The island of Jamaica has 120 rivers, including the Rio Grande in Port Antonio which is the birthplace of bamboo rafting and the white river through which James Bond waded in Doctor No.
With an area of only 37 square miles, the island of St. Maarten/St. Martin is the smallest landmass in the world to be divided between two countries. Its dual owners are the Dutch and French, who have shared the island for almost 350 years.
The only foreign land George Washington ever visited was Barbados .
Only about 2 percent of the Caribbean 's numerous islands are inhabited.
Jamaica is the largest English-speaking island in the Caribbean
The first slaves in Barbados were white.
The Arawaks were the first Caribbean people encountered by Columbus
South Carolina , in the USA , was originally settled by Barbadians, and it's first Governor was a Barbadian.
In Trinidad & Tobago, the literacy rate is 97% higher than the U.S. Every adult can read and write.
Guyana is the only country in South America where English is the official language.
Janelle “Penny” Commissiong, native from Trinidad , was the first black woman to win the Miss Universe Pageant in 1977.
Haiti was the first post-colonial independent black-led nation in the world.
Residents of Puerto Rico are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
San Juan , Puerto Rico is the oldest city in American territory, founded in 1521 by Ponce de Leon.
Baseball is Puerto Rico 's national sport.
Cuba is the largest island in the West Indies .
When Christopher Columbus first stumbled upon Cuba in 1492 he thought he had landed in China .
Cuba has one of the best health care systems in the world. The average life expectancy of around 76 years is comparable with that of the UK and US and one of its most successful exports is that of medical technology. Cuban scientists have developed vaccines for hepatitis-B and meningitis-B.
Trinidad and Tobago is the birthplace of calypso music and the development of the acoustic musical instrument, the steel pan.
The town of La Brea in southwestern Trinidad was the first town in the Caribbean to have electric street lights.
Antigua hosts one of the Caribbean ’s largest regattas – Antigua Sailing Week – which attracts competitors from all over the world and is considered #1 in the Caribbean and among the top 10 in the world
Grenada is dubbed the ' Spice Island ' because of its impressive production of nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
Grenada ’s rainy season lasts from June to November, and rain falls on average on 22 days a month during this period.
Haiti is the only nation in the world whose independence was gained as part of a successful slave rebellion.
The Dominican Republic is considered the breadbasket of the Caribbean because it grows, farms and catches almost everything that’s served on dinner tables everywhere.
