How many islands are in the Caribbean?

There are more than 7,000 islands in the Caribbean, and they belong to over 28 distinct nations. The nation with the most Caribbean islands is the Bahamas, with approximately 501 islands. Puerto Rico is made up of at least 142 islands.

Many of the landforms in the Caribbean that are considered islands are small surfaces, composed entirely of rock, coral or sand, that are uninhabited by people. Other Caribbean nations with large numbers of islands include Martinique, with 50 islands, the United States Virgin Islands, with 81, and the British Virgin Islands, with 41. The largest islands in the Caribbean are Hispaniola, Cuba, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.