Dominica, island republic in the West Indies, lying in the Caribbean Sea, approximately halfway between the islands of Guadeloupe (on the north) and Martinique (on the south). One of the Windward Islands, Dominica is 47 km (29 mi) long and has an area of 750 sq km (289 sq mi).

Dominica is volcanic in origin and has a mountainous terrain, with several peaks rising above 1,220 m (4,000 ft); the highest point is Morne Diablotins (1,447 m/4,747 ft)

According to the United Nations (UN) index that compares national income with the cost of damage caused by environmental disasters, Dominica is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. This is mainly due to the island’s susceptibility to destructive hurricanes, especially during the late summer months.

Dominica has a total population of 69,655 (2003 estimate). More than 90 percent of the inhabitants are black, descendants of slaves brought from Africa in the 18th century. A small number of Carib also live on the island. English is the official language, but a French patois is widely spoken. Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion. Roseau (population, 1995 estimate, 21,000) is the capital and chief port.
 

Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman is approximately 22 miles long and 8 miles at its widest point, reaching a maximum elevation at East End of 60 ft.
77 -90 degrees F
The total land mass of the three islands is 100 square miles. Grand Cayman occupies 76 square miles; Cayman Brac, 14 square miles and Little Cayman, 10 square miles

Columbus discovered Little Cayman and Cayman Brac during his fourth and last voyage to the New World, on May 10, 1503. While sailing from Panama to Hispaniola, severe winds pushed his ships off course west. The ship's log reported "... we were in sight of two very small islands, full of tortoise, as was the sea about, inasmuch as they looked like little rocks." Consequently, Columbus named the islands Las Tortugas after the abundant sea turtles sighted.

The islands were later named Lagartos, meaning alligator or large lizard and finally, the name Caymanas was applied around 1540, derived from the Carib word for marine crocodile. This name in a modified form remained since the late 16th century.

 Sir Francis Drake visited the islands during a voyage between 1585-86 and reported sighting "great serpents called Caymanas, like large lizards, which are edible." An anonymous author in Drake's fleet also described 10 ft. crocodiles. According to the Cayman Islands National Archive, there are written accounts of Cayman dating back to the 1830's which describe the shooting of crocodiles as a Sunday sport.

During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, the islands were replenishment centers supplying abundant fresh water and food, including sea turtles and wild fowl, for English, Dutch, French and Spanish explorers and buccaneers and ships plying the Spanish Main route.

The first recorded settlement was of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac between 1666-1671, while Sir Thomas Modyford was Governor of Jamaica, comprising descendants of emigrants from the British Isles.

 

Jamaica

Jamaica, island country, third largest island of the Greater Antilles of the West Indies, situated south of Cuba. Jamaica has a maximum length, from east to west, of 235 km (146 mi); the maximum width is approximately 80 km (about 50 mi). The total area of the country is 10,991 sq km (4,244 sq mi). Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, and also a large commercial seaport.

The terrain is mountainous, except for several tracts of lowlands in the southern coastal area

. The principal range, situated in the eastern section of the island, is the Blue Mountains, of which Blue Mountain Peak (2,256 m/ 7,402 ft) is the highest point on the island. A series of lesser mountains, with many transverse spurs, extends generally west to the extremity of the island, surmounting an extensive plateau. The coastline, 1,020 km (635 mi) long, is irregular, particularly in the south, and the island has a number of excellent natural harbors, including those at Kingston, Saint Ann’s Bay, Montego Bay, and Port Maria.

Thermal springs occur in various areas. No other volcanic phenomena are apparent, but the island is subject to severe earthquakes. Many small unnavigable rivers traverse the island.

Climate

Tropical climatic conditions prevail in the coastal lowlands of Jamaica. The mean annual temperature in this region is 27°C (80°F), but northeastern trade winds frequently moderate the extremes of heat and humidity. Mean annual temperatures in the plateau and mountain areas average 22°C (72°F) at elevations of 900 m (about 3,000 ft), and are considerably less at higher levels. Annual precipitation is characterized by wide regional variations. More than 5,100 mm (more than 200 in) of rain are deposited annually in the mountains of the northeast; in the vicinity of Kingston the annual average is 810 mm (32 in). The months of maximum precipitation are May, June, October, and November. The island is subject to hurricanes in late summer and early autumn.

Labadee

Sometimes identified as part of Hispaniola, Labadee is located on a remote peninsula on Haiti's northern coast. Hispaniola is the name Christopher Columbus gave the entire island shared between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
 

Although travel to Haiti has declined due to political unrest, Royal Caribbean's private beach compound gives visitors the opportunity to experience the natural beauty of the nation's northern coast in total safety and serenity. Whereas most cruise lines offer pleasant stops at private, secluded beaches for their passengers, Royal Caribbean offers something more at Labadee: history and culture. Narrated coastal tours describe the Haitian people - their past and present. Hiking trails pass by 200-year-old ruins. Snorkeling expeditions to nearby Amiga Island reveal anchors, cannonballs, pottery, and other 16th century artifacts. Local shops and artisan booths offer Haitian paintings, crafts, coffee, and cognac for sale.

Of course, there's plenty in the way of beach activities, too. Swimming, volleyball, snorkeling, paddle boating, and kayaking are popular activities.
 

And of course, there's that lounge chair over there under the palm tree…

Martinique

Many centuries ago, the Carib Indians called this magical isle "Madinina" (Island of Flowers). Today, Martinique is still one of the world's most beautiful destinations. Its 425 square miles make Martinique the second largest island of the French West Indies and include incomparable gardens, towering rain forests, sensational beaches, delightful villages and fascinating historical sites. The island's terrain is marked by hills, plateaus and mountains, while its irregular coastline is cut by coves and deep bays. Martinique's main resort areas are on the southwest coast, from Pointe du Bout to Sainte-Anne. Upon his arrival in Martinique in 1502, Christopher Columbus said, "This land is the best, the most fertile, the most gentle, and the most charming in the world. It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. My eyes never tire of seeing such greenery." The warm hospitality of the people and the delicious French and Créole cuisine add to the enchantment

A BRIEF HISTORY
Columbus sighted Martinique in 1493, but did not go ashore until another voyage in 1502. At that time, the island was inhabited by the Carib Indians who had already exterminated the Arawaks. Columbus named the island Martinica in honor of St. Martin. The French arrived to claim the island and begin permanent settlement there in 1635. They began to cultivate sugar cane and import slaves from Africa. As forests were cleared to make room for sugar plantations, fierce battles with the Carib Indians ensued. With the treaty of 1660, the Caribs agreed to occupy only the Atlantic side of Martinique. This peace was short-lived, however, and they were exterminated or forced off the island shortly thereafter. In 1762, the English occupied the island, but returned it the following year in exchange for Canada. They invaded and held the island once again from 1794 to 1815, when it was returned to the French. In 1848, Victor Schoelcher, a French minister for overseas possessions, convinced the government to sign an Emancipation Proclamation ending slavery in the French West Indies. On March 8, 1902, came the most devastating natural disaster in Caribbean history; the Mont Pelée volcano erupted, destroying the city of St. Pierre and claiming the lives of all but one of its 30,000 inhabitants. As a result, the capital was permanently moved to Fort-de-France.

UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS
Martinique is truly ''a little bit of France in the Caribbean." It exudes a distinctly French feeling in the excellence of its cuisine, the attractiveness of its population and the beauty of its language. Yet Martinique has a cachet all its own, an endearing West Indian warmth in its personality, a special spice in its music and dance, its local dishes, and its way of life. It is an island with style. The capital city of Fort-de-France, built like an amphitheater around the yacht-filled harbor, is backed by luxuriant mountains and is one of the most memorable, picturesque settings in the Caribbean. It is a city of just over 100,000, with narrow balconied streets, busy and bustling by day, generally quiet by night.

This "Island of Flowers" is home to lush vegetation with hibiscus, frangipani, bougainvillea, anthuriums, poinsettias, orchids and exotic hardwoods. There are fields rich in guava, mango and papaya, and vast plantations of bananas, pineapple, sugarcane, cinnamon and coffee. In the tropical rainforests, ferns grow tall as trees and green comes in a thousand different shades.

San Juan

Called "La Ciudad Amurallada", San Juan was founded in 1521. In 1508 Juan Ponce de León founded the original settlement, Caparra, now known as Pueblo Viejo, behind the almost land-locked harbor just to the west of the present metropolitan area.

A year later, the settlement was abandoned and moved to the site of what is now called Old San Juan. San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean and is the second oldest city in the Americas.

St. Croix

St. Croix, the largest of the U. S. Virgin Islands is a laid back reminder of what the Caribbean used to be. No other island in the Caribbean has as much of its culture and history visible for all to see. There are sugar mills that used to grind the sugar cane and greathouses that once housed the rich and powerful of the 18th and 19th Century. The sand and sea are marvelously refreshing and the reefs surrounding this jewel of the Caribbean make for magnificent snorkeling and diving.

The largest of three principal islands comprising the U.S. Virgins, St. Croix offers visitors a diversity not found on St. Thomas and St. John. Its size--28 miles long and 7 miles wide--makes it three times that of cosmopolitan St. Thomas. With more square miles than its sister islands, uncrowded St. Croix has space for both modern development and the preservation of its uniquely diverse terrain.

St. Croix is the place to get a full dose of the Caribbean outdoors: lots of fresh air, soothing sea breezes, cool waters and verdant surroundings. A sport's enthusiast's paradise, the island offers fabulous opportunities to try every water sport imaginable. Land options are also plentiful: How about horseback riding, hiking, bicycling, golf or tennis?
 

The lure of St. Croix's sun-drenched beaches is virtually impossible to resist; they have been ranked among the most beautiful in the world. Picture crescent moons of sugar-white sand rimming secluded coves, luscious tropical scenery, the sun reflecting diamond sparks on aquamarine waters--that's what awaits in this island paradise.

The island of St. Croix offers something for everyone in the way of nightlife. Top off the splendid, sun-filled days with island and disco dancing, smooth jazz or the soothing sounds of piano--the choices are plentiful on St. Croix!

St. John

St. John is the smallest of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Covering just 21 square miles, its elevation rises to 1,277 feet on Bordeaux Mountain. It lies a few miles to the east of St. Thomas with the Atlantic Ocean to the North and the Caribbean Sea to the South.

One dazzling, free-form emerald set in the vast, crystal clear seas. This is tiny St. John, the smallest and most quiet of the three Virgin Islands. A mere twenty minute boat ride from St. Thomas, St. John is a non-commercial, low-key treasure island.

Laurance Rockefeller ensured that "this thing of beauty will be a joy forever" when in1956 he purchased, and then deeded, large portions of the island to the National Park Service. Now over half of St. John lies under its protective care.

Stunning beaches rim St. John's shores.Trunk Bay is one of the planet's most beautiful beaches, according to National Geographic. An excellent swimming area, Trunk Bay also has a fascinating underwater trail maintained by the Park Service. On the beach beneath the shade of seagrape trees are picnic areas and a snack bar serving sandwiches and cold drinks. Other lovely beaches on the North Shore are Honeymoon,  Hawksnest, Cinnamon  and   Maho. On the South Shore are three pretty beaches ­ Salt Pond,   Drunk Bay and Lameshur Bay.

St. Kitts

St. Kitts, the larger of the two islands, is roughly oval in shape except for a long, narrow peninsula to the southeast. Its highest point is Mount Liamuiga (3,792 ft [1,156 m]). The Narrows, a 2-mile- (3-km-) wide channel, separates the two islands. The circularly shaped Nevis is surrounded by coral reefs and the island is almost entirely a single mountain, Nevis Peak (3,232 ft [985 m]). A volcanic mountain chain dominates the center of both islands.

