In which region of the world are tropical cyclones commonly known as hurricanes?

Introduction / Context:
Different parts of the world use different regional names for broadly similar tropical storm systems. Understanding the relationship between the terms cyclone, hurricane, and typhoon is a standard topic in world geography and meteorology. This question checks whether the learner can correctly identify the region where the term hurricane is used for intense tropical cyclonic storms over warm ocean waters.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The generic scientific term is tropical cyclone, used for intense low pressure systems over warm oceans.

• Different ocean basins have different traditional names for these storms.

• The options mention regions in and around the Indian Ocean, western Pacific, and Atlantic.

• Only one of the options refers to the Atlantic and Caribbean region.

Concept / Approach:
The key concept is that regional naming is linked to the ocean basin. In the North Atlantic Ocean and the eastern North Pacific Ocean, intense tropical cyclones are called hurricanes. In the north western Pacific, especially around East and South East Asia, they are called typhoons. In the Indian Ocean and South Pacific regions, the term tropical cyclone or simply cyclone is used. Therefore, identifying the correct basin tells us the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the term hurricane is used for tropical cyclones over the North Atlantic Ocean and adjoining Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico waters. Step 2: Note that the option mentioning the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea corresponds exactly to this Atlantic basin region. Step 3: Recognise that Bangladesh and coastal areas of the Bay of Bengal use the term cyclone rather than hurricane. Step 4: Remember that East Asian coasts such as China and Japan use the term typhoon for strong tropical cyclones in the north western Pacific Ocean. Step 5: Conclude that the correct option is the one referring to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

Verification / Alternative check:
Weather bulletins from the United States National Hurricane Center regularly refer to storms forming over the tropical Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico as hurricanes. In contrast, the Indian Meteorological Department uses the term cyclonic storm or severe cyclonic storm. Reports from agencies in Japan or Hong Kong refer to typhoons. This consistent pattern confirms that the Atlantic and Caribbean region is where the word hurricane is the recognised local name for tropical cyclones.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal use the word cyclone or cyclonic storm, not hurricane.

• Coastal China and the South China Sea fall in the north western Pacific basin, where the storms are called typhoons.

• Japan and the Sea of Japan also lie in the region where the local term is typhoon rather than hurricane.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes treat cyclone, hurricane, and typhoon as completely different phenomena, or they assume that cyclone only refers to Indian Ocean storms. In reality, these names describe the same basic type of intense tropical low pressure system, with differences mainly in location and sometimes in classification criteria. Mixing up the regional naming can lead to confusion in map based questions and weather reports, so it is useful to remember the simple rule that hurricanes belong to the Atlantic and eastern Pacific, typhoons to the north western Pacific, and cyclones to the Indian and South Pacific Oceans.

Final Answer:
The term hurricane is used in The Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.