Geography of Montserrat

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N, 62 12 W

Area: total: 102 sq km; land: 102 sq km; water: 0 sq km

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006)

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 20%; permanent crops: 0%; other: 80% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions
volcanism: Soufriere Hills volcano, at a height of 915 m (3,010 ft), has erupted continuously since 1995; a massive eruption in 1997 destroyed most of the capital, Plymouth, and resulted in approximately half of the island becoming uninhabitable

Environment - current issues: land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Geography - note: the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages.