| Location |
Caribbean, chain
of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida |
| Geographic
coordinates |
24 15
N, 76 00 W |
| Map
references |
Central America
and the Caribbean |
| Area |
total: 13,940
sq km
land: 10,070 sq km
water : 3,870 sq km |
| Land
boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline |
3,542 km |
| Maritime
claims |
continental
shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation (measured from
the archipelagic straight baselines)
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 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 63 m |
| Natural
resources |
salt, aragonite,
timber |
| Land
use |
arable land
: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 32%
other : 67% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land |
NA sq
km |
| Natural
hazards |
hurricanes and
other tropical storms that cause extensive flood and wind damage |
Environment
current issues |
coral reef decay |
Environment
international agreements |
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| note |
strategic location
adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain |