Average and maximum depth of the Caribbean Sea. Caribbean beauties. The sea is a paradise on earth. Where is the Deepest Point in the Caribbean

Caribbean (Central American) Sea - marginal sea of ​​the tropical zone Atlantic Ocean... In the north, its borders run from the Yucatan Peninsula through the islands of Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico to the Virgin Islands, in the east - along the arc of the Small Antilles... The southern border of the sea is the coast South America(Venezuela, Colombia) and Panama. Western border runs along the banks Central America(Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and Mexico).

The sea area is about 2,777 thousand km 2, the volume of waters is 6 745 thousand km 3, the average depth is 2429 m, the maximum depth is 7090 m.

Through numerous straits in the archipelagos of the Greater and Lesser Antilles, the Caribbean Sea connects with the Atlantic Ocean, and through the Yucatan Strait - with the Gulf of Mexico. Thus, the sea is a flowing basin through which the waters of the upper layer move from east to west. Therefore, the Caribbean Sea is sometimes called the "sea of ​​flowing waters".

Most of the straits connecting the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean are shallow, and only some have a rapids depth of more than 1000 m.These are the straits of the Greater Antilles: Windward - 1650 m deep, Anegada - 1740 m and Lesser Antilles: Dominica - about 1400 m, as well as Saint Lucie and Saint Vincent - up to 1000 m. Through these straits the main water exchange with the Atlantic Ocean takes place. From Caribbean v Gulf of Mexico water flows through the Yucatan Strait, which is about 2000 m deep.

The nature of the sea coasts is not the same. The coast of Central America is mostly low-lying and wooded, while the coast of South America is predominantly high and steep, with some low-lying areas covered with mangroves. Most of the islands in the West Indies are high and mountainous.

The western coast of the Caribbean and part of the coast to the east of Maracaibo Bay are bordered by islands and reefs. The main bays are located in the western and southern parts of the sea: Honduras, Los Mosquitos, Darien, Maracaibo, Paria.

The shelf zone in the eastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula is virtually absent and appears only off the coast of Honduras, reaching its maximum width at Cape Patuca (240 km). Then it narrows again and does not exceed several kilometers off the coast of Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama. This entire shelf area is replete with banks. Further, along the coast of South America, the shelf expands again, reaching 100 km off the coast of Venezuela.

There is almost no shelf off the coast of the West Indies archipelago, the slopes of the islands slope steeply to the sea. Especially steep slope along south coast Cubes, the angle of its inclination is 17 °, and in some places it exceeds 45 °.

Climate

The climate of the Caribbean Sea is determined by the trade wind circulation of the atmosphere, characterized by high air temperatures, dividing the year into two seasons (dry winter and humid summer), stable east and north-east directions and tropical hurricanes.

The air temperature changes little during the year, the annual difference average monthly temperatures decreases from 4-6 ° in the north to 1-2 ° in the south. average temperature air in January 24-27 °, in August 27-30 °. The maximum temperature can reach 38 °, and the minimum does not fall below 12-15 °.

The amount of atmospheric precipitation increases from east to west from 500 to 1000-2000 mm per year with a maximum of summer months... The greatest average monthly precipitation falls in summer off the coast of Panama - up to 400 mm, and the least - in winter on the southern coast of Cuba - no more than 20 mm.

The wind regime is determined by the trade winds blowing from the east or northeast. In the western part of the sea, the trade winds are less stable. The average wind force is 5-7 m / s. Breezes blow off the coasts of the mainland and islands.

The main storm activity in the Caribbean is associated with the West Indian hurricanes. The dimensions of these tropical cyclones are several hundred kilometers across, and the wind speed is 40-60 m / s. Hurricanes originate in the southwestern Caribbean, east of the Lesser Antilles and off the Cape Verde Islands. From their origins, hurricanes mainly travel west and northwest to the Gulf of Mexico, where they turn northeast. The speed of the hurricane is 250-550 km per day, the average life time is 6 days. The average annual frequency of hurricanes in the Caribbean is 3 per year, but in some years up to 20 hurricanes can occur (most often in September).

In accordance with the nature of the winds in the sea, swell and swell of the eastern and northeastern directions prevail, the most typical (more than 50%) swell of 3-4 points. The frequency of excitement with a force of 5 points or more is 4–5%. The most calm area is considered to be between the islands of Cuba, Jamaica and Haiti, where the frequency of calmness reaches 10%.

On most of the coast, irregular diurnal tides are observed, in the Lesser Antilles and on a small stretch of the Venezuelan coast, irregular diurnal tides are observed. The tide does not exceed 1 m anywhere.

Seasonal level fluctuations are mainly determined by the ratio of the components of the sea water balance and water exchange with the Atlantic Ocean. As a result of the interaction of these factors, the highest position of the level is observed in early autumn (September - October), and the lowest - in January. In most observation points, the magnitude of annual changes in the level is within 8-30 cm, but in some areas it can reach 80 cm.

Fluctuations in the level also occur with a sharp change in winds. Short-term level rises at various parts of the coast were noted during the passage of tropical cyclones.

Bottom relief

The seabed is strongly dissected by underwater ridges into several large basins: Grenada (more than 3000 m deep), Venezuelan (more than 5000 m), Colombian (more than 4000 m), Cayman (more than 6000 m) and Yucatan (more than 4500 m). Thus, a significant amount of water in the Caribbean Sea is located below the depths of the rapids in the straits, as a result of which the deep waters of the sea and the ocean are different.

Topography of the bottom and current of the Caribbean Sea

Currents

The circulation of waters in the sea is formed under the influence of the North trade wind current, which is about 60 ° W. is divided into two streams: one of them (Guiana Current) enters the Caribbean Sea through the straits of the Lesser Antilles, the other (Antilles Current) moves into westward north of the Greater Antilles. Branches are separated from the Antilles current, entering the Caribbean Sea through the northern straits of Anegada, Mona and Windward. These waters are transported to the sea in a westerly direction.

Grenada island in the Caribbean

The waters of the Guiana Current enter the Caribbean Sea through the strait between the coast of South America and about. Grenada and the straits of the Lesser Antilles. Therefore, the Caribbean Current in the eastern part of the sea has two branches: one runs 200-300 km from the coast of Venezuela, the other along the middle of the sea. At about 80 ° W. the southern branch turns north and the currents converge. The speed on the surface here reaches 70 cm / s. Further, the main stream of the Caribbean current follows to the Yucatan Strait and goes through it into the Gulf of Mexico.

At the entrance to the strait, a jet separates from the main stream of water, which turns back and moves along the southern coast of Cuba to the Windward Strait. Anticyclonic gyres are formed to the south of Cuba and Jamaica. To the south of the main stream, there are several cyclonic gyres - off the coast of Venezuela, Panama and Costa Rica. In the summer season, cyclonic water movement is also typical for the Gulf of Honduras.

In the windward passage most of section is occupied by Atlantic waters. In the upper layer, they enter the sea in the eastern half of the strait, and in the western, off the coast of Cuba, a reverse flow is observed in the layer up to 100-120 m. In the deep layers, on the contrary, the Atlantic waters are pressed to the island. Cuba, and the stream from the sea goes along about. Haiti.

In the Mona Strait, there is a fairly strong flow of Atlantic waters into the Caribbean Sea in a layer from the surface up to 300 m. The reverse movement of waters from the sea to the ocean in the deep layers is very weak.

In the Anegada Strait, in the upper layer, the current is always directed from ocean to sea, and in the deep layers - from sea to ocean. The core of the waters flowing from the sea to the ocean is located at the horizons of 800-900 m, their velocity is about 40 cm / s. However, as in the Windward Strait, the boundary between multidirectional streams changes its position. Water exchange through the northern straits of the Windward and Anegada plays an essential role in the balance of sea waters.

Most of the intermediate Atlantic waters enter the sea through the deep central straits of the Lesser Antilles: Dominica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, as well as through the strait between about. Grenada and the mainland, despite the fact that its depth is no more than 750 m.

The main flow of Caribbean waters goes through the Yucatan Strait to the Gulf of Mexico, and then through the Florida Strait to the ocean. In the Yucatan Strait, the maximum current velocities, reaching 150 cm / s on the surface, are observed along the continental shelf, near the coast. The thickness of the upper course leaving the sea reaches 700-800 m. In the bottom layers of the Yucatan Trench, both deep water from the Caribbean Sea can enter the Gulf of Mexico, and its reverse transport.

The deep current from the Yucatan Strait partially passes into the Windward Strait, skirting the tip of the Cayman Ridge from the west. Another part of it is included in the Columbia Basin, where deep circulation is anticyclonic.

Water entering the sea in the deep layers of the Anegada Strait also forms an anticyclonic circulation in the Venezuelan and Grenada basins.

The influx of waters from the Atlantic Ocean is the main factor in the formation of the hydrological structure of the waters of the Caribbean Sea. The vertical stratification of sea waters is related to the depth of rapids in the straits of the Greater and Lesser Antilles. The waters of the sea are well stratified to a depth of 1200 m, weakly - in the layer between 1200 and 1800 m and are very uniform below 1800 m and to the bottom.

Water temperature and salinity

The horizontal distribution of water temperature and salinity is mainly determined by the circulation system in the sea. Only in the surface layer, the distribution of hydrological characteristics is associated with the influence of warming and cooling of the sea, evaporation, precipitation and river runoff. The usual zonal distribution of water temperature (its decrease from low to high latitudes) in the sea is not observed.

Water temperature and salinity at the surface of the Caribbean Sea in summer

Due to the prevailing system of east winds and the general transport of water from east to west, southern shores sea ​​(especially in Venezuela and Colombia), there is a surge effect and the rise of deep waters to the surface. Therefore, in the eastern part of the sea, the highest water temperature on the surface is observed near the northern shores: 26-26.5 ° in winter and about 28 ° in summer. In the central part of the sea the temperature is almost constant - 27-28 °, and in the western part it varies from 26 ° in winter to 29 ° in summer.

