A standardized vegetation classification system for the Caribbean is proposed. The aim behind this effort, which was initiated by The Nature Conservancy, is to develop a classification system that enables regional scale comparisons of all West Indian vegetation types and their distribution in each individual island. Following the International Classification of Ecological Communities (ICEC) which has been selected by the U.S. Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) as the standard for vegetation communities in the United States, the Caribbean system describes vegetation types in seven hierarchical levels, from vegetation structure to vegetation composition. First level is the division, which distinguishes communities with more than 1% vegetation coverage (Division Vegetated) from those with less than 1% cover (Division Non-vegetated). Within Division Vegetated four orders are recognized, namely 1) Tree dominated, 2) Shrub-dominated, 3) Herbaceous/non-vascular dominated, and 4) Vegetation not dominant (2-10 % coverage). Likewise, within Order Tree dominated two classes are distinguished: 1) Close tree canopy (forests), and 2) Open tree canopy (woodlands). Order Shrub dominated also includes two classes: 1) Shrubland, and 2) Dwarf-shrubland. The other orders only include one class each, which are self-explanatory: 1) Herbaceous, and 2) Sparsely vegetated. So far nearly a hundred vegetation formations have been recognized within these six classes. Most relevant of these units such as the rain and seasonal forest types are briefly described at the more precise Alliances and Associations level, along with a comprehensive synthesis of the entire Caribbean system.