Geography of Antigua and Barbuda
Location: | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico |
Geographic coordinates: | 17 03 N, 61 48 W |
Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean |
Area: | total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) land: 442.6 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km |
Area - comparative: | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Land boundaries: | 0 km |
Coastline: | 153 km |
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
Climate: | tropical maritime; 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: | NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism |
Land use: | arable land: 18.18% permanent crops: 4.55% other: 77.27% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | NA |
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 resources - is 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note: | Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor |