Geographic Subregion

Exploring the Guianas: Unveiling Caribbean South America

Located on the Caribbean coast of South America, the Guianas consist of French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname, and boast a diverse blend of cultures built atop one of the oldest and most stable landmasses on Earth. Despite their small size and modest populations, these three territories have in recent years become disproportionately significant on the world stage even as their rainforests remain among the least disturbed on the continent.

The Lesser Antilles: Arc of Islands Between Two Oceans

The Lesser Antilles are a chain of islands from the Virgin Islands in the north to Trinidad and Tobago near Venezuela in the south. They are divided into three groups: the Leeward Islands in the north, the Windward Islands in the south, and the Leeward Antilles (or ABC islands) near the Venezuelan coast. These islands separate the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean, forming the eastern boundary of the Caribbean basin. They feature diverse geological ages, ecosystems, and cultures within a compact arc.