"The region is southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and the North American mainland, east of Central America, and north of South America."
The study of the governmental structures, systems, and policies of Caribbean countries, including the impacts of colonialism, imperialism, and globalization.
Colonialism: The history of European colonialism in the Caribbean and its legacy on politics and government in the region.
Independence and Nationalism: The struggles for independence from colonial rule in the Caribbean and the rise of regional nationalism.
Governance Models: A discussion of the different governance models adopted in the Caribbean, including parliamentary democracy, presidential democracy, and authoritarianism.
Political Parties: The development and role of political parties in the Caribbean, including their influence on political culture and democratic transitions.
Electoral Systems: An examination of the various electoral systems used in the Caribbean to ensure representation and legitimacy in government.
Foreign Policy: An analysis of the foreign policy of Caribbean countries and their relationships with other nations and international organizations.
Public Administration: The structure, functions and challenges of public administration in Caribbean states.
Social Policy: A look at the social policies and programs adopted by governments in the Caribbean to address issues such as poverty, healthcare, and education.
Human Rights: The status and enforcement of human rights in the Caribbean, including issues of gender inequality and discrimination.
Globalization and Caribbean States: The impact of globalization on Caribbean countries, including economic integration, cultural change, and political dependency.
Security and Conflict: The security concerns in the Caribbean region, including the issue of crime, drug trafficking, and political instability.
Environmental Policy: The efforts by Caribbean governments to address environmental challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, and environmental degradation.
Citizenship and Identity: The intersection of citizenship and identity in the Caribbean, including issues of race, ethnicity, and nationality.
Regional Integration: A discussion of the efforts to achieve regional integration in the Caribbean, including the role of organizations such as CARICOM and the OECS.
Economic Policy: Policies adopted to boost economic development and promote Investment in the Caribbean region.
Democratic Socialism: This is a form of government that combines democratic principles with socialist ideology. It is prevalent in countries such as Jamaica, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago, where the government heavily invests in public services and welfare programs.
Monarchy: Some Caribbean nations have a monarchy system, where the British monarch serves as the head of state. Examples include Jamaica, The Bahamas, and Barbados.
Republic: In a republic system, the head of state is elected by the citizens, and the government is run by elected officials. Countries such as Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti operate under this system.
Parliamentary: A parliamentary system is where the government is accountable to the parliament, and the executive is made up of members of parliament who are elected to form a cabinet. This is the system used in countries such as Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Presidential: In a presidential system, the president is both the head of state and head of government. Countries such as Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic operate under this system.
Constitutional Monarchy: This system shares similarities with parliamentary democracy but with a monarch serving as the ceremonial head of state. The monarch's duties are limited by a constitution. This system is used in countries such as Saint Kitts and Nevis and Grenada.
Autocracy: This is a form of government where the ruler has complete authority and makes all decisions without consulting others. Cuba is considered an autocratic country due to its one-party system.
Communist: This is a system where the government controls all aspects of the economy and society. Cuba is considered a communist country, with the Communist Party of Cuba being the only legal political party.
Federated States: This is a union of different regions, each with its own government and limited autonomy. The Caribbean country that operates under this system is Suriname.
Absolute Monarchy: This is a system where the monarch has absolute power and control over all aspects of government and society. No Caribbean countries operate under this system.
"The region has more than 700 islands, islets, reefs, and cays."
"Island arcs delineate the northern and eastern edges of the Caribbean Sea: the Greater Antilles in the north and the Lesser Antilles, which includes the Leeward Antilles, in the east and south."
"The nearby Lucayan Archipelago, comprising The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, is considered to be a part of the Caribbean despite not bordering the Caribbean Sea."
"All the islands in the Antilles plus the Lucayan Archipelago form the West Indies, which is often interchangeable with the term Caribbean."
"On the mainland, Belize, Guyana, and Suriname are often included as parts of the Caribbean due to their political and cultural ties with the region."
"The eastern and northern coasts of Central and South American countries such as the Bay Islands Department of Honduras, the North and South Caribbean Autonomous Regions of Nicaragua, the Limón Province of Costa Rica, Colón Province of Panama, and the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina in Colombia are also occasionally considered culturally Caribbean."
"They are organized into 33 political entities, including 13 sovereign states, 12 dependencies, one disputed territory, and seven other overseas territories."
"From December 15, 1954, to October 10, 2010, there was a territory known as the Netherlands Antilles composed of five islands, all of which were Dutch dependencies."
"From January 3, 1958, to May 31, 1962, there was also a short-lived political union called the West Indies Federation composed of ten English-speaking Caribbean territories, all of which were then British dependencies."
"Due to a history of waves of immigration brought by colonization by the Spanish, English, Dutch, and French, the Atlantic slave trade from Africa, and Indentured servitude from Asia, as well as modern immigration, the modern Caribbean is one of the most ethnically diverse regions on the planet."