Location Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

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, floods, and earthquakes

Environment - current issues lack of natural freshwater resources

Environment - international agreements
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

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

NOTE: The information regarding Virgin Islands on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Virgin Islands Geography 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Virgin Islands Geography 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.