caribeños

Caribeños is a demonym used to refer to people from the Caribbean region or of Caribbean origin. It encompasses residents of the Caribbean islands and adjacent territories, as well as individuals who identify with Caribbean heritage regardless of where they live.

Geographic scope and language. The Caribbean region includes sovereign states and dependent territories with coasts on the Caribbean Sea, such as Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and smaller islands, along with territories like Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten. Official languages vary by country and include Spanish, English, French, Haitian Creole, and Dutch, with Creoles and regional dialects widely spoken across communities.

History and culture. Caribeños reflect a diverse history shaped by Indigenous peoples, European colonization, and the African diaspora, supplemented by migrations from Asia and the Middle East. This mix is evident in cultural expressions such as music (reggae, salsa, merengue, bachata, calypso, soca, punta), dance, cuisine (dishes ranging from jerk seasoning to arroz con pollo and mofongo), and religious practices (Catholicism, Protestantism, and Afro-Caribbean syncretic faiths like Santería, Vodou, and Rastafari in various locales).

Diaspora and identity. In addition to island populations, large Caribbean communities exist in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Economic and social life often centers on tourism, remittances, and transnational networks. The term Caribeños can denote a shared regional or cultural identity, while acknowledging the distinct national backgrounds and traditions of individual Caribbean countries.