As of 2024, Barbados was the most densely populated country in Latin America and the Caribbean, with approximately 652 people per square kilometer. In that same year, Argentina's population density was estimated at approximately 16.7 people per square kilometer.

Cuba is one of the Caribbean nations with the highest prison population rate as of August 2024. According to the latest data available at that time, there were 794 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants on this island, followed by the Bahamas, with 409 prisoners per 100,000 population. In some Caribbean countries, over 10 percent of the prison population were foreign nationals.

A potential consequence of individuals compensating for density-dependent processes is that rare or infrequent events can produce profound and long-term shifts in species abundance. In 1983–1984 a mass mortality event reduced the numbers of the abundant sea urchin Diadema antillarum by 95–99% throughout the caribbean and western atlantic. Following this event, the abundance of macroalgae increased and the few surviving D. antillarum responded by increasing in body size and fecundity. these initial observations suggested that populations of D. antillarum could recover rapidly following release from food limitation. In contrast, published studies of field manipulations indicate that this species had traits making it resistant to density-dependent effects on offspring production and adult mortality; this evidence raises the possibility that density-independent processes might keep populations at a diminished level. Decadal scale (1983–2011) monitoring of recruitment, mortality, population density and size structure of D. antillarum from st John, us Virgin Islands, indicates that population density has remained relatively stable and more than an order of magnitude lower than that before the mortality event of 1983–1984. We detected no evidence of density-dependent mortality or recruitment since this mortality event. In this location, model estimates of equilibrium population density, assuming density-independent processes and based on parameters generated over the first decade following the mortality event, accurately predict the low population density 20 years later (2011). We find no evidence to support the notion that this historically dominant species will rebound from this temporally brief, but spatially widespread, perturbation.

These data are evidence of the the long-term dynamics of shallow coral reefs along the south coast of St. John from as early as 1987. These data describe coral reef community structure as percent cover based on the analysis of color photographs. All of these data originate from color images of photoquadrats recorded annually (usually in the summer) from as early as 1987. The data falls into three groups. The two groups that are contained in this data package are (1) Tektite & Yawzi and (2) Random sites. The juvenile coral density is packaged separately. Tektite – this is at 14 m depth on the eastern side of Great Lameshur Bay and is the original site of the Tektite man-in-the sea project in 1969; this project marked the birth of the Virgin Islands Ecological Research Station (later the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station) that hosts the field component of the project. The reef in this location consists of a single buttress that has remained dominated by Montastraea anularis since the start of the research (1987). These surveys consist of 30 photoquadrats (1 x 1 m) distributed along three, 10 m transects. Yawzi – this is at 9 m depth and is on the western side of Great Lameshur Bay and has been recorded photographically since 1987. This reef also started the study period dominated by Montastraea annularis, but has degraded much more rapidly that the Tektite site. These surveys consist of 30 photoquadrats (1 x 1 m) distributed along three, 10 m transects. Random sites – were added in 1992 to address the concern that the original sites (Yawzi and Tektite) were selected on “good” areas of reef and, therefore, could only decline in condition. The Random sites were selected using random coordinates in 1992, and consist of 6 sites (at 7-9 m depth) scattered between Cabritte Point and White Point. All lie a little shoreward of Yawzi and Tektite, and have always been characterized by low coral cover (< 10% cover). The surveys consist of 18-40 photoquadrats (0.5 x 0.5 m; with sample size determined by the exposures on a 35 mm cassette versus digital techniques) that are placed at random points along a transect.

Harnessing the power of genomic scans, we test the debated 'species pump' hypothesis that implicates repeated cycles of island connectivity and isolation as drivers of divergence. This question has gone understudied given the limited resolution of past molecular markers for studying such dynamic phenomena. With an average of 32000 SNPs from the genome of 136 individuals from ten populations of a Caribbean flightless ground cricket species (Amphiacusta sanctaecrucis) and a complementary set of statistical approaches, we infer a stepping-stone colonization model and high levels of genetic differentiation across the Virgin Islands, which have been periodically inter-connected until 8 ka. Estimates of divergence times from models based on the site frequency spectrum coincide with a period of repeated connection and fragmentation of the islands at 75–130 ka. These results are consistent with a role of island connectivity cycles in promoting genomic divergence and indicate that the genetic distinctiveness of island populations has persisted despite subsequent and extended interisland connections identified from bathymetric data. We discuss these findings in the broader context of Caribbean biogeography, and more specifically why high levels of genomic divergence across the Virgin Islands associated with repeated connectivity cycles do not actually translate into species diversification.

This table shows the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of Bonaire, St. Eustatius, Saba and total Caribbean Netherlands. GDP is a macroeconomic concept. Note: GDP per capita has been calculated in all years using the most current figures for GDP and population size. No correction has been made for the following two breaks in population time series: - Between 1 January 2015 and 1 January 2016, the population register of St. Eustatius was updated. As a result, approximately 600 individuals were classified as emigrants. These people were still registered in the population register of St. Eustatius, but a check-up revealed that they did not live on the island anymore. - Between 1 Januari 2018 en 1 Januari 2019, the population register of both St. Eustatius and Saba was updated. As a result, approximately 200 individuals on Sint Eustatius and over 200 individuals on Saba were classified as emigrants. These people were still registered in the population register of respectively St. Eustatius and Saba, but a check-up revealed that they did not live on these islands anymore. Data available from: 2012 Status of the figures: The figures in this table are final. Changes as of 26 September 2024: Data of 2022 have been added to this table. When will new figures be published? New figures of the GDP per capita of 2023 will be published in the autumn of 2025.

This table contains the dynamic purchasing power of people in the Caribbean Netherlands; the islands of Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba. Persons are differentiated according to sex, position in the household and household characteristics age main earner, main income source and income level. The income level quartile groups are determined per island, since the income differences between the islands make a classification for the Caribbean Netherlands as a total difficult to interpret.

Population: The population consists of the people in private households with income observed. The reference date is December 31 of the year under review.

Data is available starting from: 2012.

Status of the figures: The figures for 2012 to 2021 are final. The figures for 2022 are provisional.

Changes June 28, 2024: The figures for 2016 to 2020 have changed. For 2016 and later (more) complete registration declaration data are available. The correction leads to higher incomes, in particular for the working- and the wealthy population. The final figures for 2021 and the provisional figures for 2022 are added.

When will new figures be published? New figures are expected in September 2025.

This table shows the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of Bonaire, St. Eustatius, Saba and total Caribbean Netherlands. GDP is a macroeconomic concept. Note: GDP per capita has been calculated in all years using the most current figures for GDP and population size. No correction has been made for the following two breaks in population time series: - Between 1 January 2015 and 1 January 2016, the population register of St. Eustatius was updated. As a result, approximately 600 individuals were classified as emigrants. These people were still registered in the population register of St. Eustatius, but a check-up revealed that they did not live on the island anymore. - Between 1 Januari 2018 en 1 Januari 2019, the population register of both St. Eustatius and Saba was updated. As a result, approximately 200 individuals on Sint Eustatius and over 200 individuals on Saba were classified as emigrants. These people were still registered in the population register of respectively St. Eustatius and Saba, but a check-up revealed that they did not live on these islands anymore. Data available from: 2012 Status of the figures: The figures in this table are final. Changes as of 29 September 2022: Data of 2020 have been added to this table. When will new figures be published? New figures of the GDP per capita of 2021 will be published in the autumn of 2023.

This data package is formatted as an ecocomDP (Ecological Community Data Pattern). For more information on ecocomDP see https://github.com/EDIorg/ecocomDP. This Level 1 data package was derived from the Level 0 data package found here: https://pasta.lternet.edu/package/metadata/eml/edi/291/2. The abstract below was extracted from the Level 0 data package and is included for context: These data are evidence of the the long-term dynamics of shallow coral reefs along the south coast of St. John from as early as 1987. These data describe coral reef community structure as percent cover based on the analysis of color photographs. All of these data originate from color images of photoquadrats recorded annually (usually in the summer) from as early as 1987. The data falls into three groups. The two groups that are contained in this data package are (1) Tektite & Yawzi and (2) Random sites. The juvenile coral density is packaged separately. Tektite – this is at 14 m depth on the eastern side of Great Lameshur Bay and is the original site of the Tektite man-in-the sea project in 1969; this project marked the birth of the Virgin Islands Ecological Research Station (later the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station) that hosts the field component of the project. The reef in this location consists of a single buttress that has remained dominated by Montastraea anularis since the start of the research (1987). These surveys consist of 30 photoquadrats (1 x 1 m) distributed along three, 10 m transects. Yawzi – this is at 9 m depth and is on the western side of Great Lameshur Bay and has been recorded photographically since 1987. This reef also started the study period dominated by Montastraea annularis, but has degraded much more rapidly that the Tektite site. These surveys consist of 30 photoquadrats (1 x 1 m) distributed along three, 10 m transects. Random sites – were added in 1992 to address the concern that the original sites (Yawzi and Tektite) were selected on “good” areas of reef and, therefore, could only decline in condition. The Random sites were selected using random coordinates in 1992, and consist of 6 sites (at 7-9 m depth) scattered between Cabritte Point and White Point. All lie a little shoreward of Yawzi and Tektite, and have always been characterized by low coral cover (< 10% cover). The surveys consist of 18-40 photoquadrats (0.5 x 0.5 m; with sample size determined by the exposures on a 35 mm cassette versus digital techniques) that are placed at random points along a transect. This project focuses on the long-term community dynamics of shallow coral reefs on the south shore of St. John. The project began in 1987 and consists of permanently marked areas that are photographed annually for the analysis of benthic community structure and areas that are censused annually for the density of juvenile corals. All of the work takes place on reefs at less than 14 m depth, and virtually all of the study sites fall between Cabritte Point to the east, and White Point to the west. The project is independent of, but complimentary to, the larger-scale reef monitoring program conducted by the Virgin Islands National Park. The project described here is an independent academic effort led by Dr. Peter Edmunds from California State University, Northridge. The objective of this study is to describe coral reef community dynamics in great detail from a small area to first, elucidate the patterns of change in key components of the benthic coral reefs, and second, to test for processes that drive the changes observed. The core of the project relies on high resolution digital images that have been recorded at least annually since December 1987, and are available here as a invaluable photographic archive for further analysis and to corroborate existing numerical descriptions. In addition to the photographs, the density of juvenile corals has been recorded at multiple sites since 1994.

Between 2011 and 2023, the population of the Caribbean island Saba increased slightly. Saba, one of the three special municipalities of the Netherlands, counted roughly two thousand inhabitants in 2023. Population peaked in 2018, at approximately 2,200. In total, the three special municipalities forming the Caribbean Netherlands were home to around 29,400 people in 2023.

 Three special municipalities…  

Of the three special municipalities, Saba is the smallest and the least populous. Bonaire is the largest, with just under 22.6 thousand inhabitants in 2022. Approximately 3.2 thousand people lived on Sint Eustatius, Saba’s neighbor to the east.

… And three independent Caribbean countries  

Next to the three special municipalities, there are three more islands in the Caribbean with a connection to the Netherlands. Sint Maarten, Aruba and Curaçao are independent countries, but still part of the larger Kingdom of the Netherlands. Of these three islands, Curaçao is the largest, with a population of around 151 thousand in 2022. The population of Aruba amounted to roughly 111 thousand in 2020. Of the three independent countries, Sint Maarten was the smallest in terms of population, with just over 40,000 inhabitants.

Coral larvae are selective with regards to the surfaces upon which they settle, but little is known about the outcome of these choices. In this study, we explored the implications for juvenile scleractinians (less than 40-mm diameter) of growing on igneous versus carbonate rock on the shallow reefs (5-m depth) of St. John, US Virgin Islands. Surveys revealed that juvenile corals occurred at densities of 16 colonies m− 2 and were distributed on igneous and carbonate rocks in proportion to the abundance of these surfaces, suggesting that larvae do not discriminate between rock types at settlement. Repeated surveys demonstrated that all juvenile corals (i.e., pooled among taxa) grew 41% slower on igneous versus carbonate rock between January and August, but not between August and January when the growth was statistically indistinguishable between rock types. Although the growth of the most common juvenile coral, Porites astreoides, was similar on both substrata, the photophysiology of this species was affected by the type of rock. The maximum relative electron transfer rate (rETR, a proxy for photosynthesis) of P. astreoides was down-regulated 30% on igneous compared to carbonate rock. Phylogenetic analyses of the Symbiodinium community sequence profiles within P. astreoides revealed significant differences between substrata, with a greater diversity of co-occurring ITS-2 sequences in corals growing on carbonate compared to igneous rock. While substratum-dependent patterns in the characteristics of juvenile corals suggested there is selective value to the settlement choices made by larvae, these trends did not translate into differences in survival, at least over the time scale investigated. It remains uncertain what features of the rocks affected coral performance, but differences in the temperature of the rock may be an important feature during the warmest period of the year.

This data package is formatted as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A, event core). For more information on Darwin Core see https://www.tdwg.org/standards/dwc/. This Level 2 data package was derived from the Level 1 data package found here: https://pasta.lternet.edu/package/metadata/eml/edi/357/2, which was derived from the Level 0 data package found here: https://pasta.lternet.edu/package/metadata/eml/edi/291/2. The abstract below was extracted from the Level 0 data package and is included for context: These data are evidence of the the long-term dynamics of shallow coral reefs along the south coast of St. John from as early as 1987. These data describe coral reef community structure as percent cover based on the analysis of color photographs. All of these data originate from color images of photoquadrats recorded annually (usually in the summer) from as early as 1987. The data falls into three groups. The two groups that are contained in this data package are (1) Tektite & Yawzi and (2) Random sites. The juvenile coral density is packaged separately. Tektite – this is at 14 m depth on the eastern side of Great Lameshur Bay and is the original site of the Tektite man-in-the sea project in 1969; this project marked the birth of the Virgin Islands Ecological Research Station (later the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station) that hosts the field component of the project. The reef in this location consists of a single buttress that has remained dominated by Montastraea anularis since the start of the research (1987). These surveys consist of 30 photoquadrats (1 x 1 m) distributed along three, 10 m transects. Yawzi – this is at 9 m depth and is on the western side of Great Lameshur Bay and has been recorded photographically since 1987. This reef also started the study period dominated by Montastraea annularis, but has degraded much more rapidly that the Tektite site. These surveys consist of 30 photoquadrats (1 x 1 m) distributed along three, 10 m transects. Random sites – were added in 1992 to address the concern that the original sites (Yawzi and Tektite) were selected on “good” areas of reef and, therefore, could only decline in condition. The Random sites were selected using random coordinates in 1992, and consist of 6 sites (at 7-9 m depth) scattered between Cabritte Point and White Point. All lie a little shoreward of Yawzi and Tektite, and have always been characterized by low coral cover (< 10% cover). The surveys consist of 18-40 photoquadrats (0.5 x 0.5 m; with sample size determined by the exposures on a 35 mm cassette versus digital techniques) that are placed at random points along a transect. This project focuses on the long-term community dynamics of shallow coral reefs on the south shore of St. John. The project began in 1987 and consists of permanently marked areas that are photographed annually for the analysis of benthic community structure and areas that are censused annually for the density of juvenile corals. All of the work takes place on reefs at less than 14 m depth, and virtually all of the study sites fall between Cabritte Point to the east, and White Point to the west. The project is independent of, but complimentary to, the larger-scale reef monitoring program conducted by the Virgin Islands National Park. The project described here is an independent academic effort led by Dr. Peter Edmunds from California State University, Northridge. The objective of this study is to describe coral reef community dynamics in great detail from a small area to first, elucidate the patterns of change in key components of the benthic coral reefs, and second, to test for processes that drive the changes observed. The core of the project relies on high resolution digital images that have been recorded at least annually since December 1987, and are available here as a invaluable photographic archive for further analysis and to corroborate existing numerical descriptions. In addition to the photographs, the density of juvenile corals has been recorded at multiple sites since 1994.

In 2023, four Caribbean nations were the countries with the highest gross national income per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean. On average, the national gross income amounted to around 31,990 U.S. dollars per person in the Bahamas, an island country which also had one of the highest gross domestic product per capita in this region. Outside the Caribbean Excluding the Caribbean, the economies with the highest national income per capita are generally located in South America, with the exceptions of Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico. Guyana leads among continental states with a national income of around 20.360 U.S. dollars per person. Gross national income (GNI) is the aggregated sum of the value added by residents in an economy, plus net taxes (minus subsidies) and net receipts of primary income from abroad. The biggest economies Brazil and Mexico are still miles ahead in the race for the biggest economy of Latin America. As of 2023, both nations exceeded the two trillion U.S. dollars mark in their Gross Domestic Product (GDP). While Argentina's GDP, third place, slightly surpassed the 600 billion U.S. dollars. Nonetheless, both nations also ranked as the most populated by far in the region.

In 2023, the total population of Trinidad and Tobago amounted to over 1.53 million. The number of women who lived in Trinidad and Tobago exceeded the number of men by approximately 22,000. Population figures in the southern most island country in the Caribbean show a maintained upward trend at least since 2008.

In 2022, Jamaica welcomed nearly 1.9 million overnight tourist arrivals from the United States, ranking as the most popular country of origin among foreign visitors in the Caribbean island that year. The second place in the ranking was occupied by Canada with almost 270 thousand tourist arrivals. How long do visitors stay in Jamaica? The average number of nights spent by international tourists in Jamaica showed an overall declining trend between 2010 and 2019, going from an average of nine to less than eight, with some small growth happening between 2014 and 2016. However, foreign visitors in Jamaican territory stayed once again around nine nights in 2020 and 2021 on average, representing an increase of more than 15 percent versus 2019. Nonetheless in 2022, the average number of nights spent by tourists in the country decreased again to around 8 nights. When is the most popular month for tourists to travel to Jamaica? In July and December 2022, the average number of international overnight tourist arrivals in Jamaica was roughly 260 and 272 thousand visitors respectively, making these two months the most popular amongst tourists. Additionally, the month of December 2022 saw the highest year-over-year number of arrivals, with an increase of approximately 22 percent compared to December of the previous year. Thus, this recovery nearly reached pre-pandemic levels of 281 thousand in 2019. In terms of spending, international tourists in Jamaica contributed around 3.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, representing a 71 percent increase compared to the previous year. This growth was part of a broader trend throughout the 2010s, where inbound tourism spending in the Caribbean country steadily increased.

In 2023, the total population of Jamaica amounted to nearly 3 million. In that year, the were 1.42 million women, whereas the amount of men was 1.4 million. Population figures in this western Caribbean island show a maintained upward trend at least since 2008 to 2021.

In 2023, the total population of Puerto Rico amounted to approximately 3.21 million inhabitants. The number of women who lived on this island exceeded the number of men by approximately 190,000. Population figures in this Caribbean island show a maintained downward trend at least since 2008. In part, this can be attributed to falling fertility levels and migration to the United States, where Puerto Ricans enjoy better rates of employment than on the island.