The Caribbean is one of the most popular places on the planet for tourism. The islands of the Caribbean are simply made to sunbathe, swim, but what about the local population? We decided to publish a list of the 10 most populated islands in the Caribbean so that you can find out not only the annual number of tourists visiting these places, but also the number of indigenous people doing everything for visitors to paradise.
Over the centuries, many cultures and peoples have passed through the Caribbean, affecting the local population. Here you can find closed ethnic groups that formed many years ago. Such a mixture of locals with visitors made it possible to create a “cocktail” of customs that can only be found here. It is difficult to find more friendly Aboriginal people who are happy to host people who have come to enjoy the beauty of these places.
Someone visits the Caribbean in order to escape from the noise of civilization with its annoying traffic jams, a high rhythm of movement, life in constant time pressure, while others want to relax in full before returning to routine everyday life. If you are one of the first, our list will be very useful to you, since you can find out the least populated islands, where no one will interfere with your vacation. So let's get started.
10
Barbados
Population: 285,006
The population of Barbados is not very large. Despite the fact that Rihanna is a native of this island nation, one of the brightest pop stars of our time, you will find solitude here, you can achieve harmony with nature. Barbados was a colony of the British Empire, which left its mark on the hobby of local residents. Cricket and golf are popular here, and surf lovers can tame the wave on the east coast of Barbados.
Be sure to pay attention to the largest islands on the planet, which we described in one of our articles on thebiggest.ru.
9
Bahamas
Population: 392,718
Another piece of paradise is the Bahamas. The atoll, consisting of several hundred islands, of which only 30 are populated. Despite the fact that the Bahamas is one of the most popular Caribbean resorts, the number of their inhabitants here does not even reach 400 thousand people. Such popularity of the Bahamas is due to their location, because from them to the American state of Florida about 500 km. Fans of noisy resorts, active nightlife visit the main island of Nassau archipelago, others can always “escape” to Long Island or another less populated place, where they will find peace while admiring the sunsets on deserted beaches.
8
Martinique
Population: 396,364
Despite granting certain freedoms, Martinique belongs to France, and is governed by a prefect from the mainland. The number of residents here is not too large, here you can retire, forgetting about the city noise. About 90% of the local population are black and Catholic mulattos. It is logical that the main income to the budget comes from serving tourists. And Martinique also exports pineapples, bananas and rum (you won’t stay hungry). The remoteness from mainland France did not prevent the euro from being circulated, making this currency the main currency here. Not only Barbados can boast a celebrity, the world famous Josephine was born in Martinique, the addressee of love letters of Napoleon I and his first wife.
7
Guadeloupe
Population: 470,547
Another French island, to which several smaller ones are “subordinate”. Guadeloupe is famous for its beautiful beaches, tropical forests. Tired of swimming, the hotels offer excursions inland, where tourists can enjoy the picturesque waterfalls. As in Martinique, the bulk of Guadeloupe's inhabitants are mulattos and blacks (about 90%). Guadeloupe is not so popular with travelers. Arriving here, you will not come across a huge number of annoying tourists.
6
Trinidad and Tobago
Population: 1,364,973
Trinidad and Tobago did not quite reach the first place. The country consists of two islands of the same name. And also the Caribbean includes many smaller islands. Trinidad and Tobago were previously part of the British Empire, which left an indelible mark on the culture of the local population. Football is extremely popular in the country, the local team is the strongest in the Caribbean, and its highest point was participation in the 2006 World Cup. The northern coast of Trinidad is considered a good place to relax. Ecological tourism is also actively developed in the country, which is facilitated by the wealth of the flora and fauna of the state.
5
Jamaica
Population: 2,803,362
Opens the five Caribbean islands with the largest population of Jamaica. This place attracts with its sandy beaches, many resorts, measured way of life. The culture of Jamaica is an interweaving of the customs of the locals with natives of Africa and European colonialists. Local accent is something unique. The country is also known by musicians and is considered the birthplace of reggae. No matter how many celebrities are born in Jamaica, no one is destined to overshadow the glory of Bob Marley. The modern symbol of the "Spring Island" is Usain Bolt, who even before his career ended became one of the greatest athletes in history.
4
Puerto rico
Population: 3,680,772
The official status of Puerto Rico is quite difficult to understand: the island belongs to the United States, however, it has been granted self-government status with the mandatory observance of selected items from the constitution of its “overlord”. At the same time, Puerto Rico has its own constitution. The main one is a number of smaller islands. The culture and customs of the local population were seriously influenced by the Spaniards, who owned the territory for several centuries. Recently, one can see the influence of American culture, manifested in the popularization of baseball and basketball. The infrastructure allows him to host thousands of tourists every year, and the pop stars Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin are considered the real pride of the local population.
3
Dominican Republic
Population: 10,648,613
For the first time on our list, a country is represented that occupies not an entire island, but only part of it. The Dominican Republic is forced to share the territory of Haiti with the country of the same name, however, this does not prevent it from occupying the 3rd place in the list of the most densely populated islands in the Caribbean. Mulattos prevail here, making up more than 70% of the total number of inhabitants. The coast of the Dominican Republic is considered a good place to relax. The annual flow of tourists is simply huge, so it is not surprising that the main income of the state is the profit from customs duties and tourism. Many divers consider the Dominican Republic's coastal zone to be the best place for deep sea diving. Also, tourists can attract picturesque waterfalls that are located in the central part of the Dominican Republic.
By the way, on our site thebiggest.ru you can find out which island states of the planet are the largest.
2
Republic of Haiti
Population: 10,848,175
Although Haiti is located next to the Dominican Republic, the position of the two countries is fundamentally different. Haiti is the poorest country not only in the Caribbean, but in the entire western hemisphere. Among the inhabitants, the Negroid race prevails (more than 95%), which was brought here during the period of colonization from Africa. Constant internal conflicts and coups undermined the country's economy, which could not but affect the development of tourism. Despite the availability of luxury hotels and lower prices compared to the neighboring Dominican Republic, tourists are afraid to visit Haiti, due to the high crime rate and precarious political situation.
1
Cuba
Population: 11,392,889
First place in the list of Caribbean islands with the largest population is Cuba. Freedom Island is full of beautiful beaches and friendly people who welcome all visitors with hospitality.
Relatively low prices give the Cuban resorts additional attractiveness in comparison with the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. Sports are massively developed in the country, and Cuban volleyball players and boxers are world famous. The Cuban pride is local cigars, known to the whole world. By the way, if you did not know, Che Guevara, associated with the struggle of Cuba for independence, was not at all Cuban. He was born and raised in Argentina, but Fidel Castro was flesh from flesh the son of the Cuban people.