Third Time's The Charm

[Tuariki]

I imagine many, if not most, of the Central America nations, and Caribbean nations, would claim they are not part of North America.

[tandfman]

No, I am not saying that "only islands, or groups of lslands, can be Caribbean nations." What I am saying is that the island nations in the Caribbean Sea belong to North America. South America consists of the 12 nations (some may be bordering the Caribbean Sea) below Central America.

But earlier, in post #10, you said "I believe all the Caribbean nations are part of North America." Are you now saying that Colombia and Venezuela are not Caribbean nations?

[DoubleRBar]

No, I should have said all the island Caribbean nations are part of North America.

[Trickstat]

I know it isn't logical but if somebody talks of Caribbean nations I would think only of island nations but Mediterranean nations to me would not just mean Malta and Cyprus but also many countries in southern Europe, western Asia and north Africa.

[rsb3]

And in the world of T&F (in terms of international federations, area records etc.), North America comprises only the US and Canada. CAC is considered a separate area.

Not true ... IAAF Area Records include North America, Central America, and the Caribbean as one Area.

[rsb3]

Interesting ... I have never considered any country that is part of the mainland of North, Central, or South America as Caribbean, simply because they have some coastline on that sea.

[tandfman]

FWIW, the Central American and Caribbean Games, a multi-sport competition, includes not only Colombia and Venezuela, but also three South American countries that do not have a Caribbean coastline at all--Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. It also includes a country that is neither in Central America nor in the Caribbean--Bermuda.

[bambam1729]

I imagine many, if not most, of the Central America nations, and Caribbean nations, would claim they are not part of North America.

At least per Wikipedia they are part of North America

[Trickstat]

FWIW, the Central American and Caribbean Games, a multi-sport competition, includes not only Colombia and Venezuela, but also three South American countries that do not have a Caribbean coastline at all--Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. It also includes a country that is neither in Central America nor in the Caribbean--Bermuda.

At the risk of sounding ridiculously English, I don't find it too much of a stretch to have Guyana in a Caribbean event as it is a former British colony and is part of the West Indies cricket team.

[Master403]

This discussion reminds me of a piece of geographical trivia:
Q: What event caused a continent to shrink by 29,000 sq mi in a day?
A: Panama's independence November 3, 1903.

[lonewolf]

Common sense dictates that South America begins at the Panama/Columbia border, Central America extends from that border to Rio Grand, North America is from Rio Grand north.
The islands in the seas between North and South America are just that, islands in the seas between North and South America.