The Caribbean region is a rich and interesting region. The geography of the Caribbean region affects the climate in a way that makes it ideal, not just as a vacation destination, but in many ways as a place to live.

The Caribbean region encompasses an area north of 10 degrees north and continuing up toward the tropic of cancer. On the south end of the Caribbean region, you have the northern countries of South America. Specifically, Venezuela and Columbia are two of the biggest of these border countries that surround the Caribbean region. There are a number of island countries in the area as well that fall into the category of South America rather than the Caribbean.

The geography of the Caribbean region can also be a little bit confusing. The Caribbean region is made up of hundreds of islands. Many of these islands are small, spanning just a few miles of square area. Many of these islands also claim sovereignty as nations making the political landscape spotty at best. The geographic region of the Caribbean is divided further into smaller areas including areas such as the British West Indies, the Dutch Antilles, the French Antilles, the Lesser Antilles, and the Leeward Islands. In addition, there are the Windward Islands in the Caribbean.

The geography of the Caribbean means the climate in the Caribbean is generally mild year round. The trade winds blow from out of the east, into the west. Temperatures tend to stay somewhere in the low 80s throughout the entire year. Because the Caribbean is located below the tropic of cancer, yet it is also still plenty of distance above the equator, the region tends to be fairly moderate in terms of its weather.

Of course, the climate of the Caribbean region is also conducive to tropical storms and hurricanes. Generally speaking, these run from May all the way to November. Tropical storms and hurricanes pummel Caribbean islands on a regular basis. One statistic suggests that each island in the Caribbean will get hit by a tropical storm or a hurricane at least once each four years. One of the most interesting geographical features of the Caribbean region is the fact that the sheer number of islands involved. With the exception of Indonesia, the Caribbean islands are closer and more numerous together than any other region in the world. These vast locations create vast and varied demographics as well as diverse populations.