Virgin Islands Geography Profile 2008

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: 1,910 sq km
land: 346 sq km
water: 1,564 sq km

Area - comparative

twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

188 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September 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 475 m

Natural resources

sun, sand, sea, surf

Land use

arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 2.86%
other: 91.43% (2005)

Irrigated land

NA

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