The area consists of 13 island nations, from the Bahamas in the north to Trinidad and Tobago in the south; Belize, which is geographically situated in Central America; and the two countries of Guyana and Suriname, situated on the north main coast of South America. Lots of nations in the region 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 self-reliance of these countries range from Haiti in 1804 to St. Kitts and Nevis in 1983. The biggest countries in terms of land location are Guyana and Suriname, while those with the largest populations are Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.
Politically, all Caribbean nations, with the exception of communist Cuba, have chosen democratic governments. Many of the previous British nests have parliamentary types of government, with the exception of Guyana, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Suriname, which are republics headed by presidents. In terms of regional Learn more here integration, 14 of the region's independent countries come from the Caribbean Neighborhood (CARICOM), with the exception of the Dominican Republic (which has observer status) and Cuba. CARICOM was formed in 1973 to spur local economic integration. Some critics argue that it has actually been slow to promote combination, compared to other regional financial groupings, but progress has been made in moving toward a single financial market and in developing a Caribbean Court of Justice.
The 6 OECS countries likewise share a typical currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar, with monetary policy handled by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. The Caribbean Advancement Bank (CDB), headquartered in Barbados, promotes economic advancement and local combination. With the exception of Cuba and Haiti, routine elections have been the norm, and for the many part have been free and fair. 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, but substantial problems and political instability resulted in those elections being held off a number of times, 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 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 government.) Although lots of Caribbean countries have actually 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 restored with the help of security forces from surrounding states.
Earlier in the 1980s, the government of Eugenia Charles in Dominica was threatened by a bizarre coup plot involving foreign mercenaries. And of course, Grenada, under the socialist-oriented government of Maurice Bishop, experienced a break from the democratic standard after it assumed power in an almost bloodless coup in 1979 and installed an individuals's innovative government. After the violent overthrow and murder of Bishop in 1983, the United States stepped in to restore order and end the Cuban presence on the island. Numerous Caribbean countries experienced an economic slump in 2001-2002 due to slumps in the tourist and farming sectors, although a lot of Caribbean economies have rebounded considering that 2003.
economic recession and slow recovery. The banana and sugar sectors in the Eastern Caribbean were harmed by a tropical storm in 2002 and a drought in 2003. Both sectors face unsure futures in light of the European Union's plan to phase out favored market access from previous Caribbean nests for bananas by 2006 and for sugar by 2009. The Haitian economy experienced decline start in 2001, with political instability worsening already difficult economic conditions in the hemisphere's poorest country. The greatest carrying out economies recently have been those of the Dominican Republic, sustained by the clothing sector, and Trinidad and Tobago, with significant energy resources.
In 2004 and 2005, the region's strongest financial entertainers balancing development rates over 5% for those two 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 since of devastating hurricanes and hurricanes consisted of Haiti, with a 3. 5%% decrease in gross domestic product (GDP), and Grenada, with a GDP decline 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 actually been stagnant or minimal over the previous several years. In 2005, the economy declined 3% due to the fact that of high oil costs and floods, which early in the year significantly impacted farming and mining activities.
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However, some observers have likewise been worried about the region's high level of public debt, with numerous Caribbean countries having debt levels that exceed 100% of their GDP. U.S. interests in the Caribbean vary, and consist of economic, political, and security concerns. Throughout the Cold War, security concerns tended floating weeks timeshare to eclipse other policy interests. In the aftermath of the Cold War, other U.S. policy interests emerged from the shadow of the East-West dispute in the Caribbean that concentrated on concerns about the Soviet and Cuban hazard. U.S. policy top priorities shifted from one highlighting security concerns to a brand-new concentrate on strengthened financial relations through trade and financial investment.
interest in the Caribbean. The Administration describes the Caribbean as America's "third border," with events in the area having a direct effect on the homeland security of the United States. It describes Caribbean countries as "essential partners on security, trade, health, the environment, education, regional democracy, and other hemispheric problems." The United States has close relations with most Caribbean nations, with the exception of Cuba under Fidel Castro. The U.S.-Caribbean relationship is characterized by extensive financial linkages, cooperation on counter-narcotics efforts and security, and a sizeable U.S. foreign support program supporting a range of jobs to reinforce democracy, promote economic development and development, ease poverty, and combat the AIDS epidemic in the region. Customs and Border Defense 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 ended up being functional CSI ports: Caucedo, Dominican Republic; Kingston, Jamaica; and Freeport, Bahamas. Other Latin American ports in the CSI program are the Central 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 called for additional foreign help in order to improve foreign port security worldwide, but no last action was completed before completion of the session.
