Its Culture, Economy and Current Issues

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In 1800, the population was around 2.2 million.

Today, the population is around 45 million!

Only about 2% of the 7,000 islands are actually inhabited which

makes it very crammed!

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*Total population is around

45 million.

*86% of the region’s population is concentrated on the four islands of the Greater Antilles.

* Largest population in Cuba

*Highest population density in Puerto Rico

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*The majority of people in the Caribbean are of African

descent.

*However, many have been mixed with Europeans over the

years.

*The mix of European and African descent has created a

Creole population throughout the Caribbean.

*People of Hispanic ethnicity also have a heavy influence in

the islands as well.

* Since the arrival of the first

explorers, European culture has

had a heavy influence in the

Caribbean.

Many countries are also under

direct government control of a

parent European country.

The four dominant European

influences in the islands are

British, French, Dutch and

Spanish.

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*The United Kingdom’s

Caribbean territories

consist of Anguilla, the

British Virgin Islands, the

Cayman Islands,

Montserrat, and the Turks

and Caicos Islands.

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*The countries of Guadeloupe

and Martinique are

territories of France while

St. Martin and Haiti are

French influenced and

French speaking countries.

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*Aruba and the Dutch

Antilles, (which consists of

Bonaire, Curaçao, and Saint

Maarten), are territories

that are semi-autonomous

parts of the Kingdom of the

Netherlands.

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*The Spanish influenced

areas of the Caribbean

mostly refer to the Spanish

speaking islands of Cuba,

Dominican Republic and

Puerto Rico. It also includes

surrounding coasts of Mexico

through to Venezuela and

Columbia in the south.

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*Because of the heavy European influence,

many countries have similar traditions and

customs to that of European nations.

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*Carnival is a festive occasion that occurs around

Lent (usually February). Typically, it involves a

public celebration and a parade including

elements of circus, masquerade and a street

party.

*Most of the islands in the Caribbean celebrate

Carnival. The largest and most well-known

celebration is held in Trinidad and Tobago,

Dominican Republic, Antigua, Aruba, Cayman

Islands, Barbados, Haiti, Jamaica, Grenada,

etc.

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*Because of the diversity, many languages are

spoken throughout the Caribbean and depends on

the influence of the European countries.

*Languages spoken are...

*Spanish – the most spoken language in the Caribbean. mainly in

Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico

*French - spoken in Haiti and Martinique

*English - spoken mainly in Jamaica, the Virgin Islands, Barbados

and the Bahamas

*Dutch - spoken in Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao

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*Spanish (24 mil.), French (8 mil.), English (6 mil.), Dutch (500,000)

*In some places, new languages have emerged such as Creole.

*Creole languages are dialects; a mix of native language/slang and parent language.* Patois (French Creole)

spoken in Haiti

* English Creole in Jamaica and the Virgin Islands

**When it comes to religion, the Caribbean is dominated by

Christianity.

*However, many cultural adaptations have flourished.

*Because of the connection with slavery, African influenced religions

are also widely practiced such as Rastafarian and Voodoo.

*The Caribbean is full of a vibrant variety of faiths.

**Rastafarian religion is a movement started in

Jamaica.

*It is Christian based but incorporates many

African themes and ways of thinking.

*God is referred to as Jah and Africa is Zion, the

birthplace of man and a utopia where that was

once a place of unity, peace and freedom.

*Rastas believe in “repatriation” or returning to

their roots. Wearing their hair in dreadlock

style is paying homage to ancient peoples of

Africa.

*Many Rastas also practice the spiritual use of

cannabis as an entheogen.

*An entheogen is a psychoactive substance used to

help reach a transcendent state of mind (similar to

nirvana in Buddhism)

**Voodoo is a religion that combines

elements of Roman Catholic ritual with

traditional African magical and religious

rites.

*Voodoo came about when African slaves

were forbidden from practicing their

traditional religion. Instead, they mixed

Catholic imagery into their own religion.

