Geography of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Location: | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago |
Geographic coordinates: | 13 15 N, 61 12 W |
Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean |
Area: | total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km) land: 389 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative: | twice the size of Washington, DC |
Land boundaries: | 0 km |
Coastline: | 84 km |
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm |
Climate: | tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November) |
Terrain: | volcanic, mountainous |
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m |
Natural resources: | hydropower, cropland |
Land use: | arable land: 17.95% permanent crops: 17.95% other: 64.1% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | 10 sq km (2003) |
Natural hazards: | hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat |
Environment - current issues: | pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive |
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, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note: | the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays |