Anguilla lies at the northern end of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean Sea. Tourism and fishing are the basis of the economy.
Antigua and Barbuda
Population
64,461
Capital
St John's (on Antigua)
Language
English, Creole
Religion
Protestant, Roman Catholic
General
The state comprises Antigua, Barbuda and Redonda - three of the Leeward Islands in the eastern Caribbean. Antigua, the largest and most populous, is mainly hilly scrubland, with many beaches and a warm, dry climate. The economy relies heavily on tourism.
Bahamas
Population
301,000
Capital
Nassau
Language
English, Creole, French Creole
Religion
Protestant, Roman Catholic
General
The Bahamas is an archipelago of about 700 islands and 2,400 cays in the northern Caribbean. The climate is warm for much of the year, with heavy rainfall in the summer. Tourism is the island's main industry. Banking, insurance and ship registration are also major foreign exchange earners.
Barbados
Population
269,000
Capital
Bridgetown
Language
English, Creole (Bajan)
Religion
Protestant, Roman Catholic
General
The most easterly of the Caribbean islands, Barbados is small and densely populated, with a fairly flat terrain, white-sand beaches and a tropical climate. The economy is based on tourism, financial services, light industries and sugar production.
British Virgin Islands
Population
19,610
Capital
Road Town
Language
English
Religion
Protestant, Roman Catholic
General
Comprises four main islands and 36 islets. Islands are mostly of volcanic origin and hilly. Climate is sub-tropical. Tourism is the main industry.
Cayman Islands
Population
41,011
Capital
George Town
Language
English
Religion
Protestant, Roman Catholic
General
Lying in the Caribbean, north-west of Jamaica, there are three main islands: Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. The islands are one of the world's most important offshore financial centres, though tourism is also important.
Dominica
Population
63,944
Capital
Roseau
Language
English, French Creole
Religion
Roman Catholic, Protestant
General
The climate is hot tropical, with heavy rainfall. A third of the population lives in the capital. Sugar, coffee and cocoa are the main cash crops. Bauxite, nickel (the main export), gold and silver are mined, and there is some light industry. Tourism is the main foreign exchange earner.
Grenada
Population
97,913
Capital
St George's
Language
English, French patois
Religion
Roman Catholic, Protestant
General
Grenada has wooded hills, beaches in the south-west, a warm climate and good rainfall. Agriculture is the main activity, with bananas, nutmeg and cocoa the main exports. Tourism and manufacturing are important.
Jamaica
Population
2,621,000
Capital
Kingston
Language
English, Creole
Religion
Protestant, Roman Catholic, Rastafarian
General
Jamaica, the third-largest Caribbean island, has beaches and densely populated coastal plains. The climate is tropical, cooler and wetter on high ground. The economy is based on tourism, agriculture, mining and light manufacturing. Bauxite, alumina, sugar and bananas are the main exports.
Montserrat
Population
12,875
Capital
Plymouth
Language
English
Religion
Protestant, Roman Catholic
General
Montserrat is a volcanic island, mostly mountainous with small coastal low lands. The climate is tropical with little daily or seasonal temperature variations. Due to volcanic eruptions, Montserrat's economy has suffered over the past few years. Construction has been the dominant activity with the UK committing over $100 million to help reconstruct the economy.
St Kitts and Nevis
Population
39,000
Capital
Basseterre
Language
English, Creole
Religion
Protestant, Roman Catholic
General
St Kitts and Nevis are volcanic islands - mountainous and forested with sandy beaches and a warm, wet climate. Some 75 per cent of the population lives on St Kitts. Agriculture is the main activity, with sugar, molasses and sea island cotton the main products. Tourism and manufacturing (chiefly garments and electronic components) are important.
St Lucia
Population
154,000
Capital
Castries
Language
English, French patois
Religion
Roman Catholic, Protestant
General
St Lucia is mountainous with some broad fertile valleys. The climate is tropical with the dry season from January to April and the wet season from May to August. The economy is mainly dependent on banana production, but tourism also plays an important part.
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Population
121,188
Capital
Kingstown
Language
English, Creole
Religion
Protestant, Roman Catholic
General
St Vincent is forested and mountainous, with an active volcano. The climate is tropical and wet. The economy is based mainly on agriculture and tourism. Bananas account for about half export earnings. Arrowroot is also important.
Trinidad and Tobago
Population
1,086,908
Capital
Port of Spain
Language
English, Creole, Hindi
Religion
Roman Catholic, Hindu, Anglican, Muslim
General
Trinidad, the most southerly Caribbean island, lies off the Venezuelan coast. It is hilly in the north, with a populous central plain. Tobago, to the north-east, is smaller, more mountainous and less developed. The climate is tropical. Oil and petrochemicals dominate the economy. Asphalt is also important. Sugar, fruit and cocoa are produced. Tourism is important on Tobago.
Turks and Caicos Islands
Population
17,502
Capital
Cockburn Town
Language
English
Religion
Protestant
General
The state consists of 40 or so low-lying islands in the northern Caribbean. Only eight islands are inhabited with 40 per cent of people living on Grand Turk and Salt Cay. The climate is tropical. The islands depend on fishing, tourism and offshore banking.