Vertical movements of waters in the coastal zone of the sea cause a characteristic slope of isothermal surfaces in the layer up to 600 m.The thickness of the upper layer, uniform in temperature, reaches 100 m along the northern coast of the sea, and only 20-30 m in the southern coast.The layer of temperature jump also deepens to the north and rises off the southern shores of the sea. However, the meridional differences in temperature gradually decrease with depth. So, on the horizon of 100 m off the coast of Venezuela, the temperature is 19-20 °, and near Puerto Rico, Haiti and Jamaica - 25-27 °. On the 200 m horizon, the difference in temperature at the southern and northern boundaries of the sea is 5 °, and on the 600 m horizon - 3-4 °.

Below 600 m, horizontal temperature differences become insignificant. On the 800 m horizon, the temperature in the sea area varies from 5.5 to 7 °, and on the 1000 m horizon - from 4.8 to 5.5 °. Deeper than 1000 m, the temperature very slowly decreases to 4 ° at the 1600 m horizon (i.e., near the depth of rapids in the Windward and Anegada straits). Deep Atlantic water with a temperature of about 4 °, flowing through these straits into the sea, fills its entire deep-water part to the very bottom. From the Caribbean Sea, deep water enters the Gulf of Mexico through a trench in the Yucatan Strait, the depth of which is slightly more than 2000 m. In the basins of the Caribbean Sea to a depth of about 3000 m, a temperature of 4.1-4.2 ° is maintained. The presence of albeit small spatial differences in temperature at these depths indicates the ongoing renewal of deep water in the sea.

The salinity in the surface layer in most of the sea area is 35.5-36.5 ‰. In summer, especially towards the end of the season, salinity on the surface in some areas is less than in winter, by 0.5-1 ‰ ,. This is due to the abundance of atmospheric precipitation and an increase in river runoff in the summer months. The lowest salinity is observed near the islands of Trinidad and Tobago (less than 35 ‰ in winter, 33-34 ‰ in summer) and near the southern part of the Lesser Antilles ridge, which is associated with the influence of the Orinoco runoff. A narrow strip of waters with the highest salinity for the sea (36.2-36.8 ‰) is constantly observed along the coast of South America due to the rise of deep, saltier waters occurring here. Salinity more than 36 ‰ is also typical for areas with little rainfall - south of the islands of Haiti and Cuba.

The vertical distribution of salinity is characterized by the presence of a subsurface maximum and an intermediate minimum.

The maximum salinity is associated with the oceanic subsurface subtropical water entering the sea through the straits of the Lesser Antilles. The depth of occurrence of the maximum varies from 80 m along the southern coasts to 150 m in the middle part and 180-200 m near the northern coasts. Its core is located in the layer of temperature jump, salinity in the core decreases from 36.9-37 ‰ in the eastern part of the sea to 36.5-36.7 ‰ in the Yucatan Strait.

The salinity minimum is formed due to the distribution in the sea of ​​intermediate subantarctic water, also entering through the straits of the Lesser Antilles in a layer of 700-800 m with a salinity of about 34.7 ‰. As we move to the west, the salinity in the minimum layer increases with mixing with higher and lower waters and in the Yucatan basin it is 34.8-34.85 ‰.

Below the minimum layer, salinity increases again in deep North Atlantic water, which enters the sea through the deepest straits of the Greater Antilles ridge. At the 1700 m horizon, the salinity is slightly less than 35 ‰ and then does not change to the bottom.

The oxygen content in the upper layer of the sea up to 50 m thick is about 4.5 ml / l. Vertically, it decreases to a minimum (2.7 ml / l) in the 500-600 m layer. Further, with depth, the amount of oxygen again increases to maximum values ​​(5-6 ml / l), and then very slowly decreases to the bottom. A significant concentration of oxygen at great depths is associated with the supply of ocean water... Therefore, interannual changes in the amount of oxygen in the layers of the minimum and maximum are associated with an increase or decrease in the supply of intermediate subantarctic and deep North Atlantic water to the sea.

According to the distribution of hydrological characteristics, the peculiarities of the structure of the waters in the Caribbean Sea, the following water masses are distinguished:

surface tropical water - occupies a layer of 0-75 m, has a temperature of 26-28 ° and a salinity of 35-36 ‰

subsurface subtropical water (75-300 m) - is allocated at the maximum salinity (36.6-37 ‰) in the layer of temperature jump (19-25 °);

intermediate subantarctic water (300-1000 m) - characterized by a minimum salinity (34.7-34.85 ‰) and a temperature of 5-9 °;

deep and bottom water (1000 m - bottom) - is formed from deep Atlantic water with a temperature of 4-4.5 ° and a salinity of 34.96-35 ‰. It takes up the largest volume. According to rough estimates, the time of complete renewal of this water is about 1000 years.

A significant part of the volume of the Caribbean Sea is occupied by mixed waters.

The Karjako depression, located on the Venezuelan shelf, with a depth of about 1400 m, is distinguished by special conditions. The depression is separated from the sea by a threshold with a depth of no more than 150 m, below which it is filled with almost homogeneous water with a temperature of about 17 ° and a salinity of 36.2 ‰. Outside the depression, the temperature in the same water layers is much lower. The sinking of such warm water (with temperatures up to 17 °) to depths exceeding 1000 m is a very rarely observed natural phenomenon.

