Geography of British Virgin Islands
Location: | Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
Geographic coordinates: | 18 30 N, 64 30 W |
Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean |
Area: | total: 153 sq km land: 153 sq km water: 0 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke |
Area - comparative: | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC |
Land boundaries: | 0 km |
Coastline: | 80 km |
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Climate: | subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds |
Terrain: | coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly |
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Sage 521 m |
Natural resources: | NEGL |
Land use: | arable land: 20% permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | NA |
Natural hazards: | hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) |
Environment - current issues: | limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments) |
Geography - note: | strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico |