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The entire area of the Caribbean Sea, the numerous islands of the West Indies, and adjacent coasts, are collectively known as the Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea is one of the largest salt water seas and has an area of about 2,754,000 km² (1,063,000 square miles).[1] The sea's deepest point is the Cayman Trough, between Cuba and Jamaica, at 7,686 m (25,220 ft) below sea level. The Caribbean coastline has many gulfs and bays the Gulf of Gonâve, Gulf of Venezuela, Gulf of Darien, Golfo de los Mosquitos and Gulf of Honduras. The name "Caribbean" is derived from the Caribs, one of the dominant American Indian groups in the region at the time of European contact during the late 15th century. After the discovery of the West Indies by Christopher Columbus in 1492, the Spanish term Antillas was commonly assigned to the lands; stemming from this, "Sea of the Antilles" is a common alternative name for the Caribbean Sea in various European languages. During the first century of development, the Spanish dominance was undisputed. The Caribbean Sea was an unknown body of water to the populations of Eurasia until 1492 when Christopher Columbus first sailed into Caribbean waters while trying to find a route to [the americas]. At that time the Western Hemisphere in general was unknown to Europeans. Following the discovery of the islands by Columbus, the area was quickly colonized by several Western cultures. Following the colonization of the Caribbean islands, the Sea became a busy area for European-based marine trading and transport, and this commerce eventually attracted piracy.
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