The region includes 13 island countries, from the Bahamas in the north to Trinidad and Tobago in the south; Belize, which is geographically situated in Central America; and the 2 nations of Guyana and Suriname, located on the north central coast of South America. Lots of countries in the area share a typical African ethnic and British colonial heritage, while Cuba and the Dominican Republic were Spanish colonies, Haiti was French, and Suriname was Dutch. The dates of independence of these nations vary from Haiti in 1804 to St. Kitts and Nevis in 1983. The biggest countries in terms of acreage are Guyana and Suriname, while those with the biggest populations are Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.

Politically, all Caribbean countries, with the exception of communist Cuba, have actually elected democratic federal governments. The majority of the previous British colonies have parliamentary types of government, with the exception of Guyana, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Suriname, which are republics headed by presidents. In regards to regional integration, 14 of the area's independent countries belong to the Caribbean Neighborhood (CARICOM), with the exception of the Dominican Republic (which has observer status) and Cuba. CARICOM was formed in 1973 wesley financial group timeshare reviews to stimulate regional financial integration. Some critics argue that it has been slow to promote integration, compared to other local economic groupings, but development has been made in moving toward a single economic market and in developing a Caribbean Court of Justice.

The six OECS countries likewise share a typical currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar, with monetary policy managed by the Eastern Caribbean Reserve Bank. The Caribbean Advancement Bank (CDB), headquartered in Barbados, promotes economic advancement and regional combination. With the exception of Cuba and Haiti, routine elections have been the standard, and for the a lot of part have been free and reasonable. In 2005, Dominica and Suriname held elections in May, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines held elections in December. Haiti was anticipated to hold elections in 2005, however considerable issues and political instability led to those elections being held off a number of times, up until they were ultimately held on February 7, 2006.

Successful elections eventually were held on August 28, 2006, without the political violence that some observers had actually prepared for. 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 preserved long democratic customs, they are not immune from terrorist and other risks to their political stability. In 1993, stability on St. Kitts was threatened following violent demonstrations after challenged elections; order was brought back with the assistance of security forces from neighboring states.

Earlier in the 1980s, the government of Eugenia Charles in Dominica was threatened by an unusual coup plot including foreign mercenaries. And naturally, Grenada, under the socialist-oriented federal government of Maurice Bishop, experienced a break from the democratic norm after it assumed power in an almost bloodless coup in 1979 and installed a people's advanced federal government. After the violent topple and murder of Bishop in 1983, the United States intervened to bring back order and end the Cuban presence on the island. Many Caribbean countries experienced a financial slump in 2001-2002 due to slumps in the tourism and farming sectors, although most Caribbean economies have rebounded since 2003.

financial 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 unpredictable futures in light of the European Union's plan to phase out favored market gain access to from former Caribbean nests for bananas by 2006 and for sugar by 2009. The Haitian economy experienced decline start in 2001, with political instability intensifying currently tough financial conditions in the hemisphere's poorest country. The strongest carrying out economies in the last few years have been those of the Dominican Republic, sustained by the garments sector, and Trinidad and Tobago, with considerable energy resources.

In 2004 and 2005, the region's strongest financial entertainers averaging development 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 prospering in 2004 since of devastating hurricanes and tropical storms consisted of Haiti, with a 3. 5%% decline in gdp (GDP), and Grenada, with a GDP decrease of 3%. For 2005, nevertheless, Grenada's economy rebounded with development over 5%, while Haiti's development was 1. 8%. In Guyana, financial development has been stagnant or minimal over the past several years. In 2005, the economy declined 3% because of high oil prices and floods, which early in the year seriously affected farming and mining activities.

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However, some observers have also been worried about the area's high level of public debt, with a number of follow this link Caribbean countries having financial obligation levels that surpass 100% of their GDP. U.S. interests in the Caribbean are varied, and include economic, political, and security issues. During the Cold War, security concerns tended to eclipse other wesley timeshare cancellation 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 issues about the Soviet and Cuban danger. U.S. policy priorities moved from one highlighting security issues to a new focus on strengthened financial relations through trade and investment.

interest in the Caribbean. The Administration explains the Caribbean as America's "3rd border," with events in the area having a direct influence on the homeland security of the United States. It describes Caribbean countries as "crucial partners on security, trade, health, the environment, education, local democracy, and other hemispheric concerns." The United States has close relations with the majority of Caribbean countries, with the exception of Cuba under Fidel Castro. The U.S.-Caribbean relationship is defined by comprehensive economic linkages, cooperation on counter-narcotics efforts and security, and a sizeable U.S. foreign support program supporting a range of projects to strengthen democracy, promote financial development and development, relieve poverty, and fight the AIDS epidemic in the region. Customizeds and Border Security of the Department of Homeland Security. The CSI program assists ensure that high-risk containers are recognized and inspected at foreign ports prior to they are put on vessels for delivery to the United States. In September 2006, 3 Caribbean ports ended up being functional 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, Argentina, and Santos, Brazil. In the 108th Congress, a legislative initiative required extra foreign help in order to enhance foreign port security worldwide, but no final action was finished prior to the end of the session.

2279 (Hollings), in September 2004, which would have offered for the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to recognize foreign help programs that could assist in implementation of port security antiterrorism procedures in foreign nations. The act also would have called for a report on the security of ports in the Caribbean Basin, consisting of an assessment of the efficiency of the measures utilized to improved security at such ports and an assessment of the resources and program modifications required to optimize security at Caribbean Basin ports. In the 109th Congress, 2 expenses would offer for foreign support programs for Caribbean Basin ports.

744 (Nelson, Bill), introduced April 11, 2005, would establish a Caribbean Basin Port Assistance Program. Under the legislative effort, the Administrator of MARAD in the Department of Transport, in coordination with the Secretary of State, would recognize foreign support programs that could assist in application of port security antiterrorism steps at Caribbean Basin ports. The Administrator and the Secretary would develop a program for such help in assessment with the Company of American States. In addition, the Secretary of Homeland Security would be required to submit a report to Congress on status of port security in Caribbean Basin countries. S. 1052 (Stevens), the Transportation Security Enhancement Act of 2005, consists of a provision (Section 504) that would establish a program to facilitate implementation of port security antiterrorism steps in foreign nations, with specific emphasis on ports in the Caribbean Basin; this expense was introduced May 17, 2005, and reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transport on February 27, 2006 (S.Rept.

2791 (Stevens), presented May 11, 2006. Increasing criminal offense is a major security challenge throughout the Caribbean. The murder rate in Jamaica continues to skyrocket, with 1,445 individuals eliminated in 2004 and more than 1,600 people in 2005. With rate of 60 murders per 100,000 residents in 2005, Jamaica had the greatest murder rate on the planet. In late February 2006, Jamaicans were shocked over the harsh killings of six household members, including 4 young children in the western part