| Location: |
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
| Geographic coordinates: |
18 20 N, 64 50 W |
| Map references: |
Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area: |
total: 1,910 sq km
land: 346 sq km
water: 1,564 sq km |
| Area - comparative: |
twice the size of Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
188 km |
| Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: |
subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September 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 475 m |
| Natural resources: |
sun, sand, sea, surf |
| Land use: |
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 2.86%
other: 91.43% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: |
NA |
| 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 |
