The
Leeward Antilles are a chain of
islands in the
Caribbean – specifically, the southerly islands of the
Lesser Antilles (and, in turn, the
Antilles and the
West Indies) along the southeastern fringe of the
Caribbean Sea, just north of the
Venezuelan coast of the
South American mainland. The Leeward Antilles, while among the Lesser Antilles, are not to be confused with the
Leeward Islands (also of the Lesser Antilles) to the northeast.
Largely lacking in volcanic activity, the Leeward Antilles island arc occurs along the deformed southern edge of the Caribbean Plate and was formed by the plate's subduction under the South American Plate. Recent studies indicate that the Leeward Antilles are accreting to South America.
The Leeward Antilles comprise (roughly from west to east)
Though nearby, Isla Margarita is not included in this island group.
