arm of the Atlantic Ocean, partially enclosed on the N and E by the islands of the West Indies, and bounded on the S by South America and Panama, and on the W by Central America. The name of the sea is derived from the CARIB, (q.v.) Indians, who inhabited the area when Spanish explorers arrived there in the 15th century. The Caribbean is approximately 2415 km (approximately 1500 mi) long E and W and between about 640 and 1450 km (about 400 and 900 mi) wide. It has an area of about 1,942,500 sq km (about 750,000 sq mi). At the NW extremity it is connected with the Gulf of Mexico by the Yucatán Channel, a passage about 193 km (about 120 mi) wide between Cuba and the Yucatán Peninsula. The Windward Passage between Cuba and Haiti is a major shipping route between the U.S. and the Panama Canal. Many gulfs and bays indent the coastline of South America, notably the Gulf of Venezuela, which carries tidal waters to Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. With a few exceptions the entire Caribbean Basin is more than 1830 m (more than 6000 ft) deep. Large areas of the sea exceed 3660 m (12,000 ft) in depth; the greatest depth measured thus far is Cayman Trench (7535 m/24,720 ft) between Jamaica and Cayman Islands. Navigation is open and clear, making the Caribbean a major trade route for Latin American countries. The main oceanic current in the Caribbean Sea is an extension of the North Equatorial and South Equatorial currents, which enter the sea at the SE extremity and flow in a generally NW direction. A popular resort area, the Caribbean Sea is noted for its mild tropical climate.