Virgin Islands/Geography

Geographic coordinates:
18 20 N, 64 50 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total:
352 sq km

land:
349 sq km

water:
3 sq km

Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
188 km

Maritime claims:

exclusive economic zone:
200 nm

territorial sea:
12 nm

Climate:
subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November

Terrain:
mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point:
Crown Mountain 474 m

Natural resources:
sun, sand, sea, surf

Land use:

arable land:
15%

permanent crops:
6%

permanent pastures:
26%

forests and woodland:
6%

other:
47% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
lack of natural freshwater resources

Geography - note:
important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural, deepwater harbors in the Caribbean