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 2 nations of Guyana and Suriname, situated on the north central coast of South America. Numerous countries in the area 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 nations range from Haiti in 1804 to St. Kitts and Nevis in 1983. The biggest nations in terms of acreage are Guyana and Suriname, while those with the largest populations are Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.
Politically, all Caribbean countries, with the exception of communist Cuba, have chosen democratic governments. The majority of the previous British nests have parliamentary types of federal government, with the exception of Guyana, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Suriname, which are republics headed by presidents. In regards to local 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 stimulate local economic combination. Some critics argue that it has actually been sluggish to promote combination, compared to other regional economic groupings, however progress has been made in approaching a single financial market and in developing a Caribbean Court of Justice.
The 6 OECS countries likewise share a common currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar, with financial policy handled by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. The Caribbean Advancement Bank (CDB), headquartered in Barbados, promotes economic development and local combination. With the exception of Cuba and Haiti, regular elections have actually been the standard, and for the a lot of part have been complimentary and reasonable. 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 issues and political instability led to those elections being held off several times, till they were eventually hung on February 7, 2006.
Effective elections eventually were held on August 28, 2006, without the political violence that some observers had actually anticipated. 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 kept long democratic customs, they are not immune from terrorist and other dangers to their political stability. In 1993, stability on St. Kitts was threatened following violent demonstrations after disputed elections; order was brought back with the help of security forces from surrounding states.
Earlier in floating timeshare the 1980s, the government of Eugenia Charles in Dominica was threatened by a strange coup plot including foreign mercenaries. And naturally, Grenada, under the socialist-oriented government of Maurice Bishop, experienced a break from the democratic norm after it presumed power in an almost bloodless coup in 1979 and set up a people's revolutionary federal government. After the violent topple and murder of Bishop in 1983, the United States intervened to restore order and end the Cuban existence on average timeshare maintenance fees the island. Numerous Caribbean nations experienced a financial slump in 2001-2002 due to recessions in the tourism and agriculture sectors, although the majority of Caribbean economies have actually rebounded considering that 2003.
economic recession and slow healing. The banana and sugar sectors in the Eastern Caribbean were harmed by a hurricane in 2002 and a drought in 2003. Both sectors face unsure futures because of the European Union's plan to phase out favored market access from former Caribbean colonies for bananas by 2006 and for sugar by 2009. The Haitian economy experienced decline start in 2001, with political instability intensifying already challenging economic conditions in the hemisphere's poorest nation. The strongest performing economies in the last few years have actually been those of the Dominican Republic, sustained by the garments sector, and Trinidad and Tobago, with significant energy resources.
In 2004 and 2005, the area's strongest economic entertainers balancing development 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 countries not prospering in 2004 due to the fact that of ravaging typhoons and tropical storms consisted of Haiti, with a 3. 5%% decline in gross domestic item (GDP), and Grenada, with a GDP decrease of 3%. For 2005, nevertheless, Grenada's economy rebounded with development over 5%, while Haiti's development was 1. 8%. In Guyana, economic development has been stagnant or very little over the previous numerous years. In 2005, the economy declined 3% since of high oil costs and floods, which early in the year severely affected agriculture and mining activities.
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However, some observers have likewise been concerned about the region's high level of public financial obligation, with several Caribbean nations having debt levels that surpass 100% of their GDP. U.S. interests in the Caribbean vary, and include economic, political, and security concerns. During the Cold War, security issues tended 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 threat. U.S. policy concerns wesley law firm shifted from one emphasizing 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 occasions in the area having a direct impact on the homeland security of the United States. It explains Caribbean countries as "vital partners on security, trade, health, the environment, education, local democracy, and other hemispheric concerns." The United States has close relations with a lot of Caribbean nations, with the exception of Cuba under Fidel Castro. The U.S.-Caribbean relationship is identified by comprehensive financial linkages, cooperation on counter-narcotics efforts and security, and a considerable U.S. foreign help program supporting a range of tasks to strengthen democracy, promote financial growth and development, minimize hardship, and fight the AIDS epidemic in the area. Customs and Border Protection of the Department of Homeland Security. The CSI program assists ensure 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, three Caribbean ports became 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 effort called for extra foreign assistance in order to enhance foreign port security worldwide, however no final action was completed before the end of the session.
2279 (Hollings), in September 2004, which would have offered the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to determine foreign help programs that might help with application of port security antiterrorism measures in foreign nations. The act also would have required a report on the security of ports in the Caribbean Basin, including an evaluation of the efficiency of the steps utilized to enhanced security at such ports and an evaluation of the resources and program changes required to make the most of security at Caribbean Basin ports. In the 109th Congress, two costs would offer foreign help programs for Caribbean Basin ports.
744 (Nelson, Costs), presented April 11, 2005, would establish a Caribbean Basin Port Help Program. Under the legislative effort, the Administrator of MARAD in the Department of Transport, in coordination with the Secretary of State, would recognize foreign assistance programs that could assist in implementation of port security antiterrorism steps at Caribbean Basin ports. The Administrator and the Secretary would establish a program for such support 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 Transportation Security Enhancement Act of 2005, includes a provision (Section 504) that would establish a program to assist in implementation of port security antiterrorism measures in foreign countries, with specific focus on ports in the Caribbean Basin; this expense was presented 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. Increasing criminal activity is a major security challenge throughout the Caribbean. The murder rate in Jamaica continues to soar, with 1,445 individuals eliminated in 2004 and more than 1,600 people in 2005. With rate of 60 murders per 100,000 residents in 2005, Jamaica had the highest murder rate in the world. In late February 2006, Jamaicans were shocked over the brutal killings of six member of the family, consisting of 4 children in the western part of the country. High levels of violent criminal activity, consisting of murder and kidnaping, likewise have actually plagued Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti. Even smaller sized Caribbean countries like St.
On April 22, 2006, Guyana's Farming minister, along with his 2 siblings and a guard, were shot and eliminated in an apparent burglary. Gangs included in drug trafficking, extortion, and violence are responsible for much of the crime. Some observers think that wrongdoers deported from the United States have contributed to the area's surge in violent criminal offense in the last few years, although some maintain that there is no recognized link. Jamaica has actually advocated the advancement of an international protocol regarding the deportation of criminals. A major concern for Caribbean nationsthe bulk of which are net energy importershas been the increasing price of oil and the prospective effect of such rising costs on economic growth and social stability.
Of these, just Trinidad and Tobago is a significant oil and gas producer, accounting for 60% of proven oil reserves and 91% of natural gas reserves in the region. The nation is likewise the largest supplier of liquified natural gas (LNG) to the United States, accounting for 75% of all U.S. LNG imports. Apart from Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba also produces oil, but still imports a bulk of its consumption requires. Barbados also produces a percentage of oil, which is improved in Trinidad and Tobago, but it imports 90% of its oil consumption needs. Venezuela is now offering oil to Caribbean countries on preferential terms in a brand-new program referred to as Petro, Caribe, and there has actually been some U.S.
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Because 1980, Caribbean countries have taken advantage of 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, however, would go further with the objective of putting in place a local supply, refining, and transportation and storage network, and developing an advancement fund for those countries taking part in the program. How to finance a franchise with no money. Under the program, Venezuela announced that it would supply 190,000 barrels per 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 an annual rate of 2%.
To date, 14 Caribbean nations are signatories of Petro, Caribe. Barbados, which already gets discounted petroleum rates from Trinidad, has decreased to sign the agreement, and Trinidad, which has its own considerable energy resources, has actually decreased to sign. (For extra info, 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 greatest exterior of sub-Saharan Africa, has already started to have negative consequences for economic and social advancement in the area. In 2005, an estimated 300,000 adults and children in the Caribbean were reported to be living with HIV, with the epidemic declaring 24,000 lives throughout the year, making it the leading cause of death among adults aged 15-44 years.