islands lying between southeastern north america and northern south america, enclosing the Caribbean Sea. They comprise the Greater Antilles (cuba; dominican republic; haiti; jamaica; and puerto rico), the Lesser Antilles (antigua and barbuda and the other Leeward islands, barbados; martinique and the other Windward islands, netherlands antilles; VIRGIN islands OF THE united states, BRITISH VIRGINI islands, and the islands north of venezuela which include trinidad and tobago), and the bahamas. (From Webster's New Geographical dictionary, 1988, p1330)