Caribbean Sea, arm of the Atlantic Ocean, partially enclosed on
the north and east by the islands of the West Indies, and bounded on the south
by South America and Panama, and on the west by Central America. The name of the
sea is derived from the Carib people, who inhabited the area when Spanish
explorers arrived there in the 15th century.
At the northwestern extremity it is connected with the Gulf of Mexico by the
Yucatán Channel, a passage 190 km (120 mi) wide between Cuba and the Yucatán
Peninsula. The Windward Passage between Cuba and Haiti is a major shipping route
between the United States and the Panama Canal. Many gulfs and bays indent the
coastline of South America, notably the Gulf of Venezuela, which carries tidal
waters to Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela.
With a few exceptions the entire Caribbean Basin is more than
1,830 m (more than 6,000 ft) deep. Large areas of the sea exceed 3,660 m (12,000
ft) in depth; the greatest depth measured thus far is Cayman Trench (7,686
m/25,220 ft) between Jamaica and Cayman Islands. Navigation is open and clear,
making the Caribbean a major trade route for Latin American countries.
The main oceanic current in the Caribbean Sea is an extension of the North
Equatorial and South Equatorial currents, which enter the sea at the
southeastern extremity and flow in a generally northwestern direction. A popular
resort area, the Caribbean Sea is noted for its mild tropical climate.
