Known as the 'Land of 365 Beaches', Antigua (pronounced An‐tee'ga) and Barbuda is a twin‐island country, located in the eastern Caribbean, at the southern end of the Leeward Islands chain. Antigua is about 23 km long and 18 km wide, encompassing 280 km², including the capital city, Saint John's. The highest point on Antigua is Mount Obama (402 m), known as Boggy Peak until 2009. Barbuda is a flat coral island with an area of only 161 km². The nation also includes the small (1.6 km²) uninhabited island of Redonda, which is now a nature preserve.

With a tropical maritime climate, there is little variation in seasonal temperatures, and steady south‐easterly breezes. The hurricane season is from June to September. The islands receive a mean annual rainfall of some 2 500 mm, with October and November being the wettest months. With no rivers or springs, droughts are not uncommon. There is generally low humidity year around. Average monthly temperatures range between 25 to 27 °C. -—
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—- The country is fourth on the list of most at‐risk countries according to the United Nations University -—
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—- World Risk Index.

Agriculture, once the mainstay of the economy, has been largely supplanted by tourism. Sugarcane was once the dominant crop on Antigua but is now insignificant. Today, fruit and vegetables, including citrus fruits, mangoes and eggplants are cultivated on the islands. Manufacturing plays a small role in the economy; most activity involves processing agricultural products and making clothing and textiles and concrete blocks. Manufactured exports mainly consist of iron, steel and shipping equipment. Shipping trade has also become important, and the country possesses one of the most important freight hubs in the Caribbean. Services account for almost three quarters of GDP. -—
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—- Tourism and financial services have turned the country into one of the more prosperous in the Caribbean. The contribution of travel and tourism to the economy is significant with over 1 million annual tourist arrivals each year from 2017 to 2019, and the inbound tourism expenditure reaching almost 45 per cent over GDP in 2019 -—
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The national dish is fungie (pronounced 'foon‐jee') made from cornmeal and pepper pot.

The nation's abundant coral reefs attract many snorkelers and scuba divers. Cricket is the favourite sport in Antigua and Barbuda, which has produced some of the greatest names in cricket, like Sir Vivian Richards, Andy Roberts and Riche Richardson. Other popular sports on the island include sport fishing, windsurfing and kite‐surfing. While English is the official language, many people speak Antiguan Creole.

The Antigua and Barbuda Carnival is often organised as a ten‐day festival featuring colourful costumes, beauty pageants, talent shows, and music. Steel drum music is an important part of the Carnival, and Antigua and Barbuda is home to many Caribbean steel bands. Soca is another typical type of music featured that grafts the slower beat of soul music onto the fast tempo of calypso. Reggae is also very popular and has been part of the Antigua and Barbudan music scene for a long time.

Located in the Atlantic Ocean, the Bahamas archipelago (also known as the Lucayan Archipelago) is comprised of some 700 low lying, tropical islands located off the east coast of Florida. Consisting mainly of raised coral reefs and sandbars, with a high point of only 63 m, it is one of the lowest countries in the world. It is unclear whether the name of the islands derive from the Spanish 'baja mar', meaning shallow water, or from the Taíno 'ba ha ma', meaning big upper middle land, which was a term for the region used by the indigenous peoples. Only about 30 of the islands are inhabited, with the majority (about 70 per cent) of people living in Nassau on the island of New Providence.

The Commonwealth of the Bahamas covers a massive 470 000 km² of ocean, stretching from Bimini, just 80 km off the Florida coast, then running along the entire coast of Cuba to Inagua, less than 100 km north of Haiti. The Bahamas sit right on the south western edge of the infamous Bermuda Triangle. The Tropic of Cancer bisects the Bahamian islands of Long Island and Exuma.

The Bahamas, surrounded by the warm Gulf stream, enjoys a tropical marine climate. The hot and rainy season spans from May to October while the cooler season lasts from November to April. Cooler weather is felt more on the north‐western islands. Average monthly temperatures range between 22 to 29 °C. Sea temperatures remain at around 26 °C all year round. Hurricanes and tropical cyclones strike mainly from August to November. The average annual rainfall is about 1 300 mm, with June and September being the wettest months. -—
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—- The prevailing winds have a cooling effect on the often humid climate.

The Bahamas had the 3rd highest per capita GDP in the western hemisphere in 2019, after the United States and Canada -—
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—-. In 2019, over seven million people arrived to the Bahamas by air and sea according to the local authorities. With only 0.8 per cent of arable land, according to FAO, agriculture makes a small contribution to the economy. Manufactured exports often relate to the oceans economy, such as shipping equipment and sea food, but also petroleum. Over 80 per cent of GDP comes from the service sector where four in five persons are employed -—
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—-, many in tourism and transport. Travel and tourism's contribution to the economy is large. Almost 7.3 million tourists arrived in the country in 2019 and inbound tourism expenditure reached 28 per cent over GDP -—
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—-. The islands are also an important centre for business and financial services and banking -—
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The Bahamas is a hub for transshipment and shipping services. It has one of the highest numbers of registered ships in the world ‐ in particular, cruise ships that sail in the Caribbean. Other industries include oil bunkering, salt, rum, aragonite and pharmaceuticals. Because of its ship registries and heavy reliance on tourism, the Bahamas does not collect taxes on personal income or capital gains. Revenues are mainly generated from tariffs on imported goods, value added tax and property taxes, as well as from tourists who visit the country.

The Bahamas imports almost all its food. However, some fruits are cultivated locally, mainly: tomatoes, pineapple, banana, mango, guava, sapodilla, soursop, grapefruit and sea grape. Some pigs, sheep and cattle are also raised. A small industry catches spiny lobster, grouper and conch.

The national dish is Conch, a staple in the Bahamas. It is a large tropical mollusc (sea snail) with firm, white flesh. It is often served raw as Conch salad with lime juice, vegetables and fruit.

On 26 December each year, the Bahamians celebrate Junkanoo. It is a spectacular carnival, characterized by colourful costumes, stilt dancers, street dancers, clowns and acrobats, all accompanied by powerful rhythms beaten traditionally on goatskin drums, cowbells, bugles, horns, whistles and conch shells.

Cricket is the national sport of the Bahamas but track and field is also very popular. The Bahamas have produced some notable athletic stars, including: Frank Rutherford, Chandra Sturrup, Debbie Ferguson, Eldece Clarke‐Lewis, Pauline Davis‐Thompson, Savatheda Fynes, Tonique Williams‐Darling and Shaunae Miller.

For scuba divers, the Bahamas boasts the longest known underwater cave system in the world beneath Grand Bahama Island. It also has Dean's Blue Hole, located west of Clarence Town on Long Island, which, at 202 m, is one of the deepest blue holes in the world. The warm waters surrounding the islands boast colourful fish and turtles. Andros Island offers the 225 km‐long Andros Barrier Reef, one of the longest coral reefs in the world.

The Bahamas have a number of national symbols: the yellow elder is the national flower, the Lignum Vitae (tree of life) the national tree, the flamingo the national bird and the blue marlin the national fish of the islands.

Bahrain, in Arabic "two seas", is situated in the southwestern coast of the Persian Gulf about 24 km off the east coast of Saudi Arabia and 28 km from Qatar. It is an archipelago consisting of 33 natural islands and numerous islets, shoals, and artificial islands. The islands' total land area is about 780 km², which is slightly larger than Singapore and the Maldives, making it the third-smallest country in Asia. Bahrain is low-lying, with the highest point, Jebel Dukhan in the centre of Bahrain island, at 137 meters above sea level. Bahrain island is the largest island and accounts for about 85 per cent of the area. It is connected to adjacent islands and the mainland of Saudi Arabia by bridges and causeways. Located in one of the world's richest petroleum regions, the country itself is the smallest Gulf oil producer. In 2018, Bahrain announced the discovery of an offshore oil field off Bahrain's west coast, estimated to contain 80 billion barrels of shale oil.

Bahrain’s climate is arid and is characterized by extremely hot summers and relatively mild winters. Average monthly temperatures range from 14 to 41 °C and are fairly uniform throughout the archipelago. There are two distinct seasons: a winter season from November to April, and a summer season from May to October -—
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—-. The annual average rainfall is small (about 80 mm) and irregular, falling almost entirely in the winter months-—
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—-. There are no rivers or permanent streams on the islands. Groundwater is the only natural source available for freshwater supply. Sandstorms are frequent, affecting all aspects of human activity and aggravating desertification. Despite the dry climate, about two hundred species of desert plants grow in the country. The only major tree growing in Bahrain is the Tree of Life (Shajarat-al-Hayat), 400 years old and 9.75 m high Prosopis cineraria tree, located 2 km from Jebel Dukhan.

The oil and gas industry dominates Bahraini economy. In 2019, it accounted for 17.8 per cent of the country’s GDP. The country's largest non-oil sectors are the financial corporations sector contributing 16.5 per cent to GDP, and manufacturing sector contributing 14.5 per cent to GDP -—
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—-. Bahrain hosts the world’s largest aluminium shelter outside China, Alba, which is the dominant force in the country’s manufacturing sector. The largest export partners are Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and the United States of America. -—
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Service sector employed roughly 64 per cent of total employed in the country in 2019, and these jobs were predominantly occupied by women (91 per cent of women were employed by the sector) -—
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—-. Tourist arrivals averaged 11 million per year for the period 2015-2019, reaching a peak of 12 million in 2018. Tourism expenditure contributed 10 per cent of GDP in 2019 -—
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—-. Bahrain is classified as a high income economy -—
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—- and reached US$23 504 per capita in 2019 -—
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According to the  -—
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—-, only 2 per cent of the territory is classified as arable land. Limited arable area, high temperatures, scarcity of water resources and loss of agricultural lands due to salinization result in a low development of agriculture. The main crops are alfalfa for animal fodder, but dates, figs, mangos, pomegranates, melons, papayas are also grown. Agriculture accounts for only 1 per cent of total employment -—
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In ancient times, Bahrain was part of Dilmun, a mercantile civilization, which dominated trade routes along the Persian Gulf from the fourth millennium Before Christ through to the ninth century BC. The country declared itself a constitutional monarchy in 2002.

Bahrain was one of the first areas to convert to Islam, in 628, four years before the death of the prophet Muhammad. Bahrainis are predominantly Muslims, both Sunni and Shia Muslims, the latter being the majority. -—
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—-. Music is an important part of the island culture. Fidjeri songs once sung by pearl divers are still very popular. Cloth weaving, pottery, and basket weaving are traditional handicrafts

Local sports, such as horse and camel racing, are well-liked throughout the country. Wealthier Bahrainis practice falconry and gazelle and hare hunting. The most popular modern sport is soccer. In 1984, the country competed in the Summer Olympic Games for the first time. Bahrain hosted the First Formula One Grand Prix to be held in the Middle East, in 2004.

Bahrain’s traditional food includes fish, shrimp, meat, rice, and dates. Among popular traditional dishes are Machbous, fish or meat served with rice, and muḥammar, sweet brown rice with sugar or dates. Arab Coffee, or Qahwah, often flavored with cardamom and saffron, is the national drink.

Known as both 'the land of the flying fish' and the 'jewel of the Caribbean', Barbados is the easternmost island in the Caribbean island chain, otherwise known as the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies. Unlike many Caribbean islands, Barbados is non‐volcanic and composed mainly of coral limestone. It has a varied landscape including flatlands, highlands, terraces and rugged cliffs, caves and tropical rainforests. The island's name means 'the bearded ones', after the indigenous bearded fig trees once found in abundance on the island.

Barbados, lying just north of the equator, enjoys a hot and humid, moderately tropical, oceanic climate all year round. However, the heat is tempered by northeast trade winds. Temperatures do not vary by much throughout the year, with monthly average temperatures ranging from 26 to 27°C; humidity usually stays between 70 and 76 per cent. Sea temperatures average around 25°C. The average annual rainfall is about 2 200 mm, with November as the wettest month. Barbados lies along the southern edge of the Caribbean hurricane zone. Hurricanes have caused great devastation in the past. The Atlantic hurricane season coincides with the wet season, which lasts from June to November. -—
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Barbados has an open, market‐oriented economy. The Barbados economy, formerly solely dependent on sugar, has diversified over the past 30 years into services (tourism and financial services) and light industry and agriculture (sugar). According to the items attribute is mandatory, almost 30 per cent of men work in industry, and nearly 10 per cent for women. Relatively few are employed in agriculture. Services account for over 80 per cent of GDP -—
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—-, and almost the same proportion of employment. In 2018, almost 1.4 million tourists arrived in the country and inbound tourism expenditure reached 22 per cent over GDP -—
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As a small and open economy, Barbados is vulnerable to global economic downturns and those of its trade partners. A significant amount of income is received in the form of remittances from Barbadians overseas. Barbados' best‐known export is Mount Gay Rum, one of the oldest and most famous brands of fine rum in the world and produced in Barbados since 1703. Given this history, it is not surprising that the export of beverages constitutes well over 10 per cent of the value of commodity exports in Barbados. The main export partners include, for instance the United States of America, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.

Barbados has the third oldest parliament in the world, with uninterrupted parliamentary governance since 1639. The capital of Barbados, Bridgetown, has been an important port town for many centuries. This colourful and well‐preserved historic town is a UNESCO heritage site.

Barbados is also known for its small wooden chattel houses. Chattel, meaning movable property, arose in the past as homeowners were not necessarily landowners. Thus, chattel houses were constructed on blocks, so if an owner had to move, they could take the house with them. Over time, a distinct and ornate design of Barbadian chattel house evolved, making them unique and traditionally Barbadian in style.

Barbadian cuisine includes a unique blend of foods with African, Indian and British influences. The national dish of Barbados is Cou‐Cou and Flying Fish. Cou‐Cou is made with yellow cornmeal and okras, in much the same way that it has been made in Africa for centuries. Flying Fish is prepared and stewed in an aromatic sauce of tomato, onion, chives, thyme, fresh pepper, garlic and other local herbs. Other popular dishes include fried fish cakes, souse (a pickled pork dish), black pudding, macaroni pie, and sweet desserts such as tamarind balls and baked custard.

Music plays an important role in the country's culture, blending calypso, local spouge, jazz, reggae and soca. Perhaps their best known musical exports are Rihanna and Grandmaster Flash.

Cricket is considered the national sport. One of the greatest cricket all‐rounders, Sir Garfield St. Auburn Sobers, was born in 1936 in Barbados.

Before the Concorde supersonic jet was decommissioned in 2003, Barbados was one of only four countries with regular Concorde service from London.

Belize is located on the northeast, Caribbean coast of Central America. It borders Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west and south, making it the only Central American country without a Pacific coastline. While the northern and southern borders are largely defined by the courses of two rivers, the Hondo and the Sarstoon River, respectively, the western border follows no natural features and runs in a relatively straight line north-to-south through highland plateaus and the country's predominant lowlands (swampy at the coast and covered in forest inland). A total land border of 516 km is contrasted by the 386 km coastline to the east in the Caribbean Sea. The coast is flanked by the second-longest barrier reef in the world. The Belize Barrier Reef consists of a 300 km long section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System with a total length of 900 km. Belize has 1 060 islands and many lagoons along the coast.

Having a tropical climate, Belize experiences pronounced wet and dry seasons. Temperatures in Belize are affected by elevation, proximity to the coast and the effects of trade winds from the Caribbean. Average temperatures range from 23 °C in January to 27 °C in June -—
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—-, with the interior having somewhat higher and highlands somewhat lower temperatures. Seasons are mostly determined by the amount of rainfall. The wet season in Belize occurs during the months of May to October and the dry season from November to April. During the wet season, Belize usually receives mean monthly rainfall of 150-400 mm in the south of the country; in the rest of the country precipitation is limited with less than 100 mm of rainfall per month -—
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Hurricanes have major effects on the climate of Belize, often devastating ones. The city of Belmopan was built in 1970 to become the new capital, since Belize City was so often devastated by hurricanes. Belmopan is the third-largest settlement in Belize, following Belize City and San Ignacio.

Belize’s economy has traditionally been based primarily on agriculture. Key export crops include citrus, sugar, banana, and marine products such as shrimp -—
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—-. According to the FAO -—
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—-, less than 4 per cent of the territory is classified as arable land. The share of agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing in total value added has fallen to just below 11 per cent in 2019, whereas services now account for three quarters -—
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—-. Agriculture accounts for about 17 per cent of employment in the country; roughly 24 per cent for men. Over 85 per cent of women and 55 per cent of men are employed in service sector -—
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Tourism has been gaining importance in the economy of Belize since the early 2000s: inbound tourism expenditure as a per cent of GPD was over 27 per cent in 2019 and the number of inbound tourists reached almost 1.7 million by 2018 -—
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—-. Belize’s main export partners are the United States of America and the United Kingdom, jointly dominating the trade accounting for around 60 per cent of Belize’s total exports. Jamaica, Ireland and Spain are also important export partners. -—
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Belize’s culture is an amalgamation of various ethnicities in the country, ranging from Central American to Afro-Caribbean, with a blend of Indian and Chinese communities. This is most pronounced in cuisine, but also in music and national folklore, the latter reflecting various legends.

Local food is diverse and influenced by the history of the country. Belizean cuisine offers spicy Creole dishes, corned beef and fried paca, which is a small jungle rodent. Beans and rice are a staple for most meals, and they commonly include coconut milk, hot peppers and plantains. Underground roasted pig is one of the delicious dishes still prepared, especially in the countryside.

The Cabo Verde archipelago consists of ten volcanic islands in the central Atlantic Ocean, of which nine are inhabited. The archipelago is situated 570 km west of the Senegalese coast of West Africa, and named after Cap‐Vert, or the green peninsula. The islands cover a combined area of slightly over 4 000 km², and are divided into the Barlavento (Windward) group to the north and the Sotavento (Leeward) group to the south. The nation's capital, Praia, is located on Santiago, the largest island. The largest port of the islands is located at Mindelo, on São Vicente. It has a deep water harbour that can accommodate large vessels and has been used as a fueling station since the 19th century.

Cabo Verde enjoys a moderate climate characterized by stable temperatures; average monthly temperatures range from 21 to 26 °C. Three distinct seasons can be identified: a transition season from November to February, a dry season in the middle, and a rainy season from July to October. -—
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—- Owing to their proximity to the Sahara, most of the Cabo Verde islands are dry and arid. The archipelago can be divided into four broad ecological zones: arid, semiarid, subhumid and humid, according to altitude and average annual rainfall, which ranges from 200 mm along the arid coastline to more than 1 000 mm in the humid mountains. The annual average rainfall for the country is below 350 mm -—
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Most rainfall precipitation is due to condensation of ocean mist. The islands have few rivers and suffer from cyclical drought and chronic water shortages, despite seasonal rains. Rains can be torrential, often causing significant damage, soil loss from water erosion and flooding. Western Hemisphere‐bound hurricanes often have their early beginnings near the Cabo Verde Islands. These are referred to as Cabo Verde‐type hurricanes and can become very intense. The five largest Atlantic tropical cyclones on record have been Cabo Verde‐type hurricanes.

With all year‐round sun, Cabo Verde's economy is driven by tourism. The country's service exports concentrate on transport and travel. Travel and tourism's contribution to the economy is large: In 2019, inbound tourism expenditure over GDP reached almost 29 per cent -—
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—-. With few natural or mineral resources and water shortages, exacerbated by cycles of sustained drought, agriculture is subsistence. According to the items attribute is mandatory, over 10 per cent of the territory is classified as arable land. The main crops grown are maize and beans, but bananas, sugar cane, sweet potatoes and cassava are also grown. Approximately 90 per cent of food consumed is imported. Agriculture accounts for about 10 per cent of employment on the islands; roughly 15 per cent for men. Over 80 per cent of women and 50 per cent of men are employed in services -—
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—-. The seas around Cabo Verde are rich with many types of fish, therefore, a large proportion of exports consist of fish and sea food, but also clothing and footwear. The largest export partners are Spain, Portugal and Italy -—
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In 2013, the Cabo Verdean government determined that the Portuguese designation Cabo Verde would henceforth be used for official purposes, as at the United Nations, even in English contexts.

Cabo Verde's culture is influenced by a blend of its Portuguese as well as African traditions. Music is very important to island culture ‐ the archipelago's most famous musical export is Cesaria Evora, the world renowned morna and coladeras artist. Other musical forms, such as, batuko and funaná are also popular on the islands. Cabo Verde has also produced a number of talented poets and authors including Baltasar Lopes da Silva, Frusoni Sergio, Eugénio Tavares and Manuel Lopes.

Local sports, such as uril and bisca, are popular throughout the country and tend to attract large crowds. Football is very popular amongst Cabo Verdeans, fueled by strong inter island rivalry. Basketball, long‐distance running and swimming are also popular. Windsurfing, fishing, cycling, golfing, hiking, mountain climbing, horseback riding and scuba diving are common resort activities. The traditional African board game of ouri is also popular on the island.

Named after the Arabic word for 'moon', Qamar, the Comoros islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Indian Ocean located off Africa's east coast and south of the Equator. Comoros is located on the Somali plate. They are also known as the 'perfumed islands', owing to fragrant plants, such as, frangipani, jasmine and lemongrass. The country consists of three main islands surrounded by coral reefs. The islands are Grande Comore, Mohéli and Anjouan, and the largest island (Grande Comore), is dominated by Karthala, a towering 2 360 m high volcano whose summit is almost constantly smothered in equatorial cloud. In April 2005, the volcano began spewing ash and gas, forcing as many as 10 000 people to flee.

The Comoro Islands have a humid, tropical climate. Monthly average temperatures range from 24 to 27 °C and the annual rainfall is around 1 600 mm, with the wettest time of the year lasting from January to March. The rainfall varies between the three islands due to differences in altitude and winds. During the humid rainy season, especially between January to April, tropical cyclones are a risk. -—
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—- The islands are also prone to heavy rains and flash floods. The islands are cooled by south‐easterly trade winds during the dry season.

Subsistence farming and fishing are the main source of employment, partly due to low educational levels. Agriculture also accounts for almost one third of GDP in Comoros. Comoros is the world's principal producer of ylang‐ylang essence, extracted from flowers of a tree. Export income is heavily reliant on ylang‐ylang and two other main crops: vanilla and cloves, and remains vulnerable to extreme weather. Important export partners include India, France and Germany -—
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—-. Deforestation has also negatively affected ground water supply on the islands. Several rivers have disappeared and many remaining rivers run dry during the dry season. In Grande Comore, 60 per cent of the population relies on uncovered water containers and 40 per cent on coastal aquifers. The Comoros imports roughly 70 per cent of the food it consumes.

The Comoros is experiencing some exodus of educated and skilled workers. GDP per capita has been growing only moderately in recent years, after many years of decline in the early 2000s. The capital, Moroni, located on the island of Grande Comore (N'gazidja), has most of the modern commercial and manufacturing facilities located in the country. With miles of beautiful beaches, tourists are drawn to Comoros. Inbound tourism expenditure over GDP has been growing in recent years and was at 6 per cent in 2019. Incorrect syntax for items

The Comoros' culture has been influenced by Islamic tradition, mixed with French and African elements. Traditionally, people believed in spirits and the power of djinn, which is derived from African, Arab and Madagascan traditions.

Local artisans are skilled in sculpture, pottery, embroidery and basketry. Diversity is also evident in the many prevalent languages used on the islands, including French, Comorian, Arabic and Swahili.

Customary celebrations in the Comoros often feature dancing, music and the re‐creation of popular and important literary texts, including war epics and tales about the foundations of different villages. Embroidered ceremonial coats and Islamic bonnets are frequently donned. Jewelry is also widely produced and sold.