Caribbean Sea

Caribbean Sea, arm of the Atlantic Ocean, partially enclosed on the north and east by the islands of the Caribbean region, 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. The Caribbean is approximately 2,415 km (1,500 mi) from east to west and between about 640 and 1,450 km (400 and 900 mi) from north to south. It has an area of about 1,940,000 sq km (750,000 sq mi). At the north-western extremity it is connected with the Gulf of Mexico by the Yucatán Channel, a passage about 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 (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 (7,535 m/24,720 ft) between Jamaica and the 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 south-eastern extremity and flow in a generally north-western direction. A popular resort area, the Caribbean Sea is noted for its mild tropical climate.