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pirate stories, sea and land adventures, resorts, and beautiful Caribbean
flora and fauna, - all these things attract the tireless tourists from
around the world every year. The Caribbean Archipelago or as it was
called by the greatest explorer of all times Christopher Columbus,
the West Indies, is not a country or island, rather it is a group of
small and big islands in the body of the warm Caribbean Sea. The West
Indies are conveniently situated between the two continents – South
and North Americas – and occupy the area of about 2,754,000 square
kilometers.
The Caribbean region was of interest to European and American families
since the Age of Exploration. Many Caribbean islands as well as their ingenious
populations were colonized and put to work by force by the more technologically
advanced and greedy Europeans in the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth
centuries. Spanish, Portuguese, English, Dutch, and French conquerors fought
many wars with each other over the domination of the Caribbean territory,
which had become an important trading post after its discovery by Christopher
Columbus.
At the same time, the Caribbean Islands were of interest to pirates, mostly
British, Dutch and French buccaneers, whose goal was to get rich fast by
means of seizing ships (usually Spanish) with invaluable cargo, going from
the Caribbean back to Europe. It is believed, that some pirates dug and
left their treasure at some of the Caribbean islands and treasure hunters
are looking for it to this day.
But possibly the biggest treasure of the Caribbean is its nature – endless
warm blue sea with white sand beaches, feared and respected by the ancient
pirates; tropical forests, full of wonderful animals, insects, birds, and
reptiles; mountains with caves, climbing to the edge of the clouds; and
resorts with their coral reefs, waterfalls, and hot springs. The tropical
climate of the Caribbean makes it one of the most popular sunshine spots
in the world and the hot spot for family vacations, sport, and tourism.
Each year many families from around the world come by sea or by air to
the Caribbean Islands to enjoy its wonders.
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