Geography of Antigua and Barbuda

Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico.

Geographic coordinates: 17 03 N, 61 48 W

Area: total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km); land: 442.6 sq km; water: 0 sq km
note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 153 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m

Natural resources: NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Land use: arable land: 18.18%; permanent crops: 4.55%; other: 77.27% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Total renewable water resources: 0.1 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.005 cu km/yr (60%/20%/20%)
per capita: 63 cu m/yr (1990)

Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor.