Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total:
352 sq km
land:
349 sq km
water:
3 sq km
Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
188 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
Climate:
subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November
Terrain:
mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point:
Crown Mountain 474 m
Natural resources:
sun, sand, sea, surf
Land use:
arable land:
15%
permanent crops:
6%
permanent pastures:
26%
forests and woodland:
6%
other:
47% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
lack of natural freshwater resources
Geography - note:
important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural, deepwater harbors in the Caribbean
