The Caribbean Sea is inland or marginal. Caribs

CARIBBEAN SEA, Caribbean Sea (Caribbean Sea), semi-enclosed marginal sea in the western part of the tropical zone Atlantic Ocean. In the west and south it is bounded by the mainland coasts of the Central and South America, in the north and east - a 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 km2, the volume is 6745 thousand km3. 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 caribbean from west to east along the southern foot of the underwater ridge of the same name, the deep-water trench Caiman is extended. Most of the submarine ridges (Aves, Beata, Marcelino Sill, etc.) are apparently submerged island arcs. Bottom sediments are represented mainly by calcareous foraminiferal oozes. An important factor sedimentation for the flat relief of the basins are turbidity flows, the most powerful precipitation was 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 semidiurnal, off the coast of Venezuela they are 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 sea ​​route through the Panama Canal, which connects 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.

Water temperature in the Caribbean. Caribbean Sea coast water temperature

The given data show the surface water temperature on the coast of the seas and oceans. To see the values, select the country and then the city you are interested in.

10 Fun Facts About The Caribbean

In addition to water temperature, we also provide information about the weather for today, tomorrow and in the coming days, surf forecast, sea state and roughness, sunrise / sunset and moonrise data.

List of countries and territories in the Caribbean Sea

Caribbean sea water temperature monthly:

Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in january
Sea Temperature in Caribbean Sea in February
Water temperature in the Caribbean Sea in march
Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in april
Water temperature in the Caribbean Sea in May
Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in june
Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in july
Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in august
Sea Temperature in Caribbean Sea in september
Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in october
Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in november
Water temperature in Caribbean Sea in December

To calculate the sea temperature, satellite data are used together with the results of observations at ground stations.

Water temperature, weather forecast and sea conditions are updated daily. Temperatures in shallow areas near the shore may be slightly higher than those shown here.

Location of the Caribbean Sea: western part of the Atlantic Ocean, between Central and South America.

Caribbean area: 2,754 thousand km2

Average depth of the Caribbean Sea: 2 491 m

Deepest Caribbean Sea: 7,680 m (Cayman Trench).

Bottom reliefCaribbean: deep-sea ridges (Cayman, Aves, Beata, Marcelino threshold), basins (Grenada, Venezuelan, Colombian, Bartlet, Yucatan).

SalinityCaribbean: 35.5-36‰.

currentscaribbean moving from east to west, when leaving the Gulf of Mexico give rise to the Gulf Stream.

Inhabitants of the Caribbean: sharks, flying fish, sea ​​turtles and other types of tropical fauna; there are sperm whales, humpback whales, seals and manatees.

Additional information about the Caribbean: The Caribbean Sea borders the Gulf of Mexico, the shortest sea route passes through it, connecting the ports of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Panama Canal.

caribbean sea wikipedia
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Caribbean Sea: where is it on the map, photo, area, depth, rivers, fish, countries, cities

caribbean sea- a semi-enclosed sea in the Atlantic Ocean, located between Central and South America. Countries washed by the Caribbean Sea: Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Cuba, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, etc.

Area: 2,754,000 sq.

Caribbean Sea - corals, animals, tourism, pirates, interesting facts

km. Average depth: 2500 m. Maximum depth: 7686 m.

The following rivers flow into the Caribbean Sea: Plantaine Garden, Magdalena, Rio Grande, San Juan, Coco, Aguan, Motagua, Rio Hondo, etc.
Sea resort cities: Cancun (Mexico), Varadero (Cuba), Montego Bay (Jamaica), Bridgetown (Barbados), Freeport (Bahamas), etc.

The main ports of the Caribbean Sea: Cartagena (Colombia), Santiago de Cuba (Cuba), Maracaibo (Venezuela), Colon (Panama), Limon (Costa Rica), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), Kingston (Jamaica).

Large bays: Mexican, Honduran, Venezuelan, Darien, Batabano, Gonave, Guacanaybo, Paria.

The most important islands of the Caribbean: Antilles, Bahamas, Caymans, Turneff, Islas de la Bahia. Largest island: Cuba.

Animal life: angelfish, silky shark, hawksbill turtle, barracudas, moray eels, tuna, lobsters, sardines, monk seal, sharp-winged crocodile, etc.

Photos of the Caribbean Sea:

Where is it on the map:

Oceans, lakes and rivers

caribbean sea

The Caribbean Sea belongs to the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. In the northwest, the reservoir borders the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico) and connects to the Gulf of Mexico through the Yucatan Pass between Yucatan and Cuba.

