1. 5 Themes of Geography
Period 4 Group 2

2. Location Relative Exact
Southeast of Gulf of Mexico, east of Central America, and north of South America
Exact
18.15 N, W

3. Place Physical Lies between Tropic of Cancer and the Equator
The region is divided into the Rimland, greater Antilles, and lesser Antilles.
Warm temperatures (70’s year-round)
Hurricanes (storms with heavy rains and winds)
Abundant rainfall (more than 80 inches which determines season)
Diverse flora and fauna
Vegetation (forests, savannas, mangroves, and arid zones)
Isolated proximity – Caribbean’s unusual position in world (limits economic opportunity)

4. Place Human Maroon communities of runaway slaves
Compromised of descendants of Africa, Asia, and Europe
Plantation America-cultural region where European elite rule and depend on African labor force
Large Asian populations
Africans were forced from their native lands and sent to the Americas
African religions like voodoo are widely practiced
Complex culture caused by creolization
Speak French, Dutch, Spanish, and English
Railroads
Ports for boats to come and go
Arable lands are owned by elite with small plots for subsistence argriculture

5. Movement People Asian immigration Slave trade Runaway slaves
Maroon societies
Densely settled islands
Lightly populated main land territories
Rural urban continuum
Migration chain
Migration circular
Labor-related migration
Tourism
Diaspora Caribbean

6. Movement
Goods
Export
Railroads
Ports

7. Movement Ideas Language Music Creolization Plantation America
Asian immigration
Neo Africa
Colonization

8. Region Physical 25 countries and dependent territories
Groups of islands (archipelago)
Tropical beaches – white sand beaches surround the islands.
Some islands are mostly made up of volcanoes.
Some countries contain limestone plateaus and mountains. Some were formed by ancient rocks.

9. Region
Political
A lot of small islands are claimed by other countries like England, Spain, and France.
Cuba is a communist country.
Puerto Rico is divided about their future politics – half Caribbean and half US
Many countries and territories are free and independent, but many struggle to fit the citizen needs.

10. Region
Cultural
Creolization
Colonialism

11. Region
Economic
The average annual growth % GDP per capita ranges from the Bahamas with -0.1 to Guyana with 5.2
The total GNI goes from low as St. Vincent and the Grenadines with 301 to high as the Dominican Republic with 16,130.
Referred to as the “American Backyard”
Developing region
60% of the Caribbean is urban

12. Human/Environment Interaction
Change
Use deforestation for family ranching and building buildings
Clear hillsides for farming
Coastal mangrove swamps for beach space
Irrigation is used to bring water to dried lands

13. Human/Environment Interaction
Adapt
Countries in the Caribbean built cruise ships, cruise lines, and tourist sectors to attract tourists to the Caribbean and help countries in the Caribbean make a profit. (Tourism represents half the country’s GDP.)
Residents in the Caribbean build their houses on the silts as protection against flooding.
There is little sources for energy so some people have to use firewood and charcoal as their energy needs.
The production of sugarcane has become an easy way for farmers to make a large profit.
Since the climate is so hot, people use air conditioners.
Growth of coffee

14. Human/Environment Interaction
Sugar cane field in Jamaica