Envisat image of the Caribbean Sea

The main island in this Envisat's MERIS image of the Caribbean Sea is Cuba, the largest and westernmost island in the West Indies. Its 3740-km coastline has coral islands and white, sandy beaches to the north. South of Cuba is Jamaica. The Caribbean Sea contains unique coral reefs, the only ones active in the Atlantic Ocean. Coral, however, can survive only in a narrow range of temperatures and a global rise in sea temperatures could threaten their survival and affect the economies of the region.