At depths of more than 370 m in the Karyako depression, oxygen is absent and hydrogen sulfide appears. True, the maximum content of hydrogen sulfide here is only about 10% of its concentration in the depths of the Black Sea. Anaerobic conditions in the basin are created due to the limited water exchange with the sea and the complete consumption of oxygen for the oxidation of organic matter coming from the upper layers of the water.

Economic value

The ichthyofauna of the Caribbean has over 800 species of fish, of which about 450 are edible. The number of commercial fish is from 50 to 60 species, but the bulk of the catches is provided by only a few of them. The overwhelming majority of fish are concentrated on the shelf, especially in coastal areas, in places where deep waters exit and in areas where rivers flow into the sea.

Sand shark

Shelf fish of tropical seas have conditions for both feeding and breeding in their habitats, so most of them do not make long migrations. The most important of the commercial shelf fish are snappers (reef perches). In second place are stone perches. Ronki, sea carps, and slabs are widespread. In some areas, sardinella, horse mackerel, mackerel, and maritime languages, flounder, rays, sharks and some other types of fish. Shallow waters with depths of up to 10-20 m, lagoons, small bays, estuarine sections of rivers are distinguished by a special diversity of ichthyofauna. Meet here different kinds mullet, tarpan, anchovies, sole, centropomus.

Oceanic fish - tuna, marlins, sailboats, golden mackerel and other inhabitants of the deep-sea regions of the Caribbean - make long migrations, but most tuna species breed and spend their first years of life in shelf waters and in areas of the continental slope. Accumulations of tuna are confined to the zones of rise of deep waters, characterized by increased biological productivity.

The Caribbean Sea, or Central American Sea, is the marginal sea of ​​the Atlantic Ocean. Its northern border runs from the Yucatan Peninsula to the Greater Antilles, then along the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico and Jamaica). Virgin Islands located east of the island Puerto Rico is part of the Lesser Antilles. The latter consist of a large number small islands, forming an arc directed southeast of the Anegada Strait and further south, where the arc adjoins the shelf of South America, forming the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea. Major islands of this volcanic arc - Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Lucia, etc. Another arc (outer) - the islands of Barbados, Tobago and Trinidad - connects in the southeast with mountain ranges Venezuela. The southern border of the Caribbean Sea is the northern shores of three countries — Venezuela, Colombia and Panama. Eastern shores Central America forms the eastern stepped border of the Caribbean Sea, the first step of which is Honduras, the second Yucatan Peninsula. The Yucatan Strait, 220 km wide, connects the Caribbean Sea with the Gulf of Mexico.

Numerous straits up to 2000 m deep between the Greater and Lesser Antilles connect the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. The total area of ​​the Caribbean Sea is 2640 thousand km2. The greatest depth of the Caribbean Sea is slightly more than 7100 m. In the Cayman Trench. The following main basins are located from east to west: Grenada (3000 m) Venezuelan (5000 m), Columoian (4000 m), Cayman (6000 m) and Yucatan (500 m). Lesser basins - basin Virgin Islands, Dominican Trench and Karjako Trench. The average depth of the basins is about 4400 m. The main underwater ridges stretch from east to west: Aves, Beata, Jamaica and Cayman. The Caribbean Sea is located in the trade wind zone, and therefore the winds blowing from the east and ENE are very stable here. Heavy rainfall occurs during the summer months when tropical weather conditions prevail. The most abundant precipitation falls east of the Isthmus of Panama — more than 2000 mm in 6 months, from June to November. Few hurricanes are generated directly in the Caribbean, but many hurricanes arrive through the Lesser Antilles in late summer and early fall.

Hydrological regime

The direction of the main stream of the Caribbean Sea in the upper 1500-meter layer is from east to west. Below this depth, the waters of the Caribbean Sea are isolated from the ocean, so there is a very slow and variable flow. In the Caribbean Sea, waters come from the Atlantic Ocean, brought by the drifting Guiana Current, which runs along the coast of South America to the northwest. Reaching the Lesser Antilles, the Guiana Current forks. The main branch runs into the Caribbean through the central straits of this island arc, mainly through the straits to the north and south of the island Saint Lucia; the other branch flows into the North Tradewind Current and runs along the eastern and northern borders of the Caribbean Sea towards Bahamas... The waters of the Guiana Current form in the Caribbean Sea, after they pass the Grenada Basin and the Aves Ridge, a well-developed zonal circulation with a maximum flow rate 200-300 km north of the coast of South America. A branch of the Guiana Current flows into the Caribbean Current and continues westward through the Aruba Passage into the Columbia Basin. In the western part of the basin, it turns north, crosses the Jamaica Ridge, and then goes along the Cayman Basin to 85–86 ° W. where it turns north again and leaves the Caribbean Sea through the Yucatan Strait.

The axis of the Caribbean Current usually passes over the greatest depths from the Lesser Antilles to the Yucatan Strait. To the north and south of the axis of the Caribbean Current, the flows are mainly parallel. Their direction changes little with depth, while the speed decreases continuously with increasing depth, for example, to<5 см/с на глубинах свыше 1500 м в Венесуэльской и Колумбийской котловинах. В Кайманской и Юкатанской котловинах глубинное течение проявляется лучше, но его все же можно считать медленным.

