Geography of Bahamas The
Location: | Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba |
Geographic coordinates: | 24 15 N, 76 00 W |
Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean |
Area: | total: 13,940 sq km land: 10,070 sq km water: 3,870 sq km |
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Connecticut |
Land boundaries: | 0 km |
Coastline: | 3,542 km |
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Climate: | tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream |
Terrain: | long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills |
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m |
Natural resources: | salt, aragonite, timber, arable land |
Land use: | arable land: 0.58% permanent crops: 0.29% other: 99.13% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | 10 sq km (2003) |
Natural hazards: | hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage |
Environment - current issues: | coral reef decay; solid waste disposal |
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note: | strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited |