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The Caribbean Sea ( islands of Cuba , Hispaniola , Jamaica , and Puerto Rico lie to the north, and a plethora of Lesser Antilles bound the sea on the east. The entire area of the Caribbean Sea, the numerous islands of the West Indies , and adjacent coasts, are collectively known as the Caribbean . The Caribbean Sea is one of the largest salt water seas and has an area of about ''2,754,000 km&2'' (1,063,000 square miles) The Caribbean Sea All The Sea. URL last accessed May 07, 2006. The sea's deepest point is the , Gulf Of Darien , Golfo De Los Mosquitos and Gulf Of Honduras . HISTORY See Also: History of the Caribbean The name "Caribbean" is derived from the Carib s one of the dominant American Indian groups in the region at the time of Europe an contact during the late 15th century. After the discovery of the West Indies by Christopher Columbus in 1492, the Spanish term Antillas was commonly assigned to the lands; stemming from this, "Sea of the Antilles" is a common alternate name for the Caribbean Sea in various European languages. During the first century of development, the Spanish dominance was undisputed. The Caribbean Sea was an unknown body of water to the populations of Eurasia until 1492 when Christopher Columbus first sailed into Caribbean waters while trying to find a route to India . At that time the Western Hemisphere in general was unknown to Europeans. Following the discovery of the islands by Columbus, the area was quickly colonized by several Western Civilization s. Following the colonization of the Caribbean islands, the Sea became a busy area for European-based marine trading and transport, and this commerce eventually attracted Piracy . Today the area is home to 22 island territories and borders 12 continental countries. Because of an abundance of sunshine, year-round tropical temperatures moderated by the almost constant Trade Winds , and the great variety of scenic destinations to visit, during the second half of the 20th century on into the 21st, the Caribbean Sea became a popular place for tourism, and this trend has favored the in creasing development of the cruise industry in the area (see Cruising and Cruise Ship ). GEOLOGY The Caribbean Sea is a mediterranean sea largely situated on the Caribbean Plate . Estimates of the sea's age range from 20,000 years to 570 million years. The Caribbean sea floor is divided into five Basins separated from each other by underwater ridges and mountain ranges. Atlantic Ocean enters the Caribbean through the ''Anegada Passage'' lying between the Lesser Antilles and Virgin Islands and the ''Windward Passage'' located between Cuba and Haiti . The deepest points of the sea lie in Cayman Trough with depths reaching approximately 7,686 m (25,220 ft). Despite this, the Caribbean Sea is considered a relatively shallow sea in comparison to other bodies of water. The Caribbean sea floor is also home to two and Puerto Rico Trench , which put the area at a higher risk of Earthquake s. Underwater earthquakes pose a threat of generating Tsunami s which could have a devastating effect on the Caribbean islands. Scientific data reveals that over the last 500 years the area has seen a dozen earthquakes above 7.5 magnitude. 1 ECOLOGY coast]] The Caribbean is home to about 9% of the world's by 15 countries. [http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/international/spaw.htm Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife to the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (SPAW)] NOAA Fisheries: Office of Protected Resources. URL accessed on April 30, 2006. Also several charitable organizations have been formed to preserve the Caribbean marine life, such as ''Caribbean Conservation Corporation'' which seeks to study and protect Sea Turtles while educating others about them. Caribbean Conservation Corporation Orion Online. URL last accessed May 1, 2006. WEATHER -] The Caribbean weather is influenced by the Gulf Stream and Humboldt Current Ocean Current s.Silverstein, Alvin (1998) Weather And Climate (Science Concepts); page 17. 21st Century. ISBN 0-7613-3223-5 The tropical location of the sea helps the water to maintain a warm temperature ranging from the low of 70 to mid-80 Degrees Fahrenheit by the season. The Caribbean is a focal area for many Hurricane s within the Western Hemisphere. A series of low pressure systems develop off the West coast of Africa and make their way across the Atlantic Ocean. While most of these systems do not become tropical storms, some do. The tropical storms can develop into Atlantic Hurricane s, often in the low pressure areas of the eastern Caribbean. The Caribbean hurricane season as a whole lasts from June to December, with the majority of hurricanes occurring during August and September. On average around 9 tropical storms form each year, with 5 reaching hurricane strength. According to the National Hurricane Center 385 hurricanes occurred in the Caribbean between 1494 and 1900. Every year, hurricanes represent a potential threat to the islands of the Caribbean, due to the extremely destructive nature of these powerful weather systems. Coral reefs can easily be damaged by violent wave action, and can be destroyed when a hurricane dumps sand or mud onto the a reef. When this happens, the coral organisms are smothered and the reef dies and ultimately breaks apart. ECONOMY AND HUMAN ACTIVITY , Venezuela .]] The Caribbean region has seen a significant increase in human activity since the colonization period. The sea is one of the largest oil production areas in the world, producing approximately 170 million tons per year. An Overview of Land Based Sources of Marine Pollution Caribbean Environment Programme. URL last accessed , 2006 . Human activity in the area also accounts for a significant amount of pollution, Pan American Health Organization estimating in 1993 that only about 10% of the sewage from the Central American and Caribbean Island countries is properly treated before being released into the Sea. The Caribbean region supports a large tourist industry. The ''Caribbean Tourism Organization'' calculates that about 12 million people a year visit the area, including (in 1991–1992) about 8 million Cruise Ship tourists. POPULAR CULTURE The Caribbean is the setting for countless literary efforts often related to adventure by Lester Dent . Many James Bond adventures were set there. The area is also the setting for the well-known Disneyland and Disney World attraction, Pirates Of The Caribbean , which among other things is notable for cementing the alternative pronunciation (with the stress placed on the first and third syllables instead of the second) in many people's minds. The ride has been adapted into a trilogy of ''Pirates Of The Caribbean'' Films , the first two of which take place in the Caribbean. SEE ALSO FOOTNOTES REFERENCES
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