Geography of Virgin Islands

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

Geographic coordinates: 18 20 N, 64 50 W

Area: total: 1,910 sq km; land: 346 sq km; water: 1,564 sq km

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 188 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm; exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September 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: 5.71%; permanent crops: 2.86%; other: 91.43% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources

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.