About Region: In a general sense, the Caribbean can be taken to mean all the nations in and around the Caribbean Sea that lie within an area that stretches from The Bahamas in the north to Guyana in the south, and Suriname in the east to Belize in the west. This is an expanse (mostly of ocean) that measures about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) from north to south, and over 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) from east to west.

When the Central and South American nations that border the Caribbean Sea (many of which have a cultural and linguistic heritage that sets their history out of the scope of the region) are excluded, the Caribbean covers the same geographical area as the West Indies, containing a total of 16 sovereign states and 12 island territories that remain dependencies in one form or another, to the countries of France, the  Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Other than Cuba and the Dominican Republic, all other 14 sovereign states (and one British Overseas Territory) in the Caribbean are member nations of the Caribbean Community, which is an international organization formed to promote regional integration and collaboration among its member nations.

Sovereign states are Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago.
Dependent territories are Anguilla, Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Monserrat, Puerto Rico, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, Sint Maarten, Turks & Caicos Islands, and the US Virgin Islands.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is a grouping of twenty countries: fifteen Member States and five Associate Members. It is home to approximately sixteen million citizens, 60% of whom are under the age of 30,  and from the main ethnic groups of Indigenous Peoples, Africans, Indians, Europeans, Chinese,  Portuguese, and Javanese. The Community is multi-lingual; with English as the major language complemented by French and Dutch and variations of these, as well as African and Asian expressions.

Stretching from The Bahamas in the north to Suriname and Guyana in South America, CARICOM comprises states that are considered developing countries, and except for Belize, in Central America and Guyana and Suriname in South America, all  Members and Associate Members are island states.

The Conference of Heads of Government which consists of the Heads of Government of the Member States is the supreme Organ of the Caribbean Community and determines and provides its policy direction. In addition to this function, it is the final authority for the conclusion of Treaties on behalf of the Community and for entering into relationships between the Community and International Organisations and States. The Conference is also responsible for making the financial arrangements to meet the expenses of the Community but has delegated this function to the Community Council. Decisions of the Conference are generally taken unanimously
Events: Not much has happened in the Region except in 2020, African and Caribbean Heads of State met and there are ongoing developments out of that such as the AfriExim Bank providing $2 billion in financing of deals between Africa and the Caribbean.

The Pan African civil society organization CPAN is active. CPAN is a mechanism to facilitate collaboration among Caribbean and international Pan African formations,the African Union, and the African continent.