The Lesser Antilles are an important chain of islands in the Caribbean that offer a varied landscape and culture. There are many different ways to refer to this group of islands, with synonyms ranging from direct translations to more descriptive names. The Eastern Caribbean islands, Windward Islands, and Leeward Islands are geographical synonyms that divide the chain into regions based on their position relative to the trade winds. Some other region-specific synonyms include the Grenadines, Virgin Islands, and Martinique and Guadeloupe Islands. Alternatively, the Lesser Antilles can be described by their colonial heritage with synonyms like the French West Indies, the British West Indies, or the Dutch Antilles.