*Voodoo is often characterized by sorcery

and spirit possession and is sometimes

referred to as “black magic”.

* Some elements are strange to most Westerners

such as animal sacrifice and the belief of

bringing the dead back to life.

* Despite popular belief, the use of “voodoo

dolls” is not a common practice ever if used at

all.

**Music is an important aspect

in Caribbean life.

*Many styles of music have

come from the islands such

as:

*African influences like calypso, steel

drum bands, reggae.

*Music of Bob Marley reflects political

situation in Jamaica

*Spanish influences like merengue,

mambo and rumba

*Caribbean style has even influenced

Western music!

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*Bob Marley is one of the most well

known and revered performers of

reggae music, and is credited with

helping spread both Jamaican

music and the Rastafari movement to

a worldwide audience.

*Sadly, Bob Marley was diagnosed

with cancer which had spread

throughout his body.

*He did not seek treatment other

than a strict diet.

*He died in a Miami hospital in 1981

at age 36.

* Sugar has played a crucial role in the Caribbean’s

history. Today, it is still an important export, though the importance of sugarcane has declined somewhat. Since 1990 Cuban sugarcane harvest has reduced by

50%

There are other agriculture pursuits including tropical fruits like bananas, coconuts and nutmeg.

Rum and tobacco are also large exports.

Because of the proximity to the US, Caribbean nations are dependant on import/exports from the United States.

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**The largest industry; by far, is that of

tourism.

*Instead of agriculture or trading, many

countries have adapted themselves to this

very lucrative enterprise.

*In the year 2000, the Caribbean received

around $20 billion from tourism.

*Around 20 million people visit the Caribbean

annually

*Over half of them coming from the U.S.

*Tourism creates over 1 million jobs in the

region

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**Following the Cuban Revolution in

1960 and the adoption of a

communist government, the United

States has enacted an embargo

against the country of Cuba.

*An embargo is a term to describe

the complete prohibition of trade.

*The U.S. has stated that the

embargo on Cuba will continue so

long as the Cuban government

continues to refuse to move toward

"democratization and greater respect

for human rights.”

*As a result, Cuba has suffered

severely economically over the past

50 years.

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**Puerto Rico is currently a

commonwealth of the U.S.A

* Puerto Rico became an official

commonwealth in 1917.

* A commonwealth is a country under

direct government control of a

parent country. (e.g. Australia and

Great Britain)

* Its people are technically U.S.

citizens.

*However, they cannot vote in the

presidential election.

*Many people want full statehood

and rights.

*Just the same, there has been

independence movements to

seek secession from U.S.A

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* In the November 2012 election, more than 800,000 Puerto Ricans

voted in favor of a referendum that supported statehood.

*While the referendum for statehood of Puerto Rico was nonbinding,

it was the first time such a measure garnered that majority of votes.

*It would now be up to the American people to decide Puerto Rico’s

fate.

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**Much of the Caribbean is

situated along the Caribbean

Plate.

*As a result, the region is no

stranger to volcanoes and

earthquakes.

*With it being one of the most

seismically active areas on earth,

including 18 active volcanoes,

some scientists have even gone

as far as to calling the region of

the Caribbean, the “mini Ring of

Fire”.

**On May 8th, 1902, Mt. Pelee on the

island of Martinique started

erupting.

*There were signs that it was going to

erupt soon. In fact, the local Carib

people knew Mt. Pelee as “fire

mountain” from previous eruptions.

*The resulting explosion, ash, smoke,

sulfur and pyroclastic flow

destroyed the town of St. Pierre

within minutes, killing 30,000

people. There were only 2

survivors.

*It was the deadliest volcanic

eruption of the 20th century.

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*On January 12th, 2012, a 7.0

magnitude earthquake occurred

just miles away from Haiti’s

capital city Port-au-Prince.

*The Haitian government

reported that an estimated

316,000 people had died,

300,000 had been injured and

1,000,000 made homeless.