Leeward Antilles

The Leeward Antilles are a chain of Caribbean islands just north of Venezuela, including Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire. Their position near South America distinguishes them from the northern Lesser Antilles.

Lesser Antilles: The arc of islands separating the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean, extending from the Virgin Islands to Trinidad. The Leeward Antilles are commonly grouped within this broader island chain.
Aruba: An island in the southern Caribbean and a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Aruba is one of the ABC islands at the western end of the chain.
Caribbean Plate: A tectonic plate underlying much of the Caribbean Sea and surrounding regions. Its movement shaped the geological setting in which the islands formed.
Bonaire National Marine Park: A protected marine area surrounding Bonaire, established to conserve coral reefs and coastal habitats. It exemplifies reef protection in the southern Caribbean islands.
Dutch Caribbean: The Caribbean territories and constituent countries associated with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire share Dutch constitutional and historical connections.
Caribbean Sea: A tropical sea bordered by the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles, Central America, and northern South America. It lies immediately north of the Leeward Antilles and connects them to the wider Caribbean.
Curaçao: An island in the southern Caribbean and a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Curaçao is the largest of the ABC islands and a central example of the chain.
South American Plate: A tectonic plate underlying South America and adjacent parts of the Atlantic Ocean. Its northern margin helps define the tectonic setting off Venezuela.
Caribbean coral reefs: Tropical reef ecosystems distributed throughout the Caribbean Sea and adjacent Atlantic waters. Reefs support fisheries and tourism around several Leeward Antillean islands.
Kingdom of the Netherlands: A sovereign state composed of the Netherlands and three Caribbean countries: Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten. Aruba and Curaçao are constituent countries within the Kingdom.

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Leeward IslandsCompared with: Despite the similar name, this separate island group lies far southwest of the Leeward Islands.