What makes the caribbean unique

There is nothing like the warmth of island people — they open their hearts and homes to us so that we can learn what makes their island special. Yes, some islands have more poverty than others, some islands speak French, rather than English, as their main language.

Some islands are under British rule, others under the French, and others are ruled by the Netherlands. Some islands survive with tourism as their number one source of income, while others are able to export their agricultural products as a main source of income. So, the next time someone tells you that all the islands are the same — tell them, absolutely not! Attribution: in addition to giving attribution to the respective author and copyright owner, as appropriate, we would appreciate if you could include a link that remits back the IDB Blogs website.

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Privacy Policy. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Birthplace of soca, calypso, the limbo, and steel pan the only musical instrument invented in the 20th Century , Trinidad is also known to have the largest, most explosively colorful and culturally mixed Carnival celebration in the Caribbean.

Missed the Carnival itself? Not to worry: During the summer months, you can get a taste of what is to come with band launch events, showcasing costume themes for the next Carnival.

Perhaps what sets St. Lucia apart the most from its neighboring island is its historically thriving cocoa industry. Some of the world's best chocolate comes from St. Lucia, and travelers can visit chocolate plantations, make chocolate, explore chocolate labs, and even visit chocolate-inspired spas. Unlike many of its Caribbean cousins, St. Lucia has volcanic geography, most famously, the iconic Piton Mountains. Lucia also has the world's only " drive-in volcano " which can be visited at any time throughout the year.

As an example, according to the World Bank , Haiti, the Caribbean's second-largest nation by population, is the poorest country in the entire Western Hemisphere. On the other hand, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development no longer considers the twin-island state of Trinidad and Tobago to be a developing country.

Although every island in the Caribbean has its own distinct economic features, there are a number of common characteristics shared among the different economies of the region.

A few of these characteristics are explored below. Caribbean economies have benefited tremendously from strong regional and international trade relationships. The small physical size of most islands has made it virtually impossible for any Caribbean nation to produce all of the goods that its citizens and firms need on its own. By way of illustration, the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat has an abundance of construction, however it is highly dependent on imports from neighboring islands and the United States in order to meet local demand for fruits and vegetables.

Trade is so vital to the survival of Caribbean economies that multiple trade blocs have been formed in the region, all of which aim to remove trade barriers, such as tariffs and quotas , among member-states. Additionally, many islands have established preferential trade agreements with Canada and members of the European Union. This helps expose these small economies to wider markets. As mentioned above, trade plays a very significant role in the development of Caribbean economies.

Although some islands like Anguilla, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands heavily rely on tourism and financial services to earn foreign currency , the majority of Caribbean nations make money from exporting raw materials and manufactured goods to international markets. In the long-run, this can be a problem because of the limited amount of resources that these nations possess.

Earning foreign exchange is a critical activity for every nation. A government that possesses sizeable foreign exchange reserves is able to further develop its local economies by acquiring state-of-the-art public infrastructure from abroad and thus improving its domestic social services. In an effort to increase their standard of living, Caribbean states may try to raise more foreign currency by exporting and, therefore, putting a large burden on their limited natural resources.

This would lead to a complete depletion of what little resources they have. On numerous occasions, natural disasters have impeded economic progress in the Caribbean.

As a result of the geographic location of the region, virtually all Caribbean economies are susceptible to the dangerous forces of nature. Between the months of June and November, hurricanes threaten these small nations. Added to that, there is always the possibility of a volcanic eruption or earthquake occurring without much warning. In other words, both businesses and governments constantly need to be prepared for unexpected events that could result in the sudden loss of much needed infrastructure, valuable capital, and irreplaceable lives.

When a Caribbean island is affected by a natural disaster, its government is forced to allocate its limited financial resources to rebuilding the economy by repairing damages.