Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
16 45 N, 62 12 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 102 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 102 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
40 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM
Climate:
tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic
complex) 914 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 80% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere
Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996)
Environment - current issues:
land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation
Geography - note:
the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active
volcanoes