Geographic
coordinates: 24 15 N, 76 00 W
Location:
Caribbean,
archipelago nation of approximately 700 islands, (in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida) of which 40 are populated. The islands cover an area of about 100,000 square miles.
Area:
total: 13,940 sq km
land: 10,070 sq km
water: 3,870 sq km
Land boundaries: >0 km
Coastline: 3,542
km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m
depth or to the depth of exploitation (measured from the archipelagic
straight baselines)
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Terrain: long,
flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 32%
other: 67% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive
flood and wind damage
Environment current
issues: coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
Environment international
agreements:
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba;
extensive island chain
©
CIA 1999 |
