Jump to content

Windward Islands: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 14°N 61°W / 14°N 61°W / 14; -61
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
→Name and geography: Gen’l cleanup
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
Line 38: Line 38:


==Name and geography==
==Name and geography==
The prevailing [[trade wind]]s in the [[West Indies]] blow east to west. The combination of trans-Atlantic [[Ocean current|currents]] and winds that provided the fastest route across the ocean brought [[sailing ship]]s heading to the [[New World]] to the rough dividing line between two groups of islands. The Windward Islands fell to [[windward]], the [[Leeward Islands]] to [[leeward]].
The prevailing [[trade wind]]s in the [[West Indies]] blow east to west. The combination of trans-Atlantic [[Ocean current|currents]] and winds that provided the fastest route across the ocean brought [[sailing ship]]s heading to the [[New World]] to the rough dividing line between two groups of islands. Those that fell to [[windward]] became the Windward Islands, to [[leeward]] the [[Leeward Islands]].


Sailing vessels departing from Africa would first encounter the southeasternmost "Windward" islands of the Lesser Antilles in their west-northwesterly heading to final destinations in the [[Caribbean]] and [[North America|North]] and [[Central America]]. The chain of Windward Islands forms a part of the easternmost boundary of the [[Caribbean Sea]].<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica">{{cite web |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/645259/Windward-Islands |title=Windward Islands |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |quote=[A] line of West Indian islands constituting the southern arc of the Lesser Antilles, at the eastern end of the Caribbean Sea, between latitudes 12° and 16° N and longitudes 60° and 62° W. They include, from north to south, the English-speaking islands of Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, and Grenada; and, between Saint Vincent and Grenada, the chain of 32 islands known as the Grenadines. Though near the general area, Trinidad and Tobago (at the south end of the group) and Barbados (just east) are usually not considered part of the Windward Islands.}}</ref><ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+cx0103) Chapter 4 - The Windward Islands and Barbados] - U.S. Library of Congress</ref>
Sailing vessels departing from Africa would first encounter the southeasternmost "Windward" islands of the Lesser Antilles in their west-northwesterly heading to final destinations in the [[Caribbean]] and [[North America|North]] and [[Central America]]. The chain of Windward Islands forms a part of the easternmost boundary of the [[Caribbean Sea]].<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica">{{cite web |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/645259/Windward-Islands |title=Windward Islands |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |quote=[A] line of West Indian islands constituting the southern arc of the Lesser Antilles, at the eastern end of the Caribbean Sea, between latitudes 12° and 16° N and longitudes 60° and 62° W. They include, from north to south, the English-speaking islands of Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, and Grenada; and, between Saint Vincent and Grenada, the chain of 32 islands known as the Grenadines. Though near the general area, Trinidad and Tobago (at the south end of the group) and Barbados (just east) are usually not considered part of the Windward Islands.}}</ref><ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+cx0103) Chapter 4 - The Windward Islands and Barbados] - U.S. Library of Congress</ref>

Revision as of 11:14, 19 July 2021

This article is about the Caribbean island group. For the eastern islands of French Polynesia, see Windward Islands (Society Islands). For the main islands of Hawaii, see Hawaiian Windward Islands.

Windward Islands
Template:Lang-en
Template:Lang-fr
Map
Geography
LocationCaribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates14°N 61°W / 14°N 61°W / 14; -61
Total islands90+
Major islandsDominica
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent
Grenada
Area3,232.5 km2 (1,248.1 sq mi)
Highest elevation1,447 m (4747 ft)
Highest pointMorne Diablotins, Dominica
Administration
Largest settlementRoseau
Saint Lucia
Largest settlementCastries
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Largest settlementKingstown
Grenada
Largest settlementSt. George's
Demographics
Populationc. 854,000
Pop. density227/km2 (588/sq mi)

The Windward Islands, also known as the Islands of Barlovento, are the southern, generally larger islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies. They lie south of the Leeward Islands, approximately between latitudes 10° and 16° N and longitudes 60° and 62° W. The name was also used to refer to a British colony in these islands, existing between 1833 and 1960 and consisting of the islands of Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, the Grenadines, and Grenada, which today make up three sovereign nations. The island of Dominica, also today a sovereign nation, was traditionally a part of the Leeward Islands until 1940, when it was transferred from the Leeward Islands colony to the Windward Islands.

Name and geography

The prevailing trade winds in the West Indies blow east to west. The combination of trans-Atlantic currents and winds that provided the fastest route across the ocean brought sailing ships heading to the New World to the rough dividing line between two groups of islands. Those that fell to windward became the Windward Islands, to leeward the Leeward Islands.

Sailing vessels departing from Africa would first encounter the southeasternmost "Windward" islands of the Lesser Antilles in their west-northwesterly heading to final destinations in the Caribbean and North and Central America. The chain of Windward Islands forms a part of the easternmost boundary of the Caribbean Sea.[1][2]

List of the Windward Islands

The Windward Islands are as follows:[1][3][4]

The Windward Islands are on the map's lower right, above and to the right of Venezuela

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Windward Islands". Encyclopædia Britannica. [A] line of West Indian islands constituting the southern arc of the Lesser Antilles, at the eastern end of the Caribbean Sea, between latitudes 12° and 16° N and longitudes 60° and 62° W. They include, from north to south, the English-speaking islands of Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, and Grenada; and, between Saint Vincent and Grenada, the chain of 32 islands known as the Grenadines. Though near the general area, Trinidad and Tobago (at the south end of the group) and Barbados (just east) are usually not considered part of the Windward Islands.
  2. ^ Chapter 4 - The Windward Islands and Barbados - U.S. Library of Congress
  3. ^ "Windward Islands". Footprint Travel Guides. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  4. ^ "Windward Islands". Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Windward_Islands&oldid=1034353830"