Antigua and Barbuda Geography:
Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
17 03 N, 61 48 W
Map references:
Area:
total:
442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)
land:
442.6 sq km
water:
0 sq km
note: Includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km
Area - comparative:
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 0 km
border countries: NA
Coastline:
153 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:
Tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
Mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m
Natural resources:
NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism
Land use:
arable land: 18.18%
permanent crops: 4.55%
other: 77.27%
(2001)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
Hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
Water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly
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 (not ratified)
Geography - Note:
Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor |
