GEOGRAPHY
Location:
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and
Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 13
15 N, 61 12 W
Map references: Central America
and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km)
land: 389 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: twice
the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 84 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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: Soufriere 1,234 m
Natural resources: hydropower,
cropland
Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 18%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 36%
other: 31% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 10 sq km
(1993 est.)
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, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography
- note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines
group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and
Grenada
