Greater Antilles
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218367583
2008-06-10T09:47:44Z
AlleborgoBot
3813685
robot Adding: [[la:Antillae Magnae]] [r5545]
[[Image:LocationGreaterAntilles.png|thumb|right|250px|Location of the Greater Antilles (green) in relation to the rest of the Caribbean]]
The islands of the
[[Caribbean Sea]], collectively known as the [[West Indies]] are sorted by size and location into the [[Bahamas]] (or [[Lucayan archipelago]]), the [[Lesser Antilles]] and the '''Greater Antilles'''. The Greater Antilles are [[Cuba]], [[Jamaica]], [[Hispaniola]] (composed of [[Haiti]] on the west side and the [[Dominican Republic]] on the east side) and [[Puerto Rico]]. The smaller islands in the vicinity of these four major islands are sometimes also treated as part of the group. This includes the smaller islands that surround the main islands, but are still part of the main island country (eg. the Republic of Cuba consists of the island of Cuba and several smaller islands around it). The [[Cayman Islands]] are also often included in the Greater Antilles because of their geographical proximity. The Greater Antilles are made up of [[continental]] rock, distinct from the [[Lesser Antilles]], which are mostly young [[volcanic]] or [[coral]] islands.
The Greater Antilles had a clear strategic importance as a gateway to the Americas and during the years when sea power defined a country's might, they were the battlegrounds for several imperial powers, mainly [[Spain]], [[France]], and the [[United Kingdom]]. First exploited for their own resources, they were later utilized as the principal landing points for ships traveling between Europe and the New World. With the advent of commercial airlines, their strategic importance has diminished with time.
[[Image:GreaterAntillesIslands.png|thumb|350px|Islands of the Greater Antilles]]
They can be contrasted with the [[Lesser Antilles]].
== Countries ==
{|class="wikitable sortable" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="border:1px solid #aaa; border-collapse:collapse"
|- bgcolor="#ECECEC"
! [[Country]] with [[flag]]
! [[List of countries by area|Area]]<br>(km²)
! [[List of countries by population|Population]]<br>(1 July 2005 est.)
! [[List of countries by population density|Population density]]<br>(per km²)
! class="unsortable"|[[Capital]]
|-
| {{flagicon|Cuba}} [[Cuba]]
| align="right" | {{nts|110860}}
| align="right" | {{nts|11346670}}
| align="right" | 102.4
| [[Havana]]
|-
| {{flagicon|Dominican Republic}} [[Dominican Republic]]
| align="right" | {{nts|48730}}
| align="right" | {{nts|8950034}}
| align="right" | 183.7
| [[Santo Domingo]]
|-
| {{flagicon|Haiti}} [[Haiti]]
| align="right" | {{nts|27750}}
| align="right" | {{nts|8121622}}
| align="right" | 292.7
| [[Port-au-Prince]]
|-
| {{flagicon|Jamaica}} [[Jamaica]]
| align="right" | {{nts|10991}}
| align="right" | {{nts|2731832}}
| align="right" | 248.6
| [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]]
|-
| {{flagicon|Puerto Rico}} [[Puerto Rico]] (USA)
| align="right" | {{nts|9104}}
| align="right" | {{nts|3916632}}
| align="right" | 430.2
| [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]]
|- style=" font-weight:bold; " class="sortbottom"
! Total
| align="right" | {{nts|207435}}
| align="right" | {{nts|35066790}}
| align="right" | 169.05
|-
|}
==See also==
*[[Antilles]]
==References==
Rogonzinski, Jan. ''A Brief History of the Caribbean.'' New York: Facts on File, 1992.
{{Caribbean-geo-stub}}
[[Category:Greater Antilles|*]]
[[Category:Archipelagoes]]
[[af:Groot Antille]]
[[ar:جزر الأنتيل الكبرى]]
[[be-x-old:Вялікія Антыльскія выспы]]
[[bg:Големи Антили]]
[[cs:Velké Antily]]
[[da:Store Antiller]]
[[de:Große Antillen]]
[[et:Suured Antillid]]
[[es:Antillas Mayores]]
[[eo:Grandaj Antiloj]]
[[fr:Grandes Antilles]]
[[fy:Grutte Antillen]]
[[gd:Greater Antilles]]
[[gl:Antillas Maiores]]
[[hr:Veliki Antili]]
[[id:Antilles Besar]]
[[is:Stóru-Antillaeyjar]]
[[it:Grandi Antille]]
[[he:האנטילים הגדולים]]
[[sw:Antili Kubwa]]
[[ku:Antîlên Mezin]]
[[la:Antillae Magnae]]
[[lt:Didieji Antilai]]
[[hu:Nagy-Antillák]]
[[mk:Големи Антили]]
[[nl:Grote Antillen]]
[[ja:大アンティル諸島]]
[[pl:Wielkie Antyle]]
[[pt:Grandes Antilhas]]
[[ru:Большие Антильские острова]]
[[simple:Greater Antilles]]
[[sr:Велики Антили]]
[[fi:Isot Antillit]]
[[sv:Stora Antillerna]]
[[tr:Büyük Antiller]]
[[uk:Великі Антильські острови]]
[[zh:大安的列斯群岛]]