Sunday, July 6, 2014

Is The Caribbean Classified As A Sea Or Ocean

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By Rosella Campbell


Popularized by Johnny Depp's portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow, the Caribbean Sea is a well-known tourist magnet. Why is the Caribbean classified as a sea and not an ocean? Technically, the sea is continuous with the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. What distinguishes it from an ocean is the fact that it is at least partially enclosed by land. The Mediterranean and Arabian Seas have similar features.

Because of its location, the Cab' Sea is prone to hurricanes, which form off the coast of West Africa. They either cross the Atlantic to crawl northward up the Atlantic coast of the eastern United States and eventually drift out to sea where they fizzle out. Sometimes, they blast straight through the Gulf of Mexico to ravage the gulf states. Hurricane season runs from June through November each year, with the bulk of storms happening in the middle of this period.

The deepest point in the Cab' Sea is known variably as the Bartlett Deep, Bartlett Trough or the Cayman Trough. It has a maximum depth of more than 7,600 metres, or 25,000 feet. In 2010, a team of researchers from the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, England, commenced mapping the Trench with the help of a robotic submarine. Among its findings was the discovery of hydrothermal vents, known as black smokers, in the surface of the Earth at a depth of five kilometres (a little more than three miles).

Two years after the British invaded the Bartlett Deep, scientific researchers measured the temperature of the water emerging from the hydrothermal vents. They discovered it to be 842 degrees Fahrenheit (450 degrees Centigrade), making them some of the hottest thermal vents on the planet. They were also able to identify a brand new species of shrimp. It has no eyes as we know them; instead, it has a light-sensitive organ on its dorsal surface.

Cuba is the largest of the islands in the sea. It was claimed by Christopher Columbus for the King and Queen of Spain in 1492. Given short shrift by the rest of the world since the island was taken over by the dictator, Fidel Castro, he really hasn't done such a bad job with the place. It has the best health and education systems in the world and is the only place recognized by the World Wide Fund for Nature as being sustainable, making it the greenest spot on the planet.

The second-largest of the islands is Hispaniola, part of a chain known as the Greater Antilles. This is where Christopher Columbus sought refuge on Christmas Day in 1492, when his ship, the Santa Maria, ran aground and sank. The island is home to two distinct nations, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The DR is a wealthy tourist attraction while Haiti struggles to survive poverty, natural disasters and political turmoil. This stark difference comes into sharp relief when the island is plagued by its annual onslaught of hurricanes.

Puerto Rico, another big island, means "rich port" in the Spanish Language. It's formal name is the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Other islands under Puerto Rican influence are Culebra, Mona and Vieques. Like the rest of the area, Puerto Rico has a hot, tropical climate throughout the year. While Spanish is the main language, English is also considered a national language.




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