Short facts about the geography of Antigua and Barbuda

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:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total:  442 sq km (Antigua 281 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) land:  442 sq km water:  0 sq km note:  includes Redonda

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

153 km

Maritime claims:

contiguous zone:  24 NM continental shelf:  200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

tropical marine; 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% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  9% forests and woodland:  11% other:  62% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

NA sq km

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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified:  none of the selected agreements

Source: World Factbook