Monthly Archives: January 2022

The Caribbean is more than just a popular tourist destination. It is a region rich in culture and history. Many different peoples, including indigenous groups, Europeans, and Africans have helped to shape the cultural mosaic that is the Caribbean.

The Caribbean contains 13 independent countries and several territories/dependencies that are part of other countries. Almost 44 million people live in the region, known for its crystal blue waters, sandy beaches, and warm, tropical climate, all of which attract throngs of tourists each year.

Antigua (pronounced An-teega) and Barbuda is a country in the middle of the Leeward Islands, which is part of the Caribbean island group known as the Lesser Antilles, located in the eastern Caribbean. As its name implies, Antigua and Barbuda is composed mainly of two islands bearing the same names. Antigua is the largest of the islands, comprising 108 sq. miles, while Barbuda is approximately 68 sq. miles. The population of Antigua and Barbuda is about 98,000. English is the official language of the country. Agriculture was once the main economic activity in Antigua and Barbuda, especially the cultivation of sugarcane. Today, however, tourism is the mainstay of the economy.

In 1492, Christopher Columbus made his first landfall in the so-called New World on an island he called San Salvador, which is now one of the many islands of the Bahamas. The Bahamas is technically not a Caribbean country as it is located in the Lucayan Archipelago, which is in the Atlantic Ocean, though it is still generally considered to be part of the Caribbean community. The country consists of more than 700 tropical islands and 2,400 mostly uninhabited cays. The land area of the Bahamas comprises a total of 13,943 sq. km. The Bahamas is home to about 393 thousand inhabitants. The Bahamians are mostly of African descent. English is the countrys official language. The countrys economy is now largely powered by the tourism and financial services.

The island country of Barbados is located in the eastern Caribbeans Lesser Antilles. The island is just 431 sq. km in area. The population of Barbados is approximately 287 thousand. About 90% of the people on the island are of Afro-Caribbean descent or mixed descent. English is the official language of Barbados, though many people on the island speak a local variant called Bajan in informal settings. Tourism and offshore banking are the main economic activities in Barbados.

Cuba is the largest country in the Caribbean, with a land area encompassing 106,440 sq. km. It is one of the islands of the Greater Antilles, located in the northern Caribbean. The U.S. state of Florida is just 103 miles away from Cuba. The population of Cuba is approximately 11.3 million, making it the second-most populous country in the Caribbean, after Haiti. The Cuban people are very multiethnic, though there is disagreement on where much of the population is descended from. In 2014, an autosomal study of the Cuban people was done, and found that 72% of the population was of European descent, 20% of African descent, and 8% of indigenous descent. Spanish is Cubas official language. Cuba is one of the last countries in the world that is still ruled by a communist regime.

Not to be confused with the Dominican Republic, Dominica is an English-speaking island country in the Lesser Antilles. The island is just 750 sq. km in land area. Unlike other Caribbean countries, Dominica has not built major airports or cruise terminals to attract tourists, leaving the countrys natural landscape mostly untouched. The country is home to about 72 thousand people, most of whom are of African descent. Dominica is also the only island in the eastern Caribbean that has a significant population of pre-Columbian indigenous inhabitants.

The Dominican Republic is located on the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antilles. The country shares the island with its western neighbor, Haiti. The Dominican Republic is large compared to other Caribbean states, with a land area of 48,320 sq. km. The population of the Spanish-speaking country is about 10.8 million, most being of mixed descent. There are large numbers of immigrants from other Caribbean countries in the Dominican Republic, including about 700,000 Haitians. The economy of the Dominican Republic, formerly based on cash crops like sugarcane and tobacco, has been diversified to include significant tourism and service sectors. In fact, the Dominican Republic has been one of the most fastest-growing economies in Latin America following the 2008 financial crisis.

Grenada is composed of one large island of the same name, plus six smaller islands. It is located in the Lesser Antilles, on the south end of the Grenadines, northeast of the South American country of Venezuela. It is nicknamed the Island of Spice, because of it being a rich source of nutmeg and mace. The country has a land area of 344 sq. km, and boasts a population of roughly 112 thousand. About 82% of this population is of African descent. English is the countrys official language, but a number of people in the country also speak Grenadian Creole, French Patois, and Antillean Creole.

Haiti shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. It is the most populous country in the Caribbean, with a population of around 11.4 million. Haiti is also a very young country, as more than half of its population is under the age of 25. Most Haitians are of African or mixed descent. French is the countrys official language. Haiti has the unfortunate distinction of being the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

Jamaica is an island country in the Greater Antilles. It is large compared to other Caribbean countries, having a land area of 10,991 sq. km. Most of Jamaicas people, about 2.9 million, are of African descent. Many of them are thought to be descendants of the Igbo people of present-day Nigeria and the Akan of what is now Ghana. Jamaicas economy is based largely on remittances from Jamaicans living abroad, tourism, and the mining of bauxite and alumina.

As its name implies, this country is composed of two islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, which are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. The country is the smallest and least populous in North America, with a land area of just 260 sq. km, and a population of around 53 thousand. Three quarters of people in St. Kitts and Nevis are the descendants of slaves brought by Europeans from West Africa. The unity of the country is tenuous as some seek to divide the federation of the two islands into two separate states.

St. Lucia is an island country in the Lesser Antilles formed by volcanic activity. The country has a land area of 610 sq. km. Its population is approximately 183 thousand. Most St. Lucians are of African or mixed Afro-European descent. English is the countrys official language, though French Creole is also widely spoken. Castries, one of the cities in St. Lucia, is a major tourist destination. St. Lucia also has the distinction of having the highest ratio of Nobel Laureates to its total population of any independent country.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is located in the Lesser Antilles, close to where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. The country consists of the largest island, St. Vincent, and the northern two-thirds of the Grenadines. The islands population, approximately 111,000, consists mostly of descendants of African slaves, though there is also a sizeable portion of people who are of mixed descent. Some are the descendants of indigenous Caribbean people and African slaves who intermarried and became known as Black Caribs.

Trinidad and Tobago is located off the coast of the South American country of Venezuela. It is composed mainly of two islands of the same name, with Trinidad being the larger and more populous of the two. In fact, 96% of the countrys estimated 1.4 million people live on the island of Trinidad. Most of these people are of either African or Indian descent, and tensions between these two groups are not uncommon. English is the official language.

The other territories that are considered part of the Caribbean are all dependencies of certain countries. The largest dependency is Puerto Rico, which is a U.S. territory. The U.S. also has sovereignty over some of the Virgin Islands, as does the UK. The UK has several other dependencies in the Caribbean, including the Cayman Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Anguilla, and the least populous territory in the Caribbean, Monserrat. France also has several territories in the Caribbean. These include its most populous, Martinique, as well as Guadeloupe, St. Barts, and Saint Martin. The Netherlands controls the remainder of the Caribbeans dependencies, which include Curacao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, and the Caribbean Netherlands.

With a population of 11,333,480, Cuba ranks number one in terms of population in the Caribbean. Haiti and the Dominican Republic follow with populations of 11,263,080 and 10,738,960 respectively. St. Kitts and Nevis has the lowest population in the region of 52,830.

The future population trends for the Caribbean points to the smallest population growth for a developing region by 2050, less than Asia and Africa. This estimate could be because the region as a whole has rapidly improved the average life expectancy at birth and the total fertility rate has gone down by more than half in the last sixty or so years. So while the total population is still expected to grow in the future, the growth rate will be relatively lower to the rising average age of the population and a decreased number of births in the future.

Natural resources, tourism, and agriculture form the backbone of the Caribbean economy. The region has a rich mineral wealth and mining is a major economic activity. Trinidad is known for its vast reserves of oil and natural gas. Forestry, fisheries, and agriculture also contribute significantly to the GDP. The tropical island setting also attracts thousands of tourists to the Caribbean countries. When ranked by their GDP per capita, The Bahamas is the richest nation in the region with a GDP per capita of USD 34,863.7. St. Kitts and Nevis and Barbados rank 2nd and 3rd with GDP per capita's of USD 19,935.0 and USD 18,148.2, respectively. Haiti has the lowest GDP per capita of USD 1,272.5.

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Caribbean Countries - WorldAtlas

[FORT LAUDERDALE] A U.S. study is putting the spotlight on Afro-Caribbean nationals who have heart disease, or have been diagnosed with Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy, (ATTR-CM).

Afro-Caribbeans with lived experiences can now share their story via a national, and qualitative study. In addition, they can get paid if they are considered a good candidate.

The national study is intended to deepen understanding of Afro-Caribbean people suffering heart issues. Including heart failure and related health conditions. Conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, etc.

We are focused on the Afro-Caribbean community due to a higher prevalence of heart failure and specifically Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), said Donna Fullerton, Research Partner at Now What. It is well-established that the broader Black community is disproportionately affected by ATTR-CM, which is driving our attention here. We are looking to speak with, hear stories from, and understand the nuances within the Black community so that future communications and resources around disease awareness and treatment options will be culturally relevant and appropriate and hopefully lessen the health disparities we see today.

To qualify, Afro-Caribbeans must be between ages 45-75, live in the US, and have been diagnosed with heart failure. Qualified participants will be paid $200 compensation for 2.5 hours of engagement. This includes answering questions and completing activities over a computer or smartphone.

Participants who make the first round of the study, must also be open to take part in a follow-up 75-minute zoom call, for an additional $150.

If you feel you qualify, complete a short pre-qualification survey before January 31st.

The online exercises will ask people questions about their culture, their community, their thoughts about health and the healthcare system, and their experiences living with a heart condition, added Fullerton. All of our questions are designed to be respectful and empathetic we only ask people to share what they are comfortable sharing and always respect peoples privacy.

Heart diseases, such has coronary heart disease and heart failure, are more common in Blacks, than other ethnic groups. So are the other cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and peripheral artery disease. Health issues like obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes can increase a persons risk of heart failure. People of African heritage have higher rates of heart failure, hospitalization and death from the disease, according to national data.

Although care of patients with Heart Failure (HF) has improved in the past decade, important disparities in HF outcomes persist. Especially based on race/ethnicity. Recent scientific data shows that age-adjusted HF-related cardiovascular disease death rates are higher for Black patients. Particularly among young Black men and women whose rates of death are 2.6- and 2.97-fold higher, respectively, than White men and women.

Similarly, the rate of HF hospitalization for Black men and women is nearly 2.5-fold higher when compared with Whites. With costs that are significantly higher in the first year after HF hospitalization.

While the relative rate of HF hospitalization has improved for other race/ethnic minorities, the disparity in HF hospitalization between Black and White patients has not decreased during the last decade.

The ultimate goal of this ongoing, targeted research is to learn from and speak with members of the Afro-Caribbean community. As a result, future communications and resources around disease awareness and treatment options will be culturally relevant and appropriate. In order to hopefully lessen the health disparities currently.

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Caribbean Nationals Wanted For Heart Study - South Florida Caribbean News

Ocean Recovery Group, a new joint venture formed by 4G Recycling, a recycling and waste-management family-owned business, and packaging company AE Global, is a social-business enterprise with a mission.

Headquartered north of Miami with initial processing operations located in the Dominican Republic, the initiative aims to tackle the influx of plastic that ends up as pollution in the Caribbean and along the shores of the Western Hemisphere.

It is a lofty ambition, but one that the joint venture, with more than 100 years of recycling industry experience is confident it can handle.

Ocean Recovery Groups extensive knowledge in the recycling and packaging industries paired with our practical, sustainable and scalable solution will dramatically reduce the quantity of plastics ending up in our oceans, as well as the need for virgin plastics for product production, said Ocean Recovery Group President, Zachary Kirstein.

Ocean Recovery Group will be the first ocean-bound plastic integrated recycler in the Dominican Republic as well as the first in the Caribbean. Currently, less than 8 percent of plastics in the Dominican Republic are recycled.

Having teamed up with a local processing partner, Next Generation Recycling Latin America, Ocean Recovery Group is currently constructing its first recycling plant i in La Vega, Dominican Republic. The new plant is expected to be fully operational by March.

Ocean Recovery Group has the equipment, experienced management, and ability to collect, clean, sort, bale and ship ocean-bound plastics, Kirstein said. As a social enterprise, it will sell the recovered plastics to re-processors to make plastic pellets, which will then be sold as recycled plastic to manufacturers, thus contributing to solving the planets ocean-bound plastic crisis in the western hemisphere.

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Tackling ocean-bound plastic in the Caribbean - Plastics News

A journey through the rainforest to a Mayan temple. A rugged hike to a 200-foot-wide boiling lake. A dive into the heart of a blue hole.

Far beyond the beach, theres another side of the Caribbean, of mountains and rainforests and frontiers. Whether youre exploring the untouched outback of Andros or venturing through the Belizean rainforest, the Caribbeans natural environment is one of the worlds great adventure destinations, blessed with a surfeit of unforgettable experiences.

And certain hotels in the region make adventure their specialty, both in their design and their itineraries, drawing travelers searching for new ways to enjoy the Caribbean ecosystem.

Here are the best adventure hotels in the Caribbean.

Small Hope Bay Lodge, Andros, The Bahamas The ultimate Caribbean adventure hotel. This legendary resort is set on South Andros in The Bahamas, a portal to every adventure you can imagine: bonefishing and deep sea fishing; diving and snorkeling; nature tours across caves and blue holes; birding; kayaking; and the feeling of discovering one of the great untouched wildernesses in all of the Caribbean.

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The 10 Best Adventure Hotels in the Caribbean - Caribbean Journal