The speed of the surface currents of the Caribbean Sea is determined by the seasonal changes in the speed of the trade winds. The highest speed of the Caribbean Current on the surface is observed at the end of winter (39.1 cm / s) and at the beginning of summer (41.2 cm / s). The average speed of the Caribbean current on the surface during the year is 0.7 knots, or 38 cm / s. During observation from ships, higher velocities were noted, reaching 138.9 cm / s on the main axis of the Caribbean Current. Estimated speeds can be calculated from density measurements. The calculation shows that the main axis of the current is preserved in the upper 300-400-meter layer, and its velocity rapidly decreases from 40-60 cm / s at the surface to 10 cm / s at a depth of 300 m. depth of 1000-1500 m; below this depth, the current is too slow to be calculated by the geostrophic method. Countercurrents (eastward) are observed along the coasts of Cuba, Haiti and South America. In the western regions of the Columbian, Cayman and Yucatan basins, countercurrents are directed towards the center of the Caribbean Sea, the zonal current is disturbed by meridional transport, which is caused by the deviation of the flow at the border with the mainland.

The transport of water across transects from north to south can be calculated from geostrophic velocities. In the west, its average value is 30 million m3 / s. The straits of the Greater Antilles do not play a significant role in the overall transport. Through the meridian 64 ° W. it is basically the same as across the 84 ° W meridian. The Caribbean current accounts for approximately 30% of the total transport (75–90 million m3 / s) of water by the Gulf Stream. (The remaining 70% flows into the Gulf Stream from the Antilles Current, which flows into it north of the Bahamas.)

A feature of the circulation of the Caribbean Sea is the rise of deep waters to the surface off the coast of South America. The upward movement of water masses in the Caribbean Sea, as in other regions of the World Ocean, is caused by the action of the wind: surface water is driven away from the coast and replaced by deep water. The rise of deep waters does not extend to great depths and is not significant below 250 m. As a result of the rise of deep waters, productivity increases; this is an area of ​​intensive fishing. The corresponding subsidence of surface water occurs in the Venezuelan and Colombian basins along 17 ° N latitude.

Salinity of the Caribbean

Waters lying at the boundary between the main layers are mixed due to turbulence. The salinity of surface waters depends on evaporation, precipitation, land runoff and advection caused by currents. Salinity in winter is higher off the coast of South America (36 prom), and this is partly due to the rise to the surface of salty subtropical subsurface waters. In the north of the Caribbean Sea, salinity at the surface decreases and becomes less than 35.5 prom. In the Cayman and Yucatan basins, the highest salinity (Zb prom) is observed south of Cuba. Further to the south, the salinity of surface waters also decreases to 35.5 prom. off the coast of Honduras. In summer, abundant precipitation and runoff from land reduce the salinity of surface waters by about 0.5 prom in the south and by 1.0 prom. in the north.

There is still insufficient information on the distribution of salinity in the western Caribbean.
Subtropical subsurface water has the highest salinity. It is a thin layer (which indicates the predominance of horizontal over vertical mixing in the stable layer), which slopes from the south (50-100 m) to the north (200 m).
The main axis of the flow of subtropical subsurface water coincides with the axis of the Caribbean Current. The salinity of this water is more than 37 ppm in the eastern regions of the Venezuelan Basin. In the Yucatan Strait, as a result of mixing, the salinity decreases to 3b, 7 prom. a
The subantarctic intermediate water, which forms in the zone of the southern polar front, is the least salty. Its layer also has a slope from the south (600-700 m) to the north (800-850 m). In the southern Caribbean, this layer is thicker. West 65 ° W e. its northern edge becomes thinner and disappears before reaching the northern border of the Caribbean Sea. The salinity of this layer is less than 34.7 ppm at B, but as the waters move, it increases so much that this layer cannot be found in the Yucatan Strait. Its axis also coincides with the axis of the Caribbean Current. Below this layer is a layer of North Atlantic deep water that enters the Caribbean Sea through the rapids of the straits between the Lesser Antilles. The water of this layer is extremely homogeneous, with a salinity of about 35 ppm.

Caribbean Sea temperature

In late summer, the temperature of the surface layer of the Caribbean Sea is 28.3 ° C in the south and 28.9 ° C in the north. In the west of the Caribbean, the warmest month is August, in the east, September. The temperature of the surface layer of the Caribbean Sea in winter is about 3 ° C lower. In the Caribbean, surface temperatures have slight gradients and seasonal variations. Below a depth of 150 m, seasonal fluctuations are not observed. The central regions of the Caribbean receive an average of 6.28 * 10 ^ 18 cal / day of heat per year, with a deviation from this average of ± 0.5 * 10 ^ 18 cal / day.

- perhaps one of the most famous in the world, thanks to the writers who wrote novels about pirates and the directors who made films about them. But the Caribbean is interesting not only with legends about pirates, it is in its own way a unique and beautiful place on our planet.

