Short facts about the geography of Jamaica

Location:

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Geographic coordinates:

18 15 N, 77 30 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total:  10,990 sq km land:  10,830 sq km water:  160 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,022 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines contiguous zone:  24 NM continental shelf:  200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Terrain:

mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:  Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Land use:

arable land:  14% permanent crops:  6% permanent pastures:  24% forests and woodland:  17% other:  39% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

350 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

hurricanes (especially July to November)

Environment - current issues:

heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for Panama Canal

Source: World Factbook