Caribbean Geography
&
Indicators of Development
Introduction to Caribbean Territories
Objective:
Caribbean Geography
● identify different groupings of territories within the Caribbean
The Caribbean
The Caribbean is the region in the Americas which comprises the
Caribbean Sea, its islands and the surrounding areas. The region is
southeast of North America and the Gulf of Mexico, east of Central
America and to the northwest of South America. Some of the islands of
the Caribbean border or are located in the North Atlantic Ocean. The
Caribbean region has over 7,000 islands and islets and also includes
some territories located on the mainland of South America. The land
area is roughly 1,063,000 square miles (2,754,000 sq. km). According
to a United Nations estimate, the population of the Caribbean at the
beginning of June 2016 stood at 43,465,216.
DIVISIONS OF THE CARIBBEAN
● Includes Cuba, Hispaniola,
01 Greater Antilles
Jamaica, Puerto Rico
● Smaller island chain
● Leeward: Northern Lesser Antilles
02 Lesser Antilles
● Windward: Southern Lesser Antilles
● Guyana: South American connection
03 Mainland Territories ● Suriname: Dutch influence
● Belize: Central American gateway
Objectives:
Indicators of Development
● explain the use of the various ways of measuring development
● assess the factors that influence the development of various industries
● assess the contribution of these industries to the economic development in
the Caribbean
● describe how information and communication technology impacts industries in
the Caribbean
● Process of growth and
progress
Understanding ● Economic advancement
● Social improvement
Development ● Environmental sustainability
● Cultural preservation
Focus: Economic, social and
human development
What is development?
Development refers to the process of improving the economic well-being and
quality of life of a nation. It often involves industrial growth, improved
infrastructure, increased income levels, better access to education, healthcare,
human rights and the reduction of poverty.
Economic Indicators
GDP/GNP measurements Per capita income: Cost of living index
(Total National
Income/Total Population)
GDP/GNP Measurements
● GDP (Gross Domestic Product): The total value of goods and services
produced within a country over a specific time, like a year. It shows
how much a country’s economy is producing.
● GNP (Gross National Product): Similar to GDP but includes the value
of goods and services produced by the country’s citizens, even if
they’re living abroad, and excludes production by foreign residents within
the country.
Per Capita Income
● This measures the average income per person in a country.
It’s calculated by dividing the total national income by the
total population. It gives an idea of the standard of living and
economic well-being of the people in a country.
Cost of Living Index
● This is a measure of how much money people need to
afford basic expenses like food, housing, transportation,
and healthcare in a specific area. A higher index means
it’s more expensive to live there, while a lower index
means it’s cheaper.
Social Development Indicators
Education access rates
Literacy percentage
Life expectancy
Infant mortality rates
Healthcare availability
Human Development Index (HDI)
This is a way to measure and rank countries based on three key areas of
human development.
• Three key dimensions:
• Health
• Education
• Standard of living
The HDI gives a score between 0 and 1, with higher scores indicating
better development. It helps compare countries' development and identify
areas needing improvement.
Uses of the various indicators of development
Policy Planning Measuring Evaluating Monitoring
and Economic Living Social
Implementation Performance Standards Well-being
Tracking Assessing
Attracting Identifying
Progress Environmental
Investment Inequalities
Toward Goals Sustainability
Which is the most
developed Caribbean
country?
Factors that influence development of various industries
Examples of industries: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Mining, Tourism and other
services, Manufacturing, Cultural/Creative:
(a) Investment
(b) Markets
(c) Infrastructural development
(d) Policy and regulations
(e) Technology
(f) Education/skills of workers
Let’s look at two industries for example
What factors influence tourism What factors influence cultural and
development in Jamaica/the creative development in
Caribbean? Jamaica/the Caribbean?
● Natural resources ● Artistic heritage
● Infrastructure ● Digital platforms
● Marketing ● Market reach
● Service quality
● Innovation
● International accessibility
● Educational support
Contributions of various industries to development
● foreign exchange earnings and savings/ income;
● employment generation:
direct employment: hotel workers, farm managers, engineers, artists and
artistes;
indirect employment through linkages with other sectors of the economy (for
example, agriculture, tourism, arts and craft, transportation)
● government revenue (taxes, licenses).
● GDP growth
Create a detailed list of specific
actions that can be implemented to
improve the contribution of different
industries to your country. Think about
measures like improving technology,
Activity 1 enhancing worker skills, developing
better infrastructure, or increasing
sustainable practices. Use examples
from real-world scenarios or ideas
you’ve learned about to make your list
practical and relevant.
Imagine you have the opportunity to
advise your prime minister. Draft a
set of thoughtful suggestions for
how the country could maximize the
Activity 2 contributions of its industries. Focus
on policies, partnerships, or
programs that could lead to
economic growth, social benefits,
and environmental sustainability.
Make sure your suggestions are
clear and realistic.
Industry Linkages
Agriculture-touris Manufacturing-ex Creative Transportation Service sector
m connection port relationship sector-tourism networks support
integration
Impact of information and communication
technology on industries: Part 1
(a) greater efficiency
(b) access to wider market
(c) greater accessibility
(d) easier access to financial services
Impact of information and communication
technology on industries: Part 2
(e) reduced business cost
(f) improvement in research and development
(g) facilitates entrepreneurship
(h) increases access to education for workers