• Caribbean cruises (including)

This sea nestles comfortably in the pool. It belongs to the so-called semi-enclosed seas. Central and South America are its borders from the south and west. Big and Small are its borders in the north and east.

Through the Panama Canal, created artificially in the southwest, it has a connection with the Pacific Ocean. Also has a connection with the Gulf of Mexico through the Yucatan Strait. Its volume is 6 860 thousand km³ with an area of ​​2 754 000 km². In depth, this sea reaches an average of 2500 m, the maximum depth is 7686 m.

The bottom of the Caribbean Sea has a very interesting topography. It has many underwater ridges that are separated by five basins:

• - The Grenada Basin has a depth of about 4120 m;
• - Venezuelan Basin - approximate depth of 5630 m;
• - The Colombian Basin reaches 4532 m in depth;
• - Cayman is the deepest of them, with a depth of 7686 m;
• - The Yucatan Basin has a depth of 5055 m.

Speaking about the coastline of this sea, one can note its strong ruggedness. Part of the coast is mountainous, while in some places there are lowlands. There are many reefs and coral deposits in the shallow waters. The continental coastline, located in the western and southern parts of the sea, has a number of bays. The largest of them are: Cariacco, Darien, Mosquito, Venezuelan and Honduran.

On the island, located in the northern part of the sea, the bays of Guacanoyabo, Ana Maria and Batabano are located, and in the west of the island is the Gonav Bay. There are also a number of bays on the east coast of the Yucatan, among them Chetumal, Espiritu Santo and Asención.

On average, the water temperature in the Caribbean Sea ranges from 25 ° C to 28 ° C, and the salinity of the water in it is about 36.0%, with a density of 1.0235-1.0240 kg / m³.

Fauna and flora of the Caribbean

This basin is quite rich in both its flora and fauna. In shallow waters, they are mainly concentrated around coral reefs. In the lagoons, you can find whole fields of sea grasses if you come in from the leeward side of the reef. There are seven types of algae in the Caribbean.

The fauna is represented by more than 450 species of fish. Among which there are sharks (tiger, silk, Caribbean reef, bull shark). And also a number of other interesting fish species, such as sea devils, angel fish, flying fish, ocellated butterfly fish, orange fin surgeon, goliath goliath, parrot fish, moray eels, tarpon and many others.

In addition, there are enough mammals of as many as 90 species here, including: dolphins, humpback whales, sperm whales. Near the island you can find American manatees and seals.

You should also highlight the huge reptile habitat of more than 500 species that settled there - these are saltwater crocodiles, a number of turtles and many other types of reptiles. There are also enough amphibians of 170 species here.

History and culture of the Caribbean region

The Caribbean Sea has a rich history. If we consider it before the appearance of Europeans there, we can distinguish several powerful Indian cultures that existed here. With the beginning of colonization, an era has come that is well known to any schoolchild from history lessons and a lover of novels about pirates. Initially, these territories were colonized by the Spaniards, starting with the expedition of Columbus, who actually discovered these islands.

Within centuries, other European countries also began to establish their colonies on islands in these waters. Pirates Privateers, corsairs and buccaneers began to emerge here in the 17th century. The main centers of their collection were the city and the island of Tortuga. Many books are dedicated to the pirates who plowed these waters. A large part of these characters were real historical figures. Many pirates did not work for themselves but served as privateers on the side of one or another power, such as the famous Francis Drake, who served Great Britain and Henry Morgan. The most famous deed of the former was the capture of the Spanish Silver Caravan in 1572 at the port of Nombre de Dios. And the second trip took place in 1671. He eventually became Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica. Also famous here: Steed Bonnet, Charles Wayne, Black Bart, Jack Rackhamso (his friends Mary, Reedy, Anne, Bonnie).

Each of these personalities has its own illustrious history, in no small measure survived to this day thanks to the book "The General History of Robberies and Murders Perpetrated by the Most Famous Pirates" written in 1724 by Charles Johnson. Later, it should also be noted the name of Roberto Cofresi, who pirated in these waters at the beginning of the 19th century. It should also be noted that the very history of discoveries, colonization and separation of colonies is very fascinating and will be able to attract the attention of anyone who is interested in the history of a huge number of events and drunk what happened in this region.

Islands in the Caribbean Sea are a coveted piece of paradise for tourists: white sand, gentle sun and excellent service. Places such as Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas and Jamaica have been heard by everyone and more than once. Therefore, we decided to talk about the lesser known, but no less attractive islands of the Caribbean.

1.

Sixty islets in the northeastern Caribbean are considered an overseas territory of Great Britain and maintain a close connection with the Metropolis, so the level of service, language and culture are English, but the money is American. You will need a lot of them to travel here: the standard of living on this archipelago is one of the highest in the region.

Many tourists come to the British Virgin Islands by ferry from other nearby tiny states for a day or two. What to do here? Tortola, the main island, is famous for its white beaches and chalk cliffs, little Yoste van Dyck has the best restaurants with Caribbean cuisine, the former pirate residence of Anegada attracts diving enthusiasts - more than 200 ships are sunk in coastal waters, and The Baths ( Baths) are unique natural stone reservoirs filled with sea water.

2.

