Short facts about the geography of Saint Vincent and The Grenadines

Location:

Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:

13 15 N, 61 12 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total:  389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km) land:  389 sq km water:  0 sq km

Area - comparative:

twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

84 km

Maritime claims:

contiguous zone:  24 NM continental shelf:  200 NM exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain:

volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:  Soufriere 1,234 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, cropland

Land use:

arable land:  10% permanent crops:  18% permanent pastures:  5% forests and woodland:  36% other:  31% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat

Environment - current issues:

pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified:  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:

the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

Source: World Factbook