British Virgin Islands Geography
LocationCaribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates
18 30 N, 64 30 W
Area
total: 153 sq km
land: 153 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the island of Anegada
Area - comparative
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
0 km
Coastline
80 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Terrain
coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
Natural resources
NEGL
Land use
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67%
other: 73.33% (2001)
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Natural hazards
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Environment - current issues
limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)
Geography - note
strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
