|
Location:
|
Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
19 30 N, 80 30 W |
|
Map references:
|
Central America and the Caribbean |
|
Area:
|
total: 262 sq km
land: 262 sq km water: 0 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
|
160 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
|
Climate:
|
tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) |
|
Terrain:
|
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff 43 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism |
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0% other: 96.15% (2001) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
NA sq km |
|
Natural hazards:
|
hurricanes (July to November) |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments |
|
Geography - note:
|
important location between Cuba and Central America |
home | planet earth | volcanoes | earthquakes | shaping the land | maps | oceans