Geography of Antigua and Barbuda

Geography of Antigua and Barbuda
RegionCaribbean
Coordinates17°03′N 61°48′W / 17.050°N 61.800°W / 17.050; -61.800
AreaRanked 181st
 • Total442.6 km2 (170.9 sq mi)
 • Land95.33%
 • Water4.67%
Coastline153 km (95 mi)
BordersNo land borders
Highest pointBoggy Peak
402 meters (1,319 ft)
Lowest pointAtlantic Ocean
0 metres (0 ft)
Longest riverNone
Largest lakePotsworks Reservoir
2.430 ha (6.00 acres)
Terrainlow-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas
Natural resourcesmarine resources, cotton
Natural hazardshurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts
Environmental issueswater management, deforestation
Exclusive economic zone110,089 km2 (42,506 sq mi)
Satellite image of Antigua and Barbuda.

Antigua and Barbuda lie in the eastern arc of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean Sea.[1] Antigua is 650 km (400 mi) southeast of Puerto Rico; Barbuda lies 48 km (30 mi) due north of Antigua, and the uninhabited island of Redonda is 56 km (35 mi) southwest of Antigua.[1]

The largest island of Antigua, is 21 km (about a dozen miles) across and 281 km2 (about a hundred square miles) in area.[1] Barbuda covers 161 km2 (62 sq mi) while Redonda encompasses 2.6 km2 (1.0 sq mi).[1] The capital of Antigua and Barbuda is St. John's, located at St. John's Harbour on the northwest coast of Antigua.[1] The principal city of Barbuda is Codrington, located on Codrington Lagoon.[1]

In Antigua and Barbuda forest cover is around 18% of the total land area, equivalent to 8,120 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 10,110 hectares (ha) in 1990.[2][3]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Sturges-Vera, Karen (1987). "Antigua and Barbuda: Geography". In Meditz, Sandra W.; Hanratty, Dennis M. (eds.). Islands of the Commonwealth Caribbean: a regional study. Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. 435–437. OCLC 49361510. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  2. ^ Terms and Definitions FRA 2025 Forest Resources Assessment, Working Paper 194. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2023.
  3. ^ "Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020, Antigua and Barbuda". Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.