2279 (Hollings), in September 2004, which would have attended to the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to identify foreign help programs that might facilitate implementation of port security antiterrorism measures in foreign countries. The act also would have called for a report on the security of ports in the Caribbean Basin, consisting of an assessment of the effectiveness of the steps utilized to better security at such ports and an assessment of the resources and program changes needed to maximize security at Caribbean Basin ports. In the 109th Congress, 2 expenses would supply for foreign support programs for Caribbean Basin ports.
744 (Nelson, Expense), introduced April 11, 2005, would develop a Caribbean Basin Port Assistance Program. Under the legislative effort, the Administrator of MARAD in the Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Secretary of State, would determine foreign assistance programs that might facilitate execution of port security antiterrorism measures at Caribbean Basin ports. The Administrator and the Secretary would develop a program for such assistance 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 nations. S. 1052 (Stevens), the Transport Security Enhancement Act of 2005, includes an arrangement (Section 504) that would develop a program to assist in implementation of port security antiterrorism procedures in foreign nations, with particular emphasis on ports in the Caribbean Basin; this expense was introduced May 17, 2005, and reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on February 27, 2006 (S.Rept.
2791 (Stevens), presented May 11, 2006. Rising criminal activity is a major 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 individuals 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 stunned over the harsh killings of 6 relative, consisting of 4 young kids in the western part of the country. High levels of violent crime, consisting of murder and kidnaping, likewise have plagued Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti. Even smaller sized Caribbean countries like St.
On April 22, 2006, Guyana's Farming minister, in addition to his two brother or sisters and a security personnel, were shot and killed in an apparent break-in. Gangs involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and violence are accountable for much of the criminal offense. Some observers believe that crooks deported from the United States have added to the region's surge in violent crime over the last few years, although some keep that there is no established link. Jamaica has actually promoted the advancement of an international procedure regarding the deportation of criminals. A major concern for Caribbean nationsthe majority of which are net energy importershas been the rising cost of oil and the possible result of such rising costs on economic development and social stability.
Of these, only Trinidad and Tobago is a significant oil and gas producer, representing 60% of proven oil reserves and 91% of gas reserves in the area. The nation is likewise the biggest provider of liquified gas (LNG) to the United States, representing 75% of all U.S. LNG imports. Apart from Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba likewise produces oil, however still imports a majority of its consumption requires. Barbados likewise produces a percentage of oil, which is refined in Trinidad and Tobago, however it imports 90% of its oil usage needs. Venezuela is now offering oil to Caribbean countries on preferential terms in a new program understood as Petro, Caribe, and there has actually been some U.S.
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Given that 1980, Caribbean countries have benefitted from preferential oil imports from Venezuela (and Mexico) under the San Jose Pact, and considering that 2001, Venezuela has offered extra support for Caribbean oil imports under the Caracas Energy Accord. Petro, Caribe, nevertheless, would go even more with the goal of putting in location a regional supply, what to know about timeshares refining, and transportation and storage network, and developing an advancement fund for those countries taking part in the program. What is a finance charge on a credit card. Under the program, Venezuela revealed that it would provide 190,000 barrels daily of oil to the region, with nations paying market value for 50% of the oil within 90 days, and the balance paid over 25 years at a yearly rate of 2%.
To date, 14 Caribbean countries are signatories of Petro, Caribe. Barbados, which currently gets reduced petroleum rates from Trinidad, has actually declined to sign the contract, and Trinidad, which has its own considerable energy resources, has decreased to sign. (For additional information, see CRS Report RL33693, Latin America: Energy Supply, Political Developments, and U.S. Policy Approaches, by [author name scrubbed], [author name scrubbed], and [author name scrubbed]) The AIDS epidemic in the Caribbean, where infection rates are amongst the highest outside of sub-Saharan Africa, has actually already begun to have unfavorable effects for economic and social advancement in the area. In 2005, an estimated 300,000 adults and kids in the Caribbean were reported to be coping with HIV, with the epidemic declaring 24,000 lives throughout the year, making it the leading cause of death amongst adults aged 15-44 years.