Need help with Geography!!

[TrueEeyore]

Ok, I have two questions that could be at least two of the multiple choice answers.

1. If you're visiting Nassau, New Providence Island, San Juan, Puerto Rico; and the island of Aruba, you're touring

A. Central America
B. The West Indies
C. The Caribbean
D. Mexico

In my book, it implies that the West Indies are IN the Caribbean, so it's sort of a trick question. This one is confusing as well:

If you're visiting Cozumel, Mexico; San Jose, Costa Rica; and the island of Bermuda, you're touring

A. The Caribbean
B. The West Indies
C. South America
D. Middle America

These are also considered the West Indies, the Caribbean, AND Middle America in my book. So I don't know which answer to pick for either question I always seem to pick the wrong one. Someone please help me to understand what these people mean.

 

[Lzylitnin]

Well for question 1, I would say the Caribbean because Nassau in the Bahamas is not considered the West Indies.

For question 2, I'm not sure. I would've picked Middle Americas, except Bermuda isn't in Central America or the Caribbean and I would also consider Cozumel to be in North America. Bermuda is in the Atlantic, not the Caribbean. San Jose is in the middle of Costa Rica. Definitely Central America.

Sounds like they're all trick questions to me!

 

[mattsdragon]

The first one is definitely the West Indies (the Bahamas are not in the Caribbean. . .they are east of Florida, and north of Hispanola. . .the waterway between them, Florida, Hispanola, and Cuba is called the Old Bahama Channel).

The second one, with the exception of Bermuda is Middle America, definitely not the Caribbean (Cozumel is in the Gulf of Mexico), but Bermuda is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, east of the Carolinas by about 300 miles or so. That one is a trick question I would say as it's also not part of the West Indies.

 

[jmb72]

I've never heard the term "Middle America" used as a concrete geographical term. Reminds me of Middle Earth.

 

[Lzylitnin]

I've never heard the term "Middle America" used as a concrete geographical term. Reminds me of Middle Earth.

That's exactly what I thought too!

 

[taximomfor4]

I think that Caribbean is out, for#1, because Bahamas is not in the Caribbean. So maybe West Indies? Although many authorities consider West Indies to imply English-speaking, not every source maintains that distinction.

For #2, it must be Middle America because it includes Cozumel and Bermuda. Bermuda is actually almost due east of North Carolina. Sounds "middle" to me, lol.

 

[TrueEeyore]

Thanks everyone! I thought #1 was West Indies, I'm still not sure about #2, but I think I'll pick Middle America (Middle Earth )

*fingers crossed!

 

[dcgrumpy]

The first one is definitely the West Indies (the Bahamas are not in the Caribbean. . .they are east of Florida, and north of Hispanola. . .the waterway between them, Florida, Hispanola, and Cuba is called the Old Bahama Channel).

The second one, with the exception of Bermuda is Middle America, definitely not the Caribbean (Cozumel is in the Gulf of Mexico), but Bermuda is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, east of the Carolinas by about 300 miles or so. That one is a trick question I would say as it's also not part of the West Indies.

Cozumel is in the Caribbean Sea

 

[Lzylitnin]

The first one is definitely the West Indies (the Bahamas are not in the Caribbean. . .they are east of Florida, and north of Hispanola. . .the waterway between them, Florida, Hispanola, and Cuba is called the Old Bahama Channel).

I copied this from a world atlas site: WEST INDIES

The West Indies are a large group of islands that separate the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. It is comprised of three (3) main island groups, including the Bahamas (north), the Greater Antilles (central), and the Lesser Antilles in the (southeast)

Technically the Bahamas south and west side would be considered the Caribean if what this says is true. The north and east side would be considered the Atlantic. The Bahamas are considered in the West Indies. I didn't realize they were included. I thought the West Indies were Cuba, Hispaniola, all the way to Venezuela, but I've been wrong before.....

Cozumel is in the Caribbean Sea not the Gulf of Mexico.

 

[pogo791]

According to the (usually) trustworthy Wikipedia,

"The Caribbean . . . is a region of the Americas consisting of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (most of which enclose the sea), and the surrounding coasts. The region is located southeast of North America, east of Central America, and to the north and west of South America.

Situated largely on the Caribbean Plate, the area comprises more than 7,000 islands, islets, reefs, and cays. The West Indies consist of the Antilles, divided into the larger Greater Antilles which bound the sea on the north and the Lesser Antilles on the south and east (including the Leeward Antilles), and the Bahamas. Geopolitically, the West Indies are usually reckoned as a subregion of North America and are organised into 28 territories including sovereign states, overseas departments, and dependencies. At one time, there was a short-lived country called the Federation of the West Indies composed of ten English-speaking Caribbean territories.

The Caribbean islands are an island chain 2,500 miles long and no more than 160 miles wide at any given point. They enclose the Caribbean Sea.

The name "Caribbean" is named after the Caribs, one of the dominant Amerindian groups in the region at the time of European contact during the late 15th century. The analogous "West Indies" originates from Christopher Columbus's idea that he had landed in the Indies (then meaning all of south and east Asia) when he had actually reached the Americas.

The Spanish term Antillas was commonly assigned to the newly discovered lands; stemming from this, "Sea of the Antilles" is a common alternate name for the Caribbean Sea in various European languages.

In the English-speaking Caribbean, someone from the Caribbean is usually referred to as a "West Indian," although the rather cumbersome phrase "Caribbean person" is sometimes used."

On that Wikipedian basis, the West Indies would be part of the Caribbean.

Wikipedia goes on to define Central America as the isthmus connecting North America with South America.

To go to the two questions: For question 1, both A (Central America) and D (Mexico) are definitely out. B (The West Indies) would seem to fit better than C (The Caribbean).

As for question 2, both C (South America) and D (Middle America - which is probably just a slip, and should be Central America) are out. I'd say that here, A (The Caribbean) would fit better than B (The West Indies).

 

[TrueEeyore]

Well now I'm just confused

 

[Art Vandalay]

Middle America is a term for Mexico, Central America and the Greater and Lesser Antilles.

 

[Golf4food]

Bermuda is actually almost due east of North Carolina.

Bermuda is actually on almost the exact same parallel as Charleston, South Carolina.

Charleston: 32°47′00″N 79°56′00″W

Hamilton (Capitol of Bermuda): 32°18′N, 64°47′W

 

[taximomfor4]

Ok, I pulled out my old college geography book...the map of Middle America in there has pretty much the same boundaries as the one on this website.

http://www.placesonline.org/sitelists/nam/middleamerica/middleamerica.asp

I seem to remember it being "from the middle latitude of North America to the middle latitude of south america."