Windward Islands

Leeward Islands, formerly German islands in the wind, is the name of the northern part of the Lesser Antilles.

Geography

In the Caribbean, they extend in an arc from Puerto Rico in the south-east and are mainly of volcanic origin. Further southwest are the Leeward Islands.

The Leeward Islands have a total area of ​​about 12,000 square kilometers and has about three million inhabitants. Politically include some islands to France, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Netherlands, the other consists of eight independent states.

Name

The name " Leeward Islands " is derived from the prevailing wind direction in these latitudes of the northeast trade wind, which makes for a humid climate with annual rainfall of about 2000 mm. The more southern Windward Islands on the other hand have a very dry climate.

In English, the naming for the individual areas of the Lesser Antilles is completely different: The chain of Martinique to Trinidad is called " Windward Islands ", the northern part of the Lesser Antilles ( Virgin Islands to Dominica) " Leeward Islands ". Both together correspond to the German " Leeward Islands " mentioned. The " Windward Islands " off the northern coast of South America are called in English " Leeward Antilles". (See comparison chart )

As the " Leeward Islands " was also referred to a British colony, which included 1671-1816, then again from 1833 to 1960 Antigua, Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla and ( until 1940) Dominica. This colony was named 1871-1956 " Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands " and thereafter until 1960 " Territory of the Leeward Islands ".

In cricket are the Leeward Islands three of the six first-class teams of the Federation of the West Indies, namely Leeward Islands, Windward Islands and Barbados. Contrary to the general English-speaking manner but does not belong Dominica at the Leeward, but to the Windward Islands.

Islands and island groups

The northern part ( Leeward Islands )

• Virgin Islands ( British and U.S. American)
• Anguilla ( British)
• Sint Eustatius ( Dutch)
• Sint Maarten - St. Martin (Dutch and French)
• Saint- Barthélemy ( French overseas territory )
• Saba ( Dutch)
• Barbuda ( Antigua and Barbuda)
• St. Kitts and Nevis (Independent)
• Antigua ( Antigua and Barbuda)
• Montserrat ( British)
• Guadeloupe ( part of France )
• Marie- Galante ( Guadeloupe )
• Aves ( to the Dependencias Federales of Venezuela)
• Dominica ( independent)

The southern part (part of the Windward Islands)

• Martinique ( part of France )
• St. Lucia ( independent)
• St. Vincent ( the main island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines)
• Grenadines ( St. Vincent and the Grenadines)
• Grenada ( independent)
• Barbados ( independent)

The islands of the State of Trinidad and Tobago as little as the neighboring Venezuelan Isla de Patos to the Leeward Islands.