When Christopher Columbus explored the islands in 1493, they were inhabited by the Carib people. Today, most of the inhabitants are the descendants of African slaves. St. Kitts, formerly St. Christopher, was settled by the British in 1623; Nevis in 1628. The French settled on St. Kitts in 1627, and an Anglo-French rivalry lasted for more than 100 years. After a decisive British victory over the French at Brimstone Hill in 1782, the islands came under permanent British control. The islands, including nearby Anguilla, were united in 1882. They joined the West Indies federation in 1958 and remained in that association until its dissolution in 1962. St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla became an associated state of the United Kingdom in 1967. Anguilla seceded in 1980, and St. Kitts and Nevis became independent on Sept. 19, 1983.

A drop in world sugar prices hurt the nation's economy through the mid-1980s, and the government sought to reduce the islands' dependence on sugar production and to diversify the economy, promoting tourism and financial services. In 1990, the premier of Nevis announced that he intended to seek an end to the federation with St. Kitts by 1992, but a local election in June 1992 postponed the idea. In Aug. 1998, 62% of the population voted for Nevis to secede, but the vote fell short of the two-thirds majority required.

The country had been blacklisted by various international financial agencies for improprieties in its off-shore financial services industry, but by 2002 it had been removed from all such lists.

St. Lucia

St. Maarten

Population - 41,000 people live on St. Maarten and 36,000 on Saint Martin.
Climate - Sunny and warm year-round, with some cooling from trade winds. Average temperature during the winter season is 80F (27C) and a few degrees warmer anymore humid in the summer. Occasional showers in late summer and early fall, with average annual rainfall of 45 inches

The island is in the Caribbean Sea, 18.02 latitude and 63.07 longitude, 150 miles southeast of Puerto Rico. it covers 37 square miles, with Dutch St.Maarten on the South spanning 16 square miles and French Saint Martin on the North covering 21

Philipsburg
Philipsburg on Great Bay is the capital of St.Maarten. Marigot is the capital of Saint Martin
As a part of the Netherlands Antilles and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, St.Maarten boasts 77 different nationalities. Saint Martin is a commune of Guadeloupe, an overseas territory of France

St. Maarten was no ace in the imperial holdings, but had its share of skirmishes and smoky gun battles which caused the island to change hands many times between the Spanish, Dutch and French powers. The old stone forts which guard many of the islands inlets is proof of the islands turbulent past.

The island's true history started peacefully - traces of Stone Age people have been found on the island, dating back to 4,000 BC. Around 800 AD the island, as many of  its neighbors was settles by Arawak Indians who arrived from South America to settle down to a life of fishing, hunting and farming

St. Thomas

Ever since Columbus discovered the Virgin Islands during his second voyage to the New World in 1493, they have proven to be an irresistible lure for more foreign powers than any other islands. The flags of Spain, France, England, Holland, Denmark and the United States have all flown there.

There's a lot more than idyllic tropical scenery on St. Thomas. Sure, the mountainous island is one of the most beautiful stretches of land in the Caribbean, but it's also steeped in exotic history, making it a fascinating place to explore. And because it's small, it can easily be toured in one day.

With ideal weather, incredible beaches and warm, gentle waters, St. Thomas is a perfect destination for water-sports enthusiasts. Boating, sailing, windsurfing, deep-sea fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving are all options. Landlubbers can enjoy a round of golf on one of the most demanding and beautiful courses in the world--Mahogany Run--and a set of tennis on any number of championship-quality courts.

Not far from the bustle of downtown Charlotte Amalie are some of the most splendid beaches in the West Indies. From the soft, white sands of lively Magens Bay to the more secluded spots along the western shores, St. Thomas has a beach to suit every taste.

Nightlife on St. Thomas ranges from the many lounges and clubs in hotels across the island to stylish watering holes downtown and along the waterfront. Meanwhile, the Reichhold Center for the Arts presents worthwhile venues of music, dance and drama in a Japanese-inspired amphitheater while the Pistarckle Theatre features wonderful comedies and musicals.