Most Populous Country In The Caribbean Crossword Clue

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About This Clue

The April 29, 2025 New York Times Mini Crossword featured the clue "Most populous country in the Caribbean" with the answer HAITI. This clue asks solvers to identify the Caribbean nation with the highest population. While the Caribbean is home to numerous island nations and territories, Haiti stands out for its significant population density and total population count, making it a factual geographic clue that tests solvers' knowledge of world demographics and Caribbean geography. The five-letter answer format narrows down the possibilities considerably, as several other Caribbean nations have names of different lengths.

Geographic Context

Haiti occupies the western third of the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea. With an estimated population of over 11 million people, Haiti is indeed the most populous country in the Caribbean region. Despite being only 27,750 square kilometers (10,714 square miles) in area, Haiti has a remarkably high population density of approximately 403 people per square kilometer. Haiti has a rich and complex history as the first independent nation in Latin America and the Caribbean, the first black-led republic in the world, and the second republic in the Americas when it gained independence from France on January 1, 1804, following a successful slave rebellion. The country has faced numerous challenges throughout its history, including political instability, natural disasters (particularly the devastating 2010 earthquake), and economic hardships. Despite these challenges, Haiti maintains a vibrant culture with strong African influences in its music, art, religion (particularly Vodou), and cuisine. Other populous countries in the Caribbean include the Dominican Republic (which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti), Cuba, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico (a U.S. territory), but none surpasses Haiti's population, making this answer unambiguous for crossword solvers with knowledge of Caribbean demographics.

NYT Mini Crossword Tips

When solving geography-based clues like "Most populous country in the Caribbean" in the NYT Mini Crossword, focus on factual information rather than wordplay or puns. Geography clues typically have objective answers based on current knowledge, though they may occasionally reference historical geographic designations. The five-letter constraint for this clue significantly narrows down possible Caribbean nations, as many island nations have either shorter names (like Cuba) or longer names (like Jamaica or Barbados). For similar geographic-themed clues, consider brushing up on basic world geography facts, particularly superlatives like largest, smallest, most populous, etc., as these frequently appear in crosswords. When faced with a geographic clue where you're uncertain of the answer, try working with the crossing clues to get additional letters, which can help narrow down the possibilities. Remembering that Haiti is the most populous Caribbean nation is a useful piece of crossword knowledge, as is being familiar with other Caribbean countries that might appear in puzzles such as Cuba, Aruba, and Jamaica, which all fit neatly into crossword grids due to their short, vowel-rich names.

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