Caribbean Sea facts for kids
The Caribbean Sea is a tropical sea in the center of the Caribbean area. The body of water is part of the Atlantic Ocean. The sea is southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. The Caribbean Sea has many islands, which are popular among North American tourists because of their tropical climate. The Caribbean Sea is famous around the world as a tourist destination.
History
Christopher Columbus came across a group of islands in the Caribbean region. When he did so, he thought he had reached another part of the world. Because of this, he named the islands the ‘West Indies’. However, later it was realized that he found an entire region. It still had its natural resources. The name ‘Caribbean’ was later given to it by the Amerindian tribe, the Caribs. That is how it got its name: the Caribbean Sea.
This entire region covers an area of 1,063,000 sq. miles. It covers from Mexico to the boundaries of South America.
This sea is just as deep as it is wide. Its deepest point is believed to be even lower than 25,220 ft, 7,686 m. That makes this point one of the lowest points on the surface of the earth, and the Caribbean Sea one of the deepest seas in the world.
Images for kids
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Coral reef near Soufrière Quarter, Saint Lucia
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Christopher Columbus landing on Hispaniola in 1492
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Tulum, a Mayan city on the coast of the Caribbean in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico
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Coral reefs in the British Virgin Islands
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The shaded relief map of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico area
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Sketch of the North Equatorial Current and the Gulf Stream
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The Belize Barrier Reef photographed from the International Space Station in 2016
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Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, Mexico
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Average sea surface temperatures for the Caribbean Atlantic Ocean (25–27 August 2005). Hurricane Katrina is seen just above Cuba.
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A view of San Andrés island, Colombia
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Sunrise over the south beach of Jamaica
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Beach of Curaçao
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Palm Beach, Aruba
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Cayo Coco, Cuba
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Saint-Marc, Haiti
See also
In Spanish: Mar Caribe para niños