Geography of the U.S. Virgin Islands (original) (raw)

Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

**Geographic coordinates:**18 20 N, 64 50 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 352 sq km
_land:_349 sq km
_water:_3 sq km

**Area - comparative:**twice the size of Washington, DC

**Land boundaries:**0 km

**Coastline:**188 km

Maritime claims:
_exclusive economic zone:_200 nm
_territorial sea:_12 nm

**Climate:**subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November

**Terrain:**mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Elevation extremes:
_lowest point:_Caribbean Sea 0 m
_highest point:_Crown Mountain 474 m

**Natural resources:**sun, sand, sea, surf

Land use:
_arable land:_15%
_permanent crops:_6%
_permanent pastures:_26%
_forests and woodland:_6%
_other:_47% (1993 est.)

**Irrigated land:**NA sq km

**Natural hazards:**several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

**Environment - current issues:**lack of natural freshwater resources

**Geography - note:**important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural, deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

See also : U.S. Virgin Islands