– Why are Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana considered part of the Caribbean despite being on the South American landmass?

Question

– Why are Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana considered part of the Caribbean despite being on the South American landmass?

In: 2

Answer 1

The same forces of colonization, climate, and culture that led to islands in the Caribbean being the way they are also applied to those countries. For example, Guyana is similar to Jamaica in that both were British plantation colonies that imported large indentured/enslaved workforces from Africa and India.

So while it’s not accurate to say these countries physically border the Caribbean Sea or are not part of South America (nobody claims this), it can be useful to label them as “culturally Caribbean” to highlight their similarities to Caribbean countries as we more typically understand them.