Geography of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago.

Geographic coordinates: 13 15 N, 61 12 W

Area: total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km); land: 389 sq km; water: 0 sq km

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 84 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m

Natural resources: hydropower, cropland

Land use: arable land: 17.95%; permanent crops: 17.95%; other: 64.1% (2005)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.01
per capita: 83 cu m/yr (1995)

Natural hazards: hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat

Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays.