Geographic
coordinates: 17 03 N, 61 48 W
Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and
the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto
Rico
Area:
total: 440 sq km
land: 440 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Redonda
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 153
km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental
margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly
low-lying limestone and coral islands with some higher volcanic
areas
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean
Sea 0 m
highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m
Natural resources: negligible; pleasant climate fosters tourism
Land use:
arable land: 18%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 9%
forests and woodland: 11%
other: 62% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October);
periodic droughts
Environment current
issues: water management a major concern because
of limited natural fresh water resourcesÜis further hampered by
the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall
to run off quickly
Environment international
agreements:
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
©
CIA 1998 |
