Caribbean Islands with Rainforests

The following Caribbean islands and nations contain significant tropical rainforest ecosystems:

Independent Nations

• Dominica – "Nature Isle"; 60% rainforest; Morne Trois Pitons NP (UNESCO)
• Jamaica – Blue Mountains, John Crow Mountains; high endemism
• St. Lucia – Interior rainforest; Pitons Management Area (UNESCO)
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines – Volcanic slopes, cloud forest
• Grenada – Grand Etang, Mt. St. Catherine
• Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad: Northern Range, Nariva Swamp; Tobago: Main Ridge Forest Reserve (oldest protected forest in Western Hemisphere, 1776)
• Belize (mainland, Caribbean coast) – Vast Chiquibul, Maya Mountains
• Guyana (mainland) – >80% pristine rainforest; Iwokrama, Kanuku
• Suriname (mainland) – >90% rainforest; Central Suriname Nature Reserve (UNESCO)

Territories/Departments

• Puerto Rico (US) – El Yunque National Forest (only tropical rainforest in USFS system)
• Guadeloupe (France) – Basse-Terre volcanic rainforest; Guadeloupe NP
• Martinique (France) – Montagne Pelée, Carbet Mountains
• French Guiana (France) – Amazonian rainforest (98% of territory)
• US Virgin Islands – St. John (Virgin Islands NP), St. Croix
• British Virgin Islands – Sage Mountain (Tortola)
• Montserrat (UK) – Centre Hills (post-volcano regeneration)
• Dominica – listed above

Notable Absences

Arid/low islands lack rainforest: Barbados (coral limestone, dry forest/scrub), Antigua, Anguilla, St. Martin/Sint Maarten, St. Barts, Turks & Caicos, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao.

Rainforest presence correlates with high elevation, volcanic origin, and/or continental shelf geology—not just latitude.