Thousands of islands, large and small, are scattered throughout the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea. The largest of these islands are Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic), and Puerto Rico; together, they are known as the Greater Antilles. Smaller islands include Barbados and Dominica; groups of islands include the Bahamas, the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Leeward and Windward Islands. Approximately 42 million people live in the Caribbean. The culture of the region is a fascinating blend of native, European, and African influences that can vary widely from island to island. Readers of this book are invited to discover the countries of the Caribbean: their history, natural features, economies, people and cultures, and important cities. There’s a lot to discover about the Caribbean! Each title in this series contains color photos, maps, a chronology of events related to the country, recipes, list of festivals, ideas for projects and reports, and back matter including: an index, further reading lists for books and internet resources, and a series glossary. Mason Crests editorial team has placed Key Icons to Look for throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are then used in the prose throughout that chapter, and are emboldened, so that the reader is able to reference back to the definitions- building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich materi