why are they the Caribbean and not the west Indies?

Answer 1

The West Indies are a large group of islands that separate the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. It's comprised of three (3) main island groups:

Bahamas (north)
Greater Antilles (central)
Lesser Antilles (southeast)

The Bahamas consist of over 3,000 individual islands and reefs.

The Greater Antilles include the island countries of Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic (Hispaniola), and Puerto Rico.

The Lesser Antilles are the much smaller islands to the southeast, and they are divided into two (2) groups, the Leeward Islands and Windward Islands.

They were originally named just the "Indies" by Columbus and it was later changed to the "West Indies" to avoid confusion. (So they hoped!)

If you will the "West Indies" and the Caribbean are the same. Columbus naming them the "Indies" believing he had reached Asia. Spice Island which is as we know it Indonesia is known as the "East Indies".

There ya have it =)

Answer 2

The Caribbean are the term for the whole region while the West Indies refer to the islands which are broken up, the English speaking countries are popularly referred to as the West Indies. But if you break it down more you have the French West Indies, Dutch West Indies etc.... they can also be broken down by languages in the area.

Answer 3

West Indies is a holdover from the days of colonisation - former territories were collectively referred to as the West Indies - sometimes prefaced by the mother country's name, eg Dutch West Indies, British West Indies.

Today the term West Indies is most commonly associated with the cricket, and the islands whose members comprise the West Indies cricket board.

Officially the area is known as the Caribbean.

Answer 4

We are called Caribbean, West Indies and some (St. Maarten for example) Antilles. It don't matter it is all the same.

It is called the Caribbean because of the Caribe Indians that left South America and made the islands their home.

West Indies because Columbus thought he was in India.

Antilles now sure why.

Also before I forget we are also called islanders or people from the islands.

Answer 5

Not to confuse the issue. Jamaica is in the Caribbean but it is also considered the West Indies.

Answer 6

Barbados is not really in the Caribbean as it is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, however it is still considered part of the Caribbean.
The postal address is "West Indies"

Answer 7

The caribbean is the west indies, at least Jamaica is both. I dont know why.

Answer 8

Caribbean is the proper name. They are called the west indies sometimes because Columbus thought it was east India

Answer 9

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Answer 10

first of all let's the fact straight. The Caribbeans are in North America, not in Indies which is in Asia. So you got them wrong. Second of all it matters who discovered the place.