The region consists of 13 island nations, from the Bahamas in the north to Trinidad and Tobago in the south; Belize, which is geographically located in Central America; and the two nations of Guyana and Suriname, situated on the north central coast of South America. Numerous nations in the area share a typical African ethnic and British colonial heritage, while Cuba and the Dominican Republic were Spanish nests, Haiti was French, and Suriname was Dutch. The dates of independence of these countries vary from Haiti in 1804 to St. Kitts and Nevis in 1983. The largest countries in regards to acreage are Guyana and Suriname, while those with the largest populations are Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.

Politically, all Caribbean countries, with the exception of communist Cuba, have elected democratic governments. Many of the former British colonies have parliamentary forms of federal government, with the exception of Guyana, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Suriname, which are republics headed by presidents. In regards to local combination, 14 of the region's independent nations belong to the Caribbean Neighborhood (CARICOM), with the exception of the Dominican Republic (which has observer status) and Cuba. CARICOM was formed in 1973 to spur regional economic integration. Some critics argue that it has been sluggish to promote integration, compared to other local economic groupings, however progress has actually been made in approaching a single financial market and in developing a Caribbean Court of Justice.

The six OECS countries also share a common currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar, with monetary policy handled by the Eastern Caribbean Reserve Bank. The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), headquartered in Barbados, promotes economic development and local combination. With the exception of Cuba and Haiti, routine elections have actually been the standard, and for the many part have been complimentary and reasonable. In 2005, Dominica and Suriname held elections in Might, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines held elections in December. Haiti was expected to hold elections in 2005, however considerable issues and political instability led to those elections being delayed a number of times, till they were eventually held on February 7, 2006.

Successful elections eventually were held on August 28, 2006, without the political violence that some observers had expected. Looking ahead, parliamentary elections are due in St. Lucia by December 2006, while elections in the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago are due in 2007. (See for a listing of leaders and elections for head of federal government.) Although many Caribbean nations have actually maintained long democratic traditions, they are not immune from terrorist and other threats to their political stability. In 1993, stability on St. Kitts was threatened following violent protests after challenged elections; order was brought back with the help of security forces from neighboring states.

Previously in the 1980s, the federal government of Eugenia Charles in Dominica was threatened by an unusual coup plot including foreign mercenaries. And naturally, Grenada, under the socialist-oriented government of Maurice Bishop, experienced a break from the democratic standard after it assumed power in a nearly bloodless coup in 1979 and installed a people's innovative government. After the violent topple and murder of Bishop in 1983, the United States stepped in to bring back order and end the Cuban existence on the island. Many Caribbean nations experienced a financial downturn in 2001-2002 due to downturns in the tourism and agriculture sectors, although the majority of Caribbean economies have rebounded because 2003.

economic recession and sluggish healing. The banana and sugar sectors in the Eastern Caribbean were harmed by a hurricane in 2002 and a dry spell in 2003. Both sectors face unsure futures due to the European Union's strategy to phase out preferred market gain access to from former Caribbean colonies for bananas by 2006 and for sugar by 2009. The Haitian economy experienced decline beginning in 2001, with political instability worsening currently tough economic conditions in help with timeshare the hemisphere's poorest country. The greatest carrying out economies in the last few years have actually been those of the Dominican Republic, fueled by the clothing sector, and Trinidad and Tobago, with considerable energy resources.

In 2004 and 2005, the area's greatest financial entertainers balancing growth rates over 5% for those 2 years, were Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Those nations not faring well in 2004 due to the fact that of ravaging hurricanes and hurricanes consisted of Haiti, with a 3. 5%% decrease in gross domestic product (GDP), and Grenada, with a GDP decrease of 3%. For 2005, however, Grenada's economy rebounded with development over 5%, while Haiti's development was 1. 8%. In Guyana, financial development has been stagnant or very little over the previous numerous years. In 2005, the economy decreased 3% because of high oil prices and floods, which early in the year severely impacted farming and mining activities.

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However, some observers have likewise been concerned about the area's high level of public financial obligation, with several Caribbean nations having financial obligation levels that exceed 100% of their GDP. U.S. interests in the Caribbean are diverse, and include economic, political, and security concerns. Throughout the Cold War, security issues tended to eclipse other policy interests. In the after-effects of the Cold War, other U.S. policy interests emerged from the shadow of the East-West conflict in the Caribbean that focused on concerns about the Soviet and Cuban hazard. U.S. policy concerns shifted from one highlighting security issues to a brand-new focus on strengthened economic relations through trade and investment.

interest in the Caribbean. The Administration describes the Caribbean as America's "third border," with occasions in the region having a direct influence on the homeland security of the United States. It describes Caribbean nations as "important partners on security, trade, health, the environment, education, regional democracy, and other hemispheric issues." The United States has close relations with many Caribbean nations, with the exception of Cuba under Fidel Castro. The U.S.-Caribbean relationship is identified by substantial financial linkages, cooperation on counter-narcotics efforts and security, and a considerable U.S. foreign support program supporting a range of tasks to enhance democracy, promote economic growth and development, ease poverty, and fight the AIDS epidemic in the region. Custom-mades and Border Protection of the Department of Homeland Security. The CSI program assists ensure that high-risk containers are recognized and examined at foreign ports prior to they are put on vessels for shipment to the United States. In September 2006, three Caribbean ports became operational CSI ports: Caucedo, Dominican Republic; Kingston, Jamaica; and Freeport, Bahamas. Other Latin American ports in the CSI program are the Main American port of Puerto Cortes, Honduras, and the South American ports of Buenos Aires, wesley financial group timeshare reviews Argentina, and Santos, Brazil. In the 108th Congress, a legislative effort required extra foreign support in order to enhance foreign port security worldwide, but no last action was finished before the end of the session.

2279 (Hollings), in September 2004, which would have offered the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to identify foreign support programs that might assist in execution of port security antiterrorism measures in foreign countries. The act likewise would have called for a report on the security of ports in the Caribbean Basin, including an assessment of the efficiency of the measures employed to improved security at such ports and an assessment of the how much does wesley financial charge resources and program modifications needed to take full advantage of security at Caribbean Basin ports. In the 109th Congress, two costs would supply for foreign assistance programs for Caribbean Basin ports.

744 (Nelson, Costs), presented April 11, 2005, would develop a Caribbean Basin Port Help Program. Under the legal initiative, the Administrator of MARAD in the Department of Transport, in coordination with the Secretary of State, would identify foreign assistance programs that might help with implementation of port security antiterrorism steps at Caribbean Basin ports. The Administrator and the Secretary would establish a program for such assistance in assessment with the Organization of American States. In addition, the Secretary of Homeland Security would be needed to send a report to Congress on status of port security in Caribbean Basin countries. S. 1052 (Stevens), the Transport Security Improvement Act of 2005, includes a provision (Section 504) that would develop a program to assist in application of port security antiterrorism steps in foreign countries, with specific emphasis on ports in the Caribbean Basin; this bill was presented May 17, 2005, and reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transport on February 27, 2006 (S.Rept.

2791 (Stevens), introduced May 11, 2006. Rising criminal offense is a significant security challenge throughout the Caribbean. The murder rate in Jamaica continues to soar, with 1,445 individuals killed in 2004 and more than 1,600 people in 2005. With rate of 60 murders per 100,000 residents in 2005, Jamaica had the highest murder rate worldwide. In late February 2006, Jamaicans were surprised over the