Short facts about the geography of Netherlands Antilles

Location:

Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela; the other is east of the Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates:

12 15 N, 68 45 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total:  960 sq km land:  960 sq km water:  0 sq km note:  includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

Area - comparative:

more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total:  10.2 km border countries:  Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km

Coastline:

364 km

Maritime claims:

exclusive fishing zone:  12 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:

generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:  Mount Scenery 862 m

Natural resources:

phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Land use:

arable land:  10% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  0% forests and woodland:  0% other:  90% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

NA sq km

Natural hazards:

Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October

Environment - current issues:

NA

Source: World Factbook