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Leeward Antilles facts for kids

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Not to be confused with Leeward Islands.


LocationLeewardAntilles
Map of the Leeward Antilles
La Tortuga Island Federal Dependencies Venezuela (1)
La Tortuga Island, Federal Dependencies of Venezuela
Klein Bonaire Strand (34769026072)
Klein Bonaire, Netherlands

The Leeward Antilles (Dutch: Benedenwindse Eilanden) are a chain of islands in the Caribbean – specifically the southerly islands of the Lesser Antilles (and, in turn, the Antilles and the West Indies) along the southeastern fringe of the Caribbean Sea, just north of the Venezuelan coast of the South American mainland. The Leeward Antilles, while among the Lesser Antilles, are not to be confused with the Leeward Islands (also of the Lesser Antilles) to the northeast.

Largely lacking in volcanic activity, the Leeward Antilles island arc occurs along the deformed southern edge of the Caribbean Plate and was formed by the plate's subduction under the South American Plate. Recent studies indicate that the Leeward Antilles are accreting to South America.

Islands

The Leeward Antilles comprise (roughly from west to east):

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Islas de Sotavento para niños

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