Saint Kitts and Nevis Geography:
Location:
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
17 20 N, 62 45 W
Map references:
Area:
total:
261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km)
land:
261 sq km
water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 0 km
border countries: NA
Coastline:
135 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 tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Terrain:
Volcanic with mountainous interiors
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
Natural resources:
Arable land
Land use:
arable land: 19.44%
permanent crops: 2.78%
other: 77.78%
(2001)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
Hurricanes (July to October)
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements (not ratified)
Geography - Note:
With coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that of its sister island |
