The Leeward Islands are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles chain. They include the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Saint Martin, Saint-Barthélémy, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Barbuda, Antigua, Redonda, Montserrat and Guadeloupe.

The Windward Islands are called such because for sailing ships arriving to the "New World" they were more windward respect to the upper Leeward Islands, since the prevailing trade winds in the West Indies blow from east to west. Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago are the main islands of this island group.