The archipelago north of Puerto Rico and south of the British Virgin Islands belongs to the United States and is not much different from its British namesake in terms of prices, service and luxury. Sao Thomas is the largest island in the archipelago, it is also called Rock City because of the rocky horizon. From entertainment there is the Ocean Park, diving and numerous festivals, and from the attractions - the castle of Blackbeard, the famous pirate.

The smallest island of St. John attracts celebrities and honeymooners seeking seclusion on picturesque uncrowded beaches, as well as nature lovers: there is a large nature reserve with hiking trails. The southern island of Santa Cruz is of interest to history buffs: during colonial times, there were sugarcane plantations and distilleries, which now have small museums.

3.

The small, blob-shaped island of Saint Lucia, the second largest of the Windward Islands group, has become more and more popular in recent years. The wildlife is fairly well preserved (unlike many other islands in the Caribbean) and is relatively inexpensive.

In spring, the island hosts an international jazz festival, which is attended by famous musicians. Newlyweds, for whom almost half of all rooms have been prepared in the hotels, love to spend honey "weeks" here. Fans of outdoor activities can climb the crater of an extinct volcano or climb the Pitons Twin Mountains, protruding directly from the sea in the southwestern part of the island.
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4.

One of the most scenic spots in the Caribbean, the Cayman Islands, was so named because the early Europeans mistook the large number of blue iguanas that lived here for caimans. An archipelago of three islands lies south of Cuba.

The largest island, Grand Cayman, is home to the capital Georgetown and Stringray City, a maritime entertainment center named after the stingrays that can be fed in the coastal waters. Here you can also visit the former capital city of Bodden, next to which there are the Pirate Caves, which they used for centuries for shelter, or a turtle farm, or walk along the Mustique Trail in the middle of the island.

On Little Cayman Island, nature is almost untouched: mangroves, in which wild (or feral) animals are found. There is also a bird sanctuary. Cayman Brac Island has many caves and a Parrot National Park. It is interesting that all the islands have beaches with both white and black sand.

5. Turks and Caicos

A network of 40 small islands with white beaches, clear azure waters, colorful coral reefs - an ideal place for a quiet and secluded getaway. Most islands have no permanent residents, only service personnel
... The largest island, Providenciales, hosts huge ocean liners at the port, which looks more like a pier.

On the island of Grand Turk, two hundred meters from the coast, there is a very popular reef with divers, which abruptly drops to a depth of 2.4 kilometers. There is also the National Museum, where among the exhibits there is evidence that Columbus first entered the Western Land on this island (although historians dispute this fact).

6.

Barbados sets the standard for island recreation: pristine sandy beaches, green golf and cricket courses, European level of service (with traditional British tea drinking) and the Caribbean climate. Here they drink first-class local rum, participate in horse races and dance calypso.

The western and southern coasts are traditionally used for beach holidays, while the Atlantic East, which is more hectic, is popular with surfers. Bathsheba beach is especially popular among fans of catching a wave. The cultural program also includes a visit to the Andromeda botanical garden and the gallery of pirate caves.

7.

The lesser-known twin islands in the south of the Caribbean offer a choice of black sand beaches and luxury hotels, or the opportunity to find adventure and visit places with history. The livelier island of St. Kitts is filled with restaurants, bars and nightlife.

On a calm Nevis, you can walk and swim on quiet beaches. The islands also have attractions: the old fort of Brimston, which the conquerors of these lands called the Gibraltar of the West Indies.

8.

Saint Martin or Sint Martin - the smallest of all inhabited islands controlled by two independent governments at the same time, is located in the northern Caribbean. The northern part of the island, called Saint-Martin, belongs to France and attracts tourists with gourmet restaurants and trendy beach parties.

The southern, Dutch part of Sint Martin is famous for its casinos and Maho beach. Above the beach, literally over the heads of the vacationers, intercontinental liners are landing. This attracts spotters (fans of airplane photography) from all over the world and surfers here.

9.

On the island of Bonaire in the southern Caribbean, almost all the main attractions are underwater, so if you are not an avid diver you might be better off heading to the more famous and touristy islands of Aruba and Curacao. The coral reef surrounding the island has the status of a National Natural Park, and all living things that live up to 60 meters in depth are protected.

And we also have

The marginal semi-enclosed sea of ​​the Atlantic Ocean basin, from the west and south is bounded by Central and South America, from the north and east - by the Greater and Lesser Antilles. In the northwest through the Yucatan Strait it is connected to the Gulf of Mexico, in the southwest - with the Pacific Ocean through the artificial Panama Canal.

Lies between 9 ° and 22 ° N. sh. and between 89 ° and 60 ° W. d., its area is approximately 2,753,000 km. sq.
In the south, it washes Venezuela, Colombia and Panama, in the west - Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula, in the north - Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico; in the east - the states of the Lesser Antilles

Caribbean coastline

The coastline of the sea is strongly indented, the shores are mountainous in places, and low in places (Caribbean lowland). The shallow waters contain a variety of coral deposits and numerous reef structures. There are several bays on the continental coast, the largest of which are Honduran, Mosquito, Darien and Venezuelan. In the northern part are the Batabano, Ana Maria and Guacanayabo bays (southern coast of Cuba), as well as Gonave Bay (western Haiti).