In the north and east there are large and small Antilles. In the south, the sea is washed by the northern coast of South America. To the west and southwest is the coast of Central America. Caribbean waters are connected to the Pacific Ocean through the Panama Canal.

geography

The reservoir is considered one of the largest in the world.

Its surface is 2.754 thousand square meters. km. The amount of water is 6,860 thousand cubic meters. km. The maximum depth is 7686 meters. It is installed in the so-called trench candle. It is located between Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.

This is an underwater trough between the North American and Caribbean plates. The average depth of the reservoir is 2500 meters.

member

Many countries erase many seas. In South America, these are Venezuela and Colombia. In Central America: Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize.

The last in this series is the Yucatan Peninsula. The northern part occupies 3 Mexican states, and in the south - territories belonging to Belize and Guatemala.

In the northern part of the Greater Antilles, there are countries such as Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.

The Antilles region is home to such countries as Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago.

Caribbean on the map

islands

Those who don't know should know that the Bahamas never belonged to the Caribbean. They are located north of Cuba and south of Florida. These are the waters of the Atlantic, and historically this area is called the West Indies.

It covers both the Caribbean and the Bahamas. This term appeared when Columbus discovered America.

In the reservoir under consideration there are the Antilles, divided into large and small. The first includes four large islands: Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. This includes small islands located near Cuba and form the Los Canareos and Jardines de la Reina archipelagos.

The Lesser Antilles are much more numerous.

They are influenced by the northeast trade wind and are divided into wind, rain or south. The first group has about 50 islands. The southern group extends along the coast of South America and includes both individual islands and archipelagos.

Closer to the western coast of the reservoir there are several archipelagos. These are the Cayman Islands (Grand Cayman, Mali Cayman, Cayman Brach), the Department of Island Bay Islands, which are located in Honduras, as well as the Miskitos and Turneff Islands.

There are separate islands of San Andres and Providencia.

Rivers

There are many rivers in a large body of water. The largest of them is the South American Magdalen River. It passes through Colombia and is 1550 km long. The annual flow is the largest and is approximately 230 cubic meters.

km. Another Colombian river is called Atrato. Its length is 644 km. Some rivers go to Lake Maracaibo (the largest in South America). The Caribbean Sea is connected to the Gulf of Venezuela by a small slope, the depth of which does not exceed 4 meters.

In Central America, we also feed about 30 rivers.

The islands have rivers. For example, the Cauto River in Cuba. Its length is 343 km. But the Artibonite River in Haiti is 240 km long. There are rivers in Jamaica. This is the river of milk and the black river.

climate

The climate is tropical. It is created by the Subtropical Caribbean Current, a continuation of the South Trade trend. Hot water flows from the southeast to the northwest and passes through the Yucatan Channel in the Gulf of Mexico, from where the Gulf Stream takes.

Therefore, the annual temperature ranges from 21 to 29 degrees Celsius.

Windmills are dominated by the trade winds. Their speed is from 16 to 30 km / h. There are tropical hurricanes in the northern part of the reservoir. Their speed can reach 120 km/h. Such strong winds sometimes they suffer a real tragedy: people die, houses are destroyed, cultures die.

For example, Hurricane Mitch, created in the western part of the sea in October 1998, brought a lot of sadness. 11 thousand people were killed, and the same number was not enough. There were 2.7 million people homeless. They were mostly citizens of Nicaragua and Honduras.

economy

The Caribbean Sea is inextricably linked to oil production.

Approximately 170 million tons are produced offshore.

Caribbean Sea: "A true paradise on earth"

tons of oil per year. In addition, the fishing industry is well developed. Sea water annually provides up to 500 thousand tons of fish. However, human activity pollutes the environment. First, it negatively affects coral reefs, which are constantly bleaching and destroying their ecosystem.

In the near future, this may affect the tourism industry. the best way. Every year about 40 million tourists visit the region. Their net profit is about 30 billion dollars. Many tourists are attracted by the diving and the beauty of the coral reefs. About 3 million local residents living on the islands are somehow connected with the travel company. That's why ecological problems pretty sharp.

Sergey Gubanov

Before knowing where they are caribbean on the world map, need to get some general information about them. They include the Antilles, which rise significantly above sea level, as well as the Bahamas from coral reefs. Most of them are of volcanic origin. Some islands are surrounded by large coral reefs, the tops of which protrude from the water and are overgrown with palm trees.

