​​the sea is about 2,753 thousand km², the average volume of water is approximately 6,860 thousand km³.

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The sea is considered very deep: its average depth is 2.5 thousand m, the maximum is 7.7 thousand m (“Cayman Depression”). Color sea ​​water: Turquoise (bluish green) to deep green.

The Caribbean Sea is of great economic and strategic importance, primarily as the shortest sea route connecting American ports with the ports of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through one of the largest construction projects carried out by mankind (Spanish: del Canal de Panama). The most important ports located on the Caribbean Sea: and (Venezuela); (Colombia); Lemon (Costa Rica); Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic); Colon (Panama); Santiago de Cuba (Cuba), etc.

Climate

The formation of the climate in the Caribbean is influenced by warm ocean currents and the solar activity of this tropical zone. The average annual temperature of the surface layers of sea water is +26°C. The Caribbean Sea receives the waters of many rivers, among which it should be noted (Spanish Madalena), Atrato (Spanish Atrato), Belen (Spanish Belém), Dike (Spanish Dique), Krikamola (Spanish Kramola) and others.

The main trouble that often breaks the idyll of these fabulous places is destructive storms. The Caribbean Sea is considered to be the location with the highest number of hurricane storms in the Western Hemisphere.

Terrible hurricanes are a serious problem for island and coastal residents. Hurricanes also cause great damage to numerous coral formations - atolls, reefs, coastal fringes of islands. In the northern part of the Caribbean, from June to November, an average of 8-9 tropical hurricanes occur per year.

Cradle of Pirates (Caribbean)

The sea got its name from a tribe of Carib Indians who lived on its warm coast in the pre-Columbian era. The sea has become famous for its amazingly beautiful coral reefs, frequent tropical cyclones, which are accompanied by crushing hurricanes, and pirates, who have chosen it as a field of their “fishing activity” since ancient times.

The coastline of the sea along its entire length is extremely indented: there are numerous lagoons, bays, bays, capes. The coastal soil is sometimes sandy, sandy-silty or rocky.

The coast in many places is covered with coral, amazing white sand.

Among the major bays, it should be noted Honduras (Spanish Golfo de Honduras), (Spanish Golfo de Venezuela), Mosquitos (Spanish Golfo de los Mosquitos), Ana Maria (Spanish Golfo Anna Maria), Batabano (Spanish Golfo de Batabano ), Gonave (Spanish: Golfo de Gonave).

The Caribbean Sea is very rich in islands. The general group of Caribbean islands is united under the name "Antilles archipelago" (Spanish: Antillas archipielago) or "West Indies" (Spanish: West India archipielago). The archipelago is subdivided into island groups: the Greater Antilles and Lesser Antilles (Netherlands), and the Bahamas (Spanish: Bahamas).

The Greater Antilles, which are mainly of continental origin, located in the northern part of the sea, include such large islands as Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. The Lesser Antilles (subdivided according to their location to the northeast trade wind into Windward and Leeward) are mainly of volcanic or coral origin.

Among the many small islands of this group, the following can be distinguished: the famous Bahamas; original Turks and Caicos; the Virgin Islands, divided between the US and the UK; exotic Antigua and Barbuda; open to the ubiquitous Guadeloupe; the island of Martinique (fr. Martinique), known as the birthplace of Josephine de Beauharnais (fr. Joséphine de Beauharnais), the first wife of Napoleon I; as well as Grenada, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago; and finally Dominica, the largest of the Windward Islands. Perhaps it is necessary to mention the island of Curacao, which "gave" its name to the popular liquor.

Tourist paradise

The extraordinary popularity of the Caribbean among tourists is easily explained: the warm sea all year round, the fabulous beauty of nature, a decent level of service, an extensive selection of hotels (for every taste and budget) and a huge “menu” of all kinds of entertainment: interesting excursions, an abundance of historical and natural attractions, water and "land" sports, restaurants, discos, nightclubs.

A distinctive feature of the Caribbean region is a large selection of various recreation options: each state here has its own “specialization”.

For example, in Barbados, English national traditions have firmly taken root in life, rest here is mostly measured and calm.

Grenada, known as the "Spice Island", has many museums, botanical gardens, historical sites and gorgeous white beaches.

Magnificent hotels of the highest level, excellent conditions for diving and the famous SPA centers of Turks and Caicos attract the attention of respectable visitors.

Saint Lucia bears the proud title of "Garden Island", being one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean. As if in contrast to it, the desert island of Aruba is also located in the Caribbean Sea, with chic hotels and enchanting nightlife.

The Bahamas offers tourists all sorts of accommodation options, from secluded small hotels to noisy, bustling hotel complexes.

And in Curacao, it is simply impossible not to go to one of the many bars to order a glass of delicious blue drink!

Bottom relief

The bottom relief of the sea is characterized by unevenness - numerous uplifts and depressions, underwater ridges, the bottom is conditionally divided into 5 main basins: Grenada (4120 m), Colombian (4532 m), Venezuelan (5420 m), Yucatan (5055 m) and Bartlett, with deep-water Cayman gutter (7090 m., this is the world's deepest underwater volcanic fault). The Caribbean is considered seismically active; underwater earthquakes are not uncommon here, often causing tsunamis.

The deep sea floor is covered with calcareous foraminiferal oozes and clays.

Flora and fauna

vegetable and animal world The Caribbean is extraordinarily rich and varied. Extensive coral buildups are typical tropical coral communities of living organisms. Huge variety and amazing beauty of forms water world attract here and amaze with their splendor connoisseurs of underwater landscapes and the most sophisticated divers from all over the world. Although the local flora does not stand out in quantitative terms, it is characterized by a rich species composition. In the Caribbean Sea, you can find entire underwater fields of macroalgae. In shallow areas, vegetation is mainly concentrated in coral reef zones. Here there are algae such as tortoiseshell thalassia (lat. Thalassia lestudinum), cymodocean algae (lat. Cymodoceaceae), sea ruppia (lat. Ruppia maritima). Chlorophyll algae grow in deep waters. Caribbean macroalgae are represented by dozens of different species.

Phytoalgae are very poorly represented here, however, as in all tropical seas.

The fauna of the sea is richer and more diverse than the flora. Various fish, marine mammals and all kinds of bottom animals live here.

The bottom Caribbean fauna is represented by numerous sea snakes, worms, mollusks (gastropods, cephalopods, bivalves, etc.), various crustaceans (crustaceans, crabs, spiny lobsters, etc.) and echinoderms (urchins, starfish). The intestinal representatives consist of a rich spectrum of coral polyps (including reef-forming ones) and all kinds of jellyfish.

Sea turtles live in the Caribbean Sea: here you can find a green turtle (soup), big-headed turtle (loggerhead), hawksbill or real carriage, as well as Atlantic ridley - a species of the smallest and fastest growing sea ​​turtles. When famous at the beginning of the XVI century. crossed the Caribbean Sea in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe current Cayman Islands, the way for his ships was literally blocked by an immense herd of green turtles. Struck by the abundance of these marine animals, Columbus named the group of islands he discovered "Las Tortugas" (Spanish: Las Tortugas - "turtles").

For centuries, turtles have served as a source of food for travelers, sailors, pirates and whalers off Las Tortugas. But this beautiful name, unfortunately, did not take root, just as the once countless turtle herds did not survive. As a result of thoughtless human activity(uncontrolled long-term fishing, the ruin of turtle eggs, ruthless pollution of the sea), where in the old days sailboats struggled to make their way through a dense barrier of swarming turtle shells, now it is not easy to meet even one individual.

Marine mammals have also settled in the warm, gentle waters of the Caribbean. There are large cetaceans (sperm whales, humpback whales) and several dozen species of smaller dolphins. Pinnipeds are also found here, which are mainly represented by sand teeth (lat. Solenodontidae) - small mammals that live on some islands. In ancient times, many monk seals lived in the Caribbean Sea, today this species is extinct.

The Caribbean wildlife is endlessly diverse! Once did not exist, just a few millennia ago, the water connection of the world's great oceans - the Pacific and Atlantic, was broken, so the diversity of the Caribbean fauna is explained by the presence of many Pacific species of animals here.

Almost 500 different species of fish live here, ranging from small schooling and bottom representatives of the fish community (moray eels, barracudas, flounders, gobies, rays, flying fish) to large fish species (sharks, marlins, swordfish, tuna, etc.).

The objects of fishing in the sea are mainly sardines, tunas, lobsters; objects of sport fishing - sharks, marlins, large barracudas and swordfish.

Numerous sharks of the Caribbean Sea are represented by gray sharks (including reef, bull, silk) and various bottom species (nannies, sixgills, squatins, etc.). In coastal waters, there are also tiger and even white sharks, which are very rare. In the open waters of the sea, you can meet hammerhead, blue, whale and long-finned sharks. By the way, the largest of the sharks - the whale never attacks a person, it feeds on plankton and small fish, filtering the water through thousands of sharp, small teeth. The most dangerous for humans is considered White shark

The Caribbean Sea is a tropical sea that is part of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Caribbean Sea, located between the two Americas, has a long history. Here, luxurious nature and excellent conditions for the development of tourism.

Origin

The ancient age of the sea has not been precisely established by science. It is believed that it began with a small reservoir, which in the Cretaceous period acquired the features of the modern sea.

The rising waters connected it to the Atlantic Ocean. It received its modern name from the Caribs, who displaced after the first millennium AD. Indians of the Antilles. Therefore, the Europeans, who discovered the sea in the middle of the last millennium, named it after this people.

Historical events

In the Middle Ages, the first Spanish settlement was founded in what is now Haiti. Then Cuba and Hispaniola were conquered. The local Indians became slaves. Later, Mexico was conquered and colonized. British, French, Dutch and Danish colonies appeared. The mining of gold and silver, the production of dyes, tobacco and sugar were organized. For this, slaves were brought from Africa.

Caribbean sea. about haiti photo

Active trade with the mother countries caused the appearance of piracy in the 17th century, which flourished in the years 1700-1730. Pirates hunted in this sea until early XIX century. Since that time, the process of decolonization began, which ended in the twentieth century. In place of the colonies, independent states were formed.

The United States began to play a dominant role in the region. At the beginning of the 21st century, the Association of Caribbean States recognized the sea as a common heritage and priceless asset that sets the stage for cooperation in tourism, trade, transport and the fight against natural disasters.

currents

The sea has several currents. So, from the southeast, currents drive cold water to the northwest at depths from 500 to 3000 m. Warmer subtropical currents go from above and continue to move, created by winds in a westerly direction.

Bypassing the coast of Central America, these waters enter the bay off the Mexican coast, raising its level above the Atlantic Ocean. It is characteristic that if it usually flows at a speed of up to 2.8 km/h, then at the entrance to the strait near the Yucatan Peninsula it reaches 6 km/h.

As a result, there is a pressure, called hydrostatic. It is believed that it is he who makes the Gulf Stream move. From the south side of the sea, for almost a whole year, there is a circular rotation of water.

What rivers flow

The largest river in the region is the Colombian Magdalena, 1,500 kilometers long. In the same country, Atrato, Leon and Turbo flow into the sea. The Dike, Sinu, Catatumbo and Chama rivers flow into Lake Maracaibo connected to the sea.

Several rivers (Belen, Krikamola, Teribe, etc.) flow into the sea from the North American continent. Through Nicaragua, the Bambana, Indio, Coco, Kurinuas, Kukalaya, Prinsapolka, Rio Escondido and others flow into the sea.

From the territories of Honduras, Guatemala and Belize, the sea receives the waters of ten rivers of these countries. Rivers flow on the largest islands of the sea: in Haiti - Yaque del Sur and Artibonite; in Cuba, Cauto and Sasa; in Jamaica, Milk River and Black River.

Relief

There are several significant depths in the sea, called basins, with a depth of 4120 to 7680 m. Among them:

• Venezuelan (5420m)
• Grenadian (4120m)
• Kaimanova(7090m)
• Colombian (4532m)
• Yucatan (5055m)

They are separated by underwater ridges and straits. The highest of these ranges is off the coast of Venezuela. From its top to the surface of the sea over 2100 m. Straits have a depth of more than one and a half kilometers. In the eastern part of the sea within there is a deep-water passage Anegada, reaching a depth of 2350 m.

corals in the caribbean

The deep-water bottom of the Caribbean Sea is calcareous or weakly manganese silt. In shallow water, sand or coral thickets.

Cities

Dozens of cities are located on the North American and South American coasts and on the islands. Most of them have a long history associated with colonization. Thus, the Colombian port of Cartagena, conveniently located at the exit from the Gulf of Darien, was one of the key ports of the sea. It retained this meaning to this day.

Havana photo

The Venezuelan Cumana was a stronghold of the Spanish colonizers who explored the mainland. Founded in 1511, Havana turned from a once small settlement into a powerful fortress. Today it is the capital of the Republic of Cuba.

Santo Domingo photo

Today's capital of the Dominican Republic, the city of Santo Domingo had the status of the most beautiful city in the New World. Today it is one of the centers of Caribbean tourism. Modern port cities have become Costa Rican Lemon, Colombian Barranquilla, Maracaibo in Venezuela, Port-au-Prince in Haiti, Cienfuegos in Cuba. Many coastal cities are centers of tourism.

Flora and fauna

The rich and diverse fauna is represented here by hundreds of species of fish and birds, and many mammals. There are only four species of local sharks, which include: bull sharks, tiger silk sharks, and sharks that live in the Caribbean reefs.

shark in the caribbean

There are such fish as: flying fish and angel fish, sea devil, parrot fish and butterfly fish, tarpon, moray eels. Commercial marine animals are sardines, lobsters and tuna. Divers and fishermen are attracted by marlins and barracudas.

Of the mammals, dolphins, sperm whales, humpback whales, as well as manatees, called American, and groups of seals live here. On the islands you can meet different crocodiles and turtles, rare species of amphibians.

underwater world of the Caribbean Sea photo

Of the 600 species of birds, many are not found elsewhere. Toucans, parrots and other land birds live in the forests. Above the water you can see phaetons and frigates.

The vegetation of the Caribbean Sea, mostly tropical, here you can see fields of underwater macroalgae, there are several dozen species of them. Near corals, the plant world is more diverse: sea rupee, tortoiseshell alassia, cymodocean algae. Coastal mangroves attract many marine life.

beauty of the caribbean photo

Characteristic

The sea has an area of ​​more than 2.7 million square meters. km, average depth 1225m, maximum depth 7686m. It washes the shores of such continental countries: Venezuela and Honduras, Colombia and Costa Rica, Mexico and Nicaragua, Panama and Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica.

There are also small island countries on fifty islands. The islands, called the Lesser Antilles, are located in the eastern part of the sea.

turtle in the caribbean

The South Antilles are scattered along the South American coast. Several archipelagos and many small islands are located on the western side of the sea.

The salinity of the water is about 35 ppm.

Climate

The climate here is tropical with a significant amount of rainfall depending on the region and season. It is affected by the circulation of air currents, the average speed of which can reach 30 km per hour. And there are also winds with a speed of 120 km / h, which causes hurricanes and storms. Such cataclysms occur in the northern part of the sea. They can destroy houses, ruin crops, take people's lives. The average monthly temperature varies between 21-29 degrees Celsius. About 500mm falls in the east, about 2000mm in the west.

• The largest coral barrier reef in the Northern Hemisphere is located off the coast of Belize
• a third of the sea's reefs have been destroyed or are in serious danger as a result of human activities
• Diving and fishing, important for tourism, annually bring up to 4 billion dollars to the Caribbean countries
• coffee, bananas, sugar, rum, bauxite, oil, nickel produced in the countries of the region are exported mainly to the USA and Canada
• on the islands of the sea, the number of people employed in tourism, the volume of investment in it is two times higher than the world average; Port Royal was the largest English colony and pirate capital in the region. In 1692, it was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami.

CARIBBEAN SEA, Caribbean Sea (Caribbean Sea), a semi-enclosed marginal sea in the western part of the tropical zone of the Atlantic Ocean. In the west and south it is bounded by the mainland coasts of Central and South America, in the north and east by the ridge of the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico) and the Windward Islands from the Lesser Antilles group. It is connected by the Yucatan Strait with the Gulf of Mexico, by numerous straits in the archipelagos of the Greater and Lesser Antilles - with the Atlantic Ocean, the Panama Canal - with the Pacific Ocean. The area is 2777 thousand km 2, the volume is 6745 thousand km 3. The greatest depth is 7090 m (Caiman trench).

The coasts of Central America are low-lying, wooded, those of South America are mostly high, steep, with separate low areas covered with mangroves. Most of the islands have mountainous and steep coasts. The western and partially southwestern coasts of the sea are bordered by reefs. The main large bays are located in the western and southern parts of the sea: the Honduran, Mosquitos, Darien, Venezuelan Gulf with Lake Maracaibo, Paria. Of the large islands - Jamaica; many small islands, most of them in the western and southeastern parts of the sea.

The shelf is well expressed only off the coast of Honduras, Nicaragua and Venezuela (100-240 km), the continental slope is steep, on average about 17°, in some parts of the slope there is a steepness of up to 45°. On the bottom strongly dissected by underwater ridges, deep basins stand out: Yucatan (4800 m), Colombian (4259 m), Venezuelan (5420 m), Grenada (4120 m). In the north of the Caribbean Sea, from west to east, along the southern foot of the underwater ridge of the same name, the Cayman Trench stretches. Most of the submarine ridges (Aves, Beata, Marcelino Sill, etc.) are apparently submerged island arcs. Bottom sediments are represented mainly by calcareous foraminiferal oozes. Turbidity flows are an important factor in the formation of sediments for the flat relief of the basins; the most powerful precipitations were found in the north of the Venezuelan basin (up to 12 km).

The climate is maritime, warm, with low seasonal variability, determined by the location of the Caribbean Sea in the zone of trade wind circulation of the atmosphere. Average air temperatures in February are 24-27 °C, in August 27-30 °C. The amount of precipitation increases from east to west from 500 to 2000 mm per year. The largest average monthly precipitation falls in summer off the coast of Panama (up to 400 mm), the smallest - in winter off the coast of Cuba (about 20 mm). Northeast trade winds prevail over the sea with speeds of 5-7 m/s. Storm conditions are usually associated with tropical hurricanes, in which wind speeds reach 40-60 m/s. Hurricanes cross the Caribbean Sea in the western and northwestern directions at a speed of 10-20 km / h with an average frequency of 3 times a year (in some years more than 10).

Water exchange with the Atlantic Ocean is carried out mainly through deep straits: Windward, Sombrero, Dominica, etc.; with the Gulf of Mexico - through the Yucatan. Excitement is predominantly east and north-east, on average 3-4, rarely 5 points. The magnitude of annual level fluctuations is small and usually ranges from 8 to 30 cm. Short-term level fluctuations are observed during the passage of tropical hurricanes. The tides are irregular semi-diurnal, off the coast of Venezuela - irregular diurnal, up to 1 m.

The circulation of water is set by the branches of the Antilles current and the Guiana current, entering the Caribbean Sea through the northern and eastern interisland straits. These waters spread in a westerly direction called the Caribbean Current. In the eastern part of the sea, the current moves in two streams at a distance of 200-300 km from each other. At about 80° west longitude, both streams merge into one. The current velocity in the western part of the sea reaches 70 cm/s. Off the coasts of Cuba and Jamaica, the current forms several anticyclonic eddies; cyclonic eddies are observed along the coasts of Venezuela, Panama, and Costa Rica. The waters of the Caribbean Current through the Yucatan Strait are carried out into the Gulf of Mexico. In the strait, the highest speeds of surface currents from the mainland coast are up to 150 cm/s.

The water temperature on the surface during the year varies from 26 °C in winter to 29 °C in summer. Deep-water basins are filled with Atlantic waters with a temperature of about 4.3°C. The average salinity of water on the surface is from 35.5 to 36.5‰. By the end of the summer season, due to the abundance of precipitation and fresh river runoff, salinity decreases by 0.5-1.0‰, its lowest values ​​\u200b\u200b(33-34‰) near the islands of Trinidad and Tobago are explained by the large fresh runoff of the Orinoco River. The highest salinity of surface waters is in a narrow strip off the coast of South America and the coasts of Haiti and Cuba (over 36‰).

There are about 800 species of fish in the Caribbean Sea, of which more than half are edible. Of the commercial fish, the most important are representatives of the families of snappers, serranids, crucians, several types of mullets, slabs, as well as sardinella, horse mackerel, mackerel, tarpon, anchovies. Fish of the open ocean are widespread - tuna, marlin, sailboats, common dormice, sharks.

The Caribbean coast is known for its beautiful beaches, it is the largest recreational area with numerous resorts. Lively shipping; passes the sea route through the Panama Canal, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Main ports: Santiago de Cuba (Cuba), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), Maracaibo (Venezuela), Barranquilla and Cartagena (Colombia), Colon (Panama).

Lit .: Zalogin B. S., Kosarev A. N. Sea. M., 1999.M.G. Deev.

Facts and background - learn about the Caribbean today

One of the most big seas our planet is the Caribbean Sea. The sea is located in the Western Hemisphere and is part of the Atlantic Ocean.

borders of the caribbean. From the Greater Antilles in the north to the Lesser Antilles in the east. The northern coast of South America is the south of the Caribbean Sea. To the west and southwest are the coasts of Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico, as the boundary between the Gulf and the Caribbean Sea.

Caribbean - This term is used to refer to the islands located in the Caribbean Sea region. The Caribbean is also known as the "West Indies" because Columbus was looking for a way to India and found what he found.

And only 2% of the Caribbean is actually inhabited.

The coasts of the Americas are also included in the Caribbean.

Caribbean coastline:

• Colombia
• Venezuela
• Nicaragua
• Honduras
• Guatemala
• Panama
• Costa Rica
• Belize

The Caribbean includes more than 700 islands, islets, reefs, caves. The islands are divided into different groups of islands, archipelagos (the Bahamas, for example).

Note: George Washington called the fabulous archipelago of the Bahamas - the islands of endless June.

Caribbean Island States:

• Haiti
• Jamaica
• Puerto Rico
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Guadeloupe, Martinique (French jurisdiction)
• Dominica
• Saint Lucia
• Curacao
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Barbados
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Virgin Islands and Minor Outlying Islands (US jurisdiction)
• Grenada
• Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (Netherlands jurisdiction)
• Cayman islands
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Aruba
• British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Montserrat (UK jurisdiction)
• Sint Maarten and Saint Maarten
• Saint Barthélemy
• Navas Island, Serranilla and Bajo Nuevo

The predominant languages ​​in the Caribbean are Spanish, English, Dutch, Haitian, Creole and Papiamento.

What is the area of ​​the Caribbean Sea?

1,063,000 square miles or 2,754,000 square kilometers. The Caribbean Sea is one of the largest seas in the world.

Where is the Deepest Point in the Caribbean Sea?

Powerful rifting led to the formation of narrow troughs and the emergence of deep basins. You can find the deepest Cayman Trough. It has a depth of 25,220 feet or 7,886 meters below sea level. This place is located in the middle of the water area - where Jamaica and the Cayman Islands are.

What bays and bays does the Caribbean Sea have?

The seas include the Gulf of Honduras, the Gulfs of Venezuela, the Gonaves, Golfo de los mosquitoes and the Gulf of Darien.

Barrier Reef.
The Caribbean Sea is famous for its amazing barrier reef. People call it the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. The report notes that it is regarded as the second largest barrier reef in the world. The barrier reef can be seen along Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and the Mexican coasts. Belize Barrier Reef in 1996 UNESCO included as a World Heritage Site.

Coral Reef.
About 9 percent of the world's coral reefs are located in the Caribbean Sea. Coral reefs in the Caribbean are concentrated in the region of Central America and along the coasts of the Caribbean islands. Here you can see pearl divers.

Coral reefs in the Caribbean are in danger of extinction. Corals are bleaching due to the effect of global warming, rising sea temperatures.

On average, the weather in the Caribbean Sea has an air temperature of about 21-29 degrees C.

Pirates. Movies about pirates are filmed mainly in the Caribbean. Not surprisingly, this region was chosen by pirates: piracy has flourished here since the 17th century.

The Caribbean region is a seismically hazardous area. Hurricanes and storms with a power of more than seven points (and even Tsunamis) occur periodically here, bringing destruction with them. The Atlantic (tropical) hurricane season occurs from June to November. The deadliest hurricane in the history of the West Indies, the Great Hurricane, hit in 1780. The most destructive of the storms were hurricanes: Katrina, Jeanne, Ivan, Galveston. ... Up to 12 hurricanes happen in the Atlantic during the season. And the most record-breaking in terms of the number of hurricanes (19 times) was 1995 and 1933.

• Probably, the Caribbean Sea took its name from the Indians of the Carib tribe. But its main inhabitants are immigrants from continental Europe and Africa.
• Another interesting fact. There are more churches per square mile in Jamaica than in any other country in the world. This is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.