There are several bays on the east coast of the Yucatan, including Asencion, Espiritu Santo and Chetumal. The Gulf of Honduras ends in Amatique Bay, located on the Belize-Guatemala border. The northern coast of Honduras is weakly indented, and several lagoons jut into the Mosquito coast, including the lagoons of Karataska, Bismuna, Perlas and Bluefields Bay. In the east of Panama is the large Chiriqui lagoon. Off the coast of South America, the Darien Gulf ends in the Uraba Gulf, and the Venezuelan Gulf fenced off by the Guajira Peninsula - by Lake Maracaibo. To the west of the island of Trinidad lies the Gulf of Paria, which is considered part of the Atlantic Ocean.

Islands

It is customary to include the Antilles and Bahamas in the West Indies concept. The Caribbean Sea is washed only by the Antilles, which are subdivided into the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles. The Greater Antilles border the northern border of the sea and include four large islands: Cuba, Haiti (formerly called Hispaniola), Jamaica and Puerto Rico, as well as small nearby islands - the Los Canarreos archipelagos (the largest island of Juventud) and Jardines de la Reina, lying off the southern coast of Cuba.

The Lesser Antilles are subdivided into the Windward and Leeward Islands (South Antilles), so named in relation to the northwest trade wind. The first group lies on the eastern border of the sea and consists of about 50 islands, the largest of which are: Santa Cruz, Saint Thomas (Virgin Islands), Anguilla, Saint Martin, Saint Kitts, Barbuda, Antigua (Antigua and Barbuda), Grand Ter and Basse Ter (Guadeloupe), Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Barbados, Grenada, Tobago and Trinidad. The South Antilles are located along the coast of South America and include the islands of Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire (the Netherlands), Margarita, the Las Aves and Los Roques archipelagos (Venezuela) and a number of others, smaller in area.

The western Caribbean has several archipelagos such as the Cayman Islands, Terneff Islands, Islas de la Bahia and Miskitos, as well as a number of individual islands (Providencia, San Andres) and reefs (Lighthouse, Glover, Media Luna and other).

Climate

The Caribbean Sea has a tropical climate influenced by trade winds. Average monthly air temperatures range from 23 to 27 ° C. Cloudiness is 4-5 points.

Average annual rainfall in the region varies from 250 mm on Bonaire Island to 9,000 mm in the windward parts of Dominica. Northeast trade winds prevail with average speeds of 16-32 km / h, however, tropical hurricanes occur in the northern regions of the sea, the speed of which can exceed 120 km / h. On average, 8-9 such hurricanes occur per year from June to November, and they are most frequent in September-October.

Vegetation of the Caribbean

The vegetation of the region is predominantly tropical, but differences in topographic, soil and climatic conditions increase the species diversity. The islands' porous limestone terraces are generally poor in nutrients. There are an estimated 13,000 plant species in the Caribbean, of which 6,500 are endemic, such as the guaiac tree and mahogany rolls. In coastal areas, the coconut tree is widespread, lagoons and river estuaries are overgrown with dense mangroves (red and black mangroves).

Animal world

The marine biota of the region originated from the representatives of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, which entered the Caribbean Sea before the emergence of the Isthmus of Panama about 4 million years ago. The Caribbean Sea is home to approximately 450 species of fish, including sharks (bull shark, tiger shark, silk shark and Caribbean reef shark), flying fish, sea devils, orange fin surgeon, angel fish, ocellated butterfly fish, parrotfish, giant perch, tarpon and moray eels. All over the Caribbean region there is an industrial harvest of lobsters, sardines (off the coast of the Yucatan) and some types of tuna. Albuleds, barracudas, marlins and wahoo are popular with hobby fishermen.

Mammals in the Caribbean are represented by 90 species, including sperm whales, humpback whales and dolphins. Seals and American manatees live off the island of Jamaica. The Caribbean monk seal, which previously dwelt in the region, is considered extinct; representatives of the family of snipes, native to the region, are under the threat of extinction.

All 170 amphibian species found in the region are endemic. The habitats of almost all representatives of the families of toads, poison dart frogs, tree frogs and whistlers are limited to any one island.

There are 600 bird species recorded in the Caribbean, of which 163 are endemic to the region, such as the Todi, the Cuban Awl-billed woodpecker and the Cossack. Of the endemics, 48 ​​species are threatened with extinction: the Puerto Rican Amazon, Cuban ratchet, Cuban wren, etc. The Antilles, along with Central America, lie on the migration route of birds from North America, so the size of bird populations is subject to strong seasonal fluctuations. Parrots, sugar birds and toucans are found in the forests, frigates and phaetons can be found over the open sea.

Tourism

Thanks to its warm climate and magnificent beaches, the Caribbean region is one of the main resort areas in the world. The rich marine fauna attracts divers; in addition to natural beauty, the region is rich in cultural monuments of pre-Columbian civilizations and the colonial era. The tourism industry is an important part of the economy of the Caribbean region, serving mainly travelers from the USA, Canada, Brazil and Argentina. Air traffic between North America and the Caribbean is better developed than within the region.