The Greater Antilles include four large areas of land that stretch from the mainland, among them Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba. The Lesser Antilles include a scattering of small lands, which include the Bahamas, Caicos, Turks, Bourbuda, Antigua, the Virginia Archipelago, Guadeloupe, Barbados, and so on.

Hard to say, which country is the caribbean, since they include all land areas washed by the Caribbean Sea.

At the same time, parts of the archipelago territorially belong to different states. Previously, they were known to the world as the legendary Antilia, then as the West Indies, and only then as the Caribbean, comfortably located inside a kind of geographical depression between the South and North America.

Some of the islands are not inhabited, but most of them still have a developed resort network. Today, about fifty islands are places where visitors come from all over the world.

The popularity of the local latitudes is explained by the harmonious combination of a mild climate rich in historical heritage as well as picturesque natural landscapes.

An important advantage of the Caribbean is the opportunity to relax all year round, because it is not cold here, eternal summer and sunny weather reign.

The big question is the need for visas. It is tourists who are constrained by visa restrictions who are most interested in Where is the Caribbean which countries they belong to. The Caribbean includes more than fifty islands, some of which are separate states, while others are considered the territorial property of France, America and England. However, most Caribbean sites do not require their guests to have a visa.

All cruises are operated from Mexico, the Dominican Republic and the United States, so the city of departure still needs to be reached by plane, so lovers of cruise travel will still not be able to do without a visa. The most common cruise destinations are Eastern, Southern and Western Caribbean. It is also worth noting that the cost of the tour depends on the number of islands included in the route.

Which Caribbean Islands to visit

Among the huge list of sites in the Caribbean, there are several areas that are most popular.

After the tourist has understood where the Caribbean islands are, he needs to make a specific choice where he will go to rest.

To do this, you should familiarize yourself with the basic information known about the most resorts. Some of them are distinguished by a developed tourist network, others make travelers fall in love with their remoteness from the usual civilization. Domestic tourists, as a rule, choose among such offers:

The list can go on for a very long time.

It is noteworthy that before you go traveling, you must also look at the weather of the Caribbean Islands by months, which will allow you to make the right choice.

Weather in the Caribbean

Weather conditions for different land areas belonging to the same archipelago may vary slightly.

In general, however, the climate ranges from humid to temperate tropical. It is worth noting that the humidity index for any island will remain consistently high, which contributes to the excellent growth of various types of vegetation.

Cleaner and drier air is always in mountainous areas. The air temperature here does not fall below +25 degrees. The water near the coast remains warm all year round, its temperature does not fall below +22 degrees.

Care should be taken when planning a vacation in these latitudes from September to November. Since this period is characterized by increased rainfall with possible hurricanes.

The local summer is characterized by moderate heat, which is facilitated by the trade winds blowing from the sea.

The peak of tourism falls on the period from December to April, so domestic travelers often celebrate the New Year here.

From August to November, the so-called "Dead season" begins in the Caribbean. It is worth noting that it is quite difficult to predict a Caribbean holiday, because on one part of the land there can be a torrential downpour, and on the other, the sun can shine brightly. Thus, it is important not only to view photos of the beaches of the Caribbean Islands on the Internet, but also to read the reviews of tourists who have already had time to relax here.

The Caribbean Sea belongs to the seas of the Atlantic. It is semi-closed and marginal. Its waters from the south and west wash South and Central America. The eastern and northern parts of the sea are bounded by the Greater and Lesser Antilles. The Caribbean Sea is considered the most interesting and beautiful tropical sea. It got its name thanks to the Caribs - representatives of the Indian tribe who lived in the area before the arrival of Columbus. The second name of this sea is Antilles.

Geographic features

A map of the Caribbean shows that it is connected to the Pacific by the Panama Canal. The sea is connected to the Gulf of Mexico through the Yucatan Strait. The area of ​​this sea is 2.7 million square meters. km. From the south it washes the shores of Panama, Colombia and Venezuela. On the west coast are such states as Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. The North of the Caribbean is Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. The eastern part of the sea is the location of the Lesser Antilles. The rugged shores of this reservoir are in some places covered with mountains. In shallow waters, you can see coral reefs.

Climatic conditions

The Caribbean Sea is located in the tropical zone. The climate here is formed under the influence of the trade winds. The temperature all year round varies between 23-27 degrees. The weather is influenced by oceanic warm currents, as well as solar activity. The tides in the Caribbean are low. The idyll of a tropical reservoir is disturbed by frequent storms and hurricanes. The Caribbean Sea is the source of a huge number of hurricanes that pose a threat to the lives of the local population. Hurricanes cause great damage to the inhabitants of the coast and islands, destroying buildings. The ecology of coral reefs is also being disrupted as hurricanes bring debris, sand and mud with them.

The coast of the Caribbean Sea is covered with a variety of vegetation. Bright life seen on coral reefs. More than 450 species of fish live in this sea: sharks, sea devils, parrot fish, butterfly fish, etc. Mammals include humpback whales, dolphins and sperm whales. Sardines, lobsters and tuna are of industrial importance. The beauty and richness of marine life attract divers to the Caribbean Sea. This is where diving enthusiasts come from. different corners planets. Swimming in the waters of the Caribbean should be done carefully. Sharks such as the Caribbean, gray bull, tiger, sand, reef, longfin, etc. are found here. All of them are dangerous for people.

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 border of the sea is the coast of 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 the Caribbean Sea, water enters the Gulf of Mexico through the Yucatan Strait, whose depth is about 2000 m.

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 most high position 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 the upper 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 maximum speeds currents 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 upper layers 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.

Located in the west of the Atlantic Ocean. From the west and south it borders on the coast of Central and South America, from the north and east by the Greater and Lesser Antilles. To the west and southwest are reefs. The largest bays: Honduran, Venezuelan, Darien. Largest: Jamaica.

Satellite map of the Caribbean from Bing
(the map can be moved with the mouse, zoomed in and out)

The climate here is warm maritime. In February it is +24, and in August +30. Most precipitation falls off the coast of Panama, and the least off the coast of Cuba. Hurricanes hit the sea three times a year.
Water exchange with the Atlantic Ocean occurs through the straits of Windward, Sombrero and Dominica.
The water temperature during the year ranges from 26 to 29 degrees.
There are 800 species of fish here (mullet, croaker, sardinella, horse mackerel, mackerel).
The Caribbean coast is known for its beaches. Main ports: Santiago de Cuba in Cuba, Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Maracaibo in Venezuela, Barranquilla and Cartagena in Colombia. Cote d'Azur, beautiful beaches, girls in bikinis. The Caribbean is a unique, magical place to unwind and unwind.
And so that your feet do not freeze upon returning to our cool lands, you just need to purchase warm and very beautiful ugg boots. You can buy wonderful ugg boots in the UGG online store, where you will find a wide selection of shoes for every, the most demanding taste.

Marginal semi-enclosed sea of ​​the Atlantic Ocean basin, from the west and south it is bounded by Central and South America, from the north and east by the Greater and Lesser Antilles. In the northwest, through the Yucatan Strait, it is connected to the Gulf of Mexico, in the southwest - to the Pacific Ocean through the artificial Panama Canal.

It lies between 9° and 22° N. sh. and between 89° and 60° W. D., its area is approximately 2,753,000 km. sq.
In the south it washes Venezuela, Colombia and Panama, in the west - Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula, in the north - Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico; in the east - the states of the Lesser Antilles

coastline of the caribbean

The coastline of the sea is heavily indented, the shores are mountainous in places, low in places (Caribbean Lowland). In shallow water areas there are various coral deposits and numerous reef structures. There are several bays on the continental coast, the largest of which are: Honduras, Mosquitos, Darien and Venezuelan. In the northern part are the bays of Batabano, Ana Maria and Guacanaybo (the southern coast of the island of Cuba), as well as the Gulf of Gonave (the western part of the island of Haiti).

There are several bays on the east coast of the Yucatan, including Asension, Espiritu Santo and Chetumal. The Gulf of Honduras ends in Amatiche Bay, located on the border of Belize and Guatemala. The northern coast of Honduras is slightly indented, and several lagoons jut into the Mosquito Coast, including the lagoons of Caratasca, Bismuna, Perlas and Bluefields Bay. In the east of Panama, there is a large Chiriqui lagoon. Off the coast of South America, the Darien Gulf ends with the Uraba Gulf, and the Venezuelan Gulf, fenced off by the Guajira Peninsula, ends with Lake Maracaibo. To the west of the island of Trinidad lies the Gulf of Paria, which is considered part of the Atlantic Ocean.

