Geography of Montserrat
Location: | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico |
Geographic coordinates: | 16 45 N, 62 12 W |
Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean |
Area: | total: 102 sq km land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative: | about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC |
Land boundaries: | 0 km |
Coastline: | 40 km |
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Climate: | tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation |
Terrain: | volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland |
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006) |
Natural resources: | NEGL |
Land use: | arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | NA |
Natural hazards: | severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995) |
Environment - current issues: | land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation |
Geography - note: | the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages |