Geography of Antigua and Barbuda

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Antigua and Barbuda lie in the eastern arc of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean Sea. Antigua is 650 km southeast of Puerto Rico; Barbuda lies 48 km due north of Antigua, and the uninhabited island of Redonda is 56 km southwest of Antigua. The largest island, Antigua, is 21 km (about a dozen miles) across and 281 km² (about a hundred square miles) in area, or about two-thirds the size of New York City, seven eighths the area of Inner London or 86% greater than the London Borough of Bromley. Barbuda covers 161 km² (about 5% more than Bromley), while Redonda encompasses a mere 2.6 km² making it like The City of London, about 1 square mile. The capital of Antigua and Barbuda is St. John's, located at St. John's Harbour on the northwest coast of Antigua. The principal city of Barbuda is Codrington, located on Codrington Lagoon.

Antigua and Barbuda both are generally low-lying islands whose terrain has been influenced more by limestone formations than volcanic activity. The highest point on Antigua, however, is Boggy Peak, the remnant of a volcanic crater rising 399 metres. This mountain is located amid a bulge of hills of volcanic origin in the southwestern part of the island. The limestone formations in the northeast are separated from the southwestern volcanic area by a central plain of clay formations. Barbuda's highest elevation is 44.5 metres, part of the highland plateau east of Codrington. The shorelines of both islands are greatly indented, with beaches, lagoons, and natural harbours. The islands are rimmed by reefs and shoals. There are few streams, as rainfall is slight. Both islands lack adequate amounts of fresh groundwater.

The islands' tropical climate is moderated by fairly constant northeast tradewinds, with velocities ranging between 30 and 48 km/h. There is little precipitation, however, because of the islands' low elevations. Rainfall averages 99 cm per year, but the amount varies widely from season to season. In general, the wettest period is between September and November. The islands generally experience low humidity and recurrent droughts. Hurricanes strike on an average of once a year. Temperatures average 27°C, with a range from 23°C in the winter to 30°C in the summer and autumn; the coolest period is between December and February.

Location

Antigua and Barbuda are Caribbean islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates

17°03′N, 61°48′W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

Total: 442 km² (Antigua 281 km²; Barbuda 161 km²)
Land: 442 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: Includes Redonda

Area comparative

Australia comparative: 5 times smaller than the Australian Capital Territory
Canada comparative: about the same size as St. John's
United Kingdom comparative: slightly larger than the Isle of Wight
United States comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

153 km

Maritime claims

Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

Tropical marine; 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%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 9%
Forests and woodland: 11%
Other: 62% (1993 est.)

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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
Signed, but not ratified: None of the selected agreements

[edit] References

This article contains material from the Library of Congress Country Studies, which are United States government publications in the public domain.
This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.