Spain: One of the earliest European countries to arrive in the Caribbean and the first to establish a permanent presence. Spain's main economic activities in the Caribbean were mining for gold and silver, as well as agriculture, specifically the cultivation of sugar, tobacco, and coffee.
England: England began colonizing the Caribbean in the 17th century. Their primary economic activities were agriculture, with the production of sugar, tobacco, and cotton, and trade, particularly in slaves and other goods.
France: France established several colonies in the Caribbean. The French focused on agriculture, with the cultivation of sugar and coffee being their main economic activities. They also engaged in trade and piracy.
Portugal: Portugal had a presence in the Caribbean, primarily in what is now Brazil, which technically lies in South America. Brazil became an important producer of sugar, coffee, and other agricultural goods.
Most European powers in the Caribbean relied heavily on the institution of slavery to generate wealth in their colonies. They used enslaved Africans to work on their plantations and in other industries. The profits generated from the sale of agricultural goods and the labor of enslaved people became the primary sources of wealth for these European powers.