Location 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: 443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km
land: 442 sq km

Area - comparative 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries 0 km

Coastline 153 km

Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

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%
other: 82% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land NA sq km

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

Geography - note Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor

NOTE: The information regarding Antigua and Barbuda on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Antigua and Barbuda Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Antigua and Barbuda Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.