Caribbean Islands

This work is a general introduction to the Caribbean islands. It's comprehensive in scope in the sense that it covers the entire region. It deals with the history of the islands through the years with an emphasis on contemporary times; the people and their lifestyles; demographic composition and how different ethnic and racial groups have interacted to create dynamic multicultural societies across the Caribbean. Other subjects include various developments and changes in recent times in all the islands covered in the book; the islands' economic potential, prospects, limitations and challenges; the geography of the islands including the impact of natural disasters such as hurricanes; foods, music and festivals on different islands and across the Caribbean; and the cultural landscape of the region and individual islands. There are many other subjects addressed in the context of each of the islands and from a regional perspective of the Caribbean as one integrated area in spite of some of the differences in the history of the island nations and territories which collectively constitute one of the most interesting and dynamic regions in the Americas and in the entire world. The book is intended for members of the general public, although some specialists and students may also find it to be useful in some areas. It may also help tourists and anybody else who wants to learn some basic facts about the Caribbean islands.