The area includes 13 island countries, from the Bahamas in the north to Trinidad and Tobago in the south; Belize, which is geographically located in Central America; and the 2 countries of Guyana and Suriname, located on the north main coast of South America. Lots of countries in the area share a common African ethnic and British colonial heritage, while Cuba and the Dominican Republic were Spanish nests, Haiti was French, and Suriname was Dutch. The dates of self-reliance of these nations range from Haiti in 1804 to St. Kitts and Nevis in 1983. The largest nations in regards to acreage are Guyana and Suriname, while those with the biggest populations are Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.

Politically, all Caribbean countries, with the exception of communist Cuba, have elected democratic federal governments. The majority of the former British colonies have parliamentary forms time share cancellation of federal government, with the exception of Guyana, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Suriname, which are republics headed by presidents. In regards to regional combination, 14 of the area's independent countries belong to the Caribbean Neighborhood (CARICOM), with the exception of the Dominican Republic (which has observer status) and Cuba. CARICOM was formed in 1973 to spur regional financial integration. Some critics argue that it has actually been slow to promote combination, compared to other regional financial groupings, however development has been made in moving toward a single financial market and in developing a Caribbean Court of Justice.

The six OECS nations likewise share a common currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar, with financial policy managed by the Eastern Caribbean Reserve Bank. The Caribbean Advancement Bank (CDB), headquartered in Barbados, promotes financial development and regional integration. With the exception of Cuba and Haiti, routine elections have been the standard, and for the many part have actually been totally free and fair. In 2005, Dominica and Suriname held elections in May, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines held elections in December. Haiti was anticipated to hold elections in 2005, but significant issues and political instability led to those elections being delayed several times, till they were eventually hung on February 7, 2006.

Effective elections ultimately 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 federal government.) Although many Caribbean nations have actually maintained long democratic traditions, 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 contested elections; order was restored with the assistance of security forces from surrounding states.

Previously in the 1980s, the government of Eugenia Charles in Dominica was threatened by a bizarre coup plot involving foreign mercenaries. And naturally, Grenada, under the socialist-oriented federal government of Maurice Bishop, experienced a break from the democratic norm after it assumed power in an almost bloodless coup in 1979 and set up an individuals's innovative government. After the violent topple and murder of Bishop in 1983, how to not inherit timeshare contract the United States intervened to bring back order and end the Cuban existence on the island. Many Caribbean countries experienced an economic slump in 2001-2002 due to slumps in the tourist and agriculture sectors, although a lot of Caribbean economies have actually rebounded since 2003.

financial recession and sluggish healing. The banana and sugar sectors in the Eastern Caribbean were harmed by a hurricane in 2002 and a dry spell in 2003. Both sectors face unsure futures because of the European Union's strategy to phase out favored market access from former Caribbean nests for bananas by 2006 and for sugar by 2009. The Haitian economy experienced decrease start in 2001, with political instability exacerbating currently hard economic conditions in the hemisphere's poorest country. The strongest 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 greatest financial performers balancing growth rates over 5% for those 2 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 due to the fact that of devastating hurricanes and tropical storms 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 growth was 1. 8%. In Guyana, financial development has actually been stagnant or minimal over the past numerous years. In 2005, the economy decreased 3% due to the fact that of high oil prices and floods, which early in the year seriously impacted farming and mining activities.

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However, some observers have actually also been concerned about the area's high level of public debt, with a number of Caribbean nations having financial obligation levels that go beyond 100% of their GDP. U.S. interests in the Caribbean vary, and include economic, political, and security issues. Throughout the Cold War, security concerns tended to eclipse other policy interests. In the consequences of the Cold War, other U.S. policy interests emerged from the shadow of the East-West conflict in the Caribbean that focused on concerns about the Soviet and Cuban risk. U.S. policy priorities moved from one stressing security issues to a brand-new concentrate on strengthened financial relations through trade and investment.

interest in the Caribbean. The Administration describes the Caribbean as America's "3rd border," with occasions 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 a lot of Caribbean countries, with the exception of Cuba under Fidel Castro. The U.S.-Caribbean relationship is characterized by comprehensive economic linkages, cooperation on counter-narcotics efforts and security, and a significant U.S. foreign help program supporting a range of tasks to strengthen democracy, promote economic growth and development, reduce poverty, and combat the AIDS epidemic in the region. Customs and Border Protection of the Department of Homeland Security. The CSI program assists guarantee that high-risk containers are recognized and examined at foreign ports before they are placed on vessels for shipment to the United States. In September 2006, 3 Caribbean ports became operational 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 legal initiative required extra foreign support in order to improve foreign port security worldwide, but no last action was completed prior to the end of the session.

2279 (Hollings), in September 2004, which would have supplied for the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to identify foreign assistance programs that could help with execution of port security antiterrorism measures in foreign countries. The act likewise would have required a report on the security of ports in the Caribbean Basin, consisting of an evaluation of the efficiency of the steps used to enhanced security at such ports and an assessment of the resources and program modifications needed to make the most of security at Caribbean Basin ports. In the 109th Congress, two expenses would offer for foreign support programs for Caribbean Basin ports.

744 (Nelson, Costs), introduced April 11, 2005, would establish a Caribbean Basin Port Help Program. Under the legislative initiative, the Administrator of MARAD in the Department of Transport, in coordination with the Secretary of State, would determine foreign help programs that could facilitate execution of port security antiterrorism procedures at Caribbean Basin ports. The Administrator and the Secretary would establish a program for such assistance in consultation with the Organization of American States. In addition, the Secretary of Homeland Security would be needed 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, consists of a provision (Area 504) that would develop a program to facilitate execution of port security antiterrorism steps in foreign nations, with specific focus on ports in the Caribbean Basin; this bill was presented May 17, 2005, and reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transport on February 27, 2006 (S.Rept.

2791 (Stevens), presented May 11, 2006. Increasing crime is a major security difficulty throughout the Caribbean. The murder rate in Jamaica continues to skyrocket, with 1,445 people eliminated in 2004 and more than 1,600 people in 2005. With rate of 60 murders per 100,000 occupants in 2005, Jamaica had the greatest murder rate in the world. In late February 2006, Jamaicans were stunned over the harsh killings of six member of the family, consisting of 4 young kids in the western part of the country. High levels of violent crime, including murder and kidnaping, likewise have actually plagued Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti. Even smaller sized Caribbean nations like St.

On April 22, 2006, Guyana's Farming minister, along with his 2 brother or sisters and a guard, were shot and killed in an apparent break-in. Gangs associated with drug trafficking, extortion, and violence are accountable for much of the criminal activity. Some observers think that bad guys deported from the United States have added to the area's rise in violent crime over the last few years, although some maintain that there is no established link. Jamaica has promoted the advancement of a global protocol concerning the deportation of bad guys. A significant concern for Caribbean nationsthe bulk of which are net energy importershas been the increasing cost of oil and the potential impact of such increasing costs on economic growth and social stability.

Of these, just Trinidad and Tobago is a significant oil and gas manufacturer, accounting for 60% of tested oil reserves and 91% of natural gas reserves in the area. The nation is also the largest supplier 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, but still imports a majority of its usage needs. Barbados likewise produces a small quantity of oil, which is refined in Trinidad and Tobago, but it imports 90% of its oil consumption needs. Venezuela is now using oil to Caribbean countries on preferential terms in a new program called Petro, Caribe, and there has been some U.S.

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Because 1980, Caribbean countries have gained from preferential oil imports from Venezuela (and Mexico) under the San Jose Pact, and because 2001, Venezuela has actually provided additional support for Caribbean oil imports under the Caracas Energy Accord. Petro, Caribe, however, would go even more Click here for more info with the goal of putting in place a regional supply, refining, and transportation and storage network, and establishing an advancement fund for those nations taking part in the program. What is a swap in finance. Under the program, Venezuela announced that it would supply 190,000 barrels each day of oil to the region, with nations paying market rates 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 nations are signatories of Petro, Caribe. Barbados, which currently receives discounted petroleum rates from Trinidad, has decreased to sign the agreement, and Trinidad, which has its own significant energy resources, has decreased to sign. (For additional details, 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 among the highest beyond sub-Saharan Africa, has currently begun to have negative effects for financial and social advancement in the area. In 2005, an estimated 300,000 grownups and children in the Caribbean were reported to be dealing with HIV, with the epidemic declaring 24,000 lives throughout the year, making it the leading cause of death amongst grownups aged 15-44 years.