Leeward, << LEE wuhrd or LOO uhrd, >> Islands lie in the Caribbean region. They stretch from Puerto Rico to the Windward Islands, and form part of the Lesser Antilles. The islands were named Leeward because they are sheltered from the trade winds. The word lee is a sailing term referring to the side of a boat that is sheltered from the wind. The climate generally is dry and healthful.
The Leeward Islands include about 15 islands and many islets. They have an area of 1,228 square miles (3,181 square kilometers) and a population of 819,000. The Leeward group includes two independent countries: Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Kitts and Nevis. The group also includes Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, and Montserrat, which are overseas territories of the United Kingdom; St. Eustatius, Saba, and the southern part of St. Martin, which are Dutch territories; Guadeloupe, St.-Barthélemy, and the northern part of St. Martin, which are French possessions; and the United States Virgin Islands, a U.S. territory.