Islands

It is customary to include the Antilles and the Bahamas in the concept of the West Indies. The Caribbean Sea washes only the Antilles, which are subdivided into the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles. The Greater Antilles border the northern boundary of the sea and include four large islands: Cuba, Haiti (formerly called Hispaniola), Jamaica and Puerto Rico, as well as small nearby islands - the Los Canarreos archipelagos (the largest island of Juventud) and Jardines de la Reina, lying off the southern coast of Cuba.

The Lesser Antilles are subdivided into the Windward and Leeward Islands (South Antilles), so named in relation to the northwest trade wind. The first group lies on the eastern border of the sea and consists of about 50 islands, the largest of which are: Santa Cruz, St. Thomas (Virgin Islands), Anguilla, St. Martin, St. Kitts, Barbuda, Antigua (Antigua and Barbuda), Grand Ter and Bas-Terre (Guadeloupe), Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Barbados, Grenada, Tobago and Trinidad. The South Antilles are located along the coast of South America and include the islands of Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire (possessions of the Netherlands), Margarita, the Las Aves and Los Roques archipelagos (Venezuela) and a number of other smaller ones.

The western Caribbean Sea contains several archipelagos such as the Cayman Islands, Turneff Islands, Islas de la Bahia and Miskitos, as well as a number of individual islands (Providencia, San Andrés) and cays (Lighthouse, Glover, Media Luna and other).

Climate

The Caribbean Sea is located in the tropical climate zone, which is influenced by the trade wind circulation. Average monthly air temperatures vary from 23 to 27 °C. Cloudiness is 4-5 points.

The average annual rainfall in the region varies from 250 mm on the island of Bonaire to 9,000 mm in the windward parts of Dominica. Northeast trade winds prevail with average speeds of 16-32 km/h, however, tropical hurricanes occur in the northern regions of the sea, the speed of which can exceed 120 km/h. On average, 8-9 such hurricanes occur per year from June to November, and in September-October they are most frequent.

Vegetation of the Caribbean

The vegetation of the region is predominantly tropical, but differences in topographic, soil and climatic conditions increase species diversity. The porous limestone terraces of the islands tend to be poor in nutrients. There are an estimated 13,000 plant species in the Caribbean, of which 6,500 are endemic, such as the guaiac tree and mahogany vines. Coconut palm is common in coastal areas, lagoons and river estuaries are overgrown with dense mangroves (red and black mangrove).

Animal world

The marine biota of the region originated from representatives of the Indian and Pacific Oceans that entered the Caribbean Sea before the formation of the Isthmus of Panama about 4 million years ago. There are approximately 450 species of fish in the Caribbean Sea, including sharks (bull shark, tiger shark, silky shark and Caribbean reef shark), flying fish, sea devils, orange-fin surgeonfish, angelfish, butterfly eyefish, parrotfish, giant perch, tarpon and moray eels. Throughout the Caribbean region, commercial fishing of lobsters, sardines (off the coast of Yucatan) and some types of tunas is carried out. Albuleys, barracudas, marlins and wahoos are popular with recreational fishermen.

Mammals of the Caribbean region are represented by 90 species, there are sperm whales, humpback whales and dolphins. Seals and American manatees live off the island of Jamaica. The Caribbean monk seal, which previously lived in the region, is thought to be extinct; under the threat of extinction is representatives of the family of salmon teeth, native to the region.

All 170 amphibian species living in the region are endemic. The ranges of almost all representatives of the families of toads, poison dart frogs, tree frogs and whistlers are limited to any one island.

There are 600 bird species recorded in the Caribbean, 163 of which are endemic to the region, such as the tody, the Cuban avocet woodpecker and the palm chaser. Of the endemic species, 48 ​​species are threatened with extinction: the Puerto Rican Amazon, the Cuban chamois, the Cuban wren, and others. The Antilles, along with Central America, lie on the migration route of birds from North America, so the size of bird populations is subject to strong seasonal fluctuations. Parrots, sugar birds and toucans are found in the forests, frigatebirds and phaetons can be found above the open sea.

Tourism

Thanks to the warm climate and magnificent beaches, the Caribbean Sea region is one of the main resort areas in the world. The rich marine fauna attracts divers; in addition to natural beauties, the region is rich cultural monuments pre-Columbian civilizations and the colonial era. The tourism industry is an important component of the economy of the Caribbean region, serving mainly travelers from the United States, Canada, Brazil and Argentina. Air traffic between North America and the Caribbean is better developed than within the region.