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

Geographic coordinates:
18 20 N, 64 50 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 1,910 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 346 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 1,564 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 182

Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
188 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]

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 flat land

Elevation:
mean elevation: NA
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Natural resources:
pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism

Land use:
agricultural land: 11.5% arable land 2.9%; permanent crops 2.9%; permanent pasture 5.7%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 57.4%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 31.1% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
1 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
while overall population density throughout the islands is relatively low, concentrations appear around Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and Christiansted on St. Croix

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