Bahamas Geography
LocationCaribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
Geographic coordinates
24 15 N, 76 00 W
Area
total: 13,940 sq km
land: 10,070 sq km
water: 3,870 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries
0 km
Coastline
3,542 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate
tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Terrain
long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
Natural resources
salt, aragonite, timber, arable land
Land use
arable land: 0.8%
permanent crops: 0.4%
other: 98.8% (2001)
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Natural hazards
hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage
Environment - current issues
coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited
