Location: | Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba |
| Geographic coordinates: | 24 15 N, 76 00 W |
| Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area: | total: 13,940 sq km
water: 3,870 sq km
land: 10,070 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Connecticut |
| Land boundaries: | 0 km |
| Coastline: | 3,542 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream |
| Terrain: | long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m |
| Natural resources: | salt, aragonite, timber, arable land |
| Land use: | arable land: 0.8%
permanent crops: 0.4%
other: 98.8% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | NA sq km |
| Natural hazards: | hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage |
| Environment - current issues: | coral reef decay; solid waste disposal |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note: | strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited
Source: CIA World Factbook
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