Geography

Antigua and Barbuda lie in the eastern arc of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean Sea. The nation consists of a number of islands, of which Antigua is the largest one, and the most populated. Barbuda, just north of Antigua is the other main island. Antigua is 650 km southeast of Puerto Rico; Barbuda lies 48 km due north of Antigua, and the uninhabited island of Redonda is 56 km southwest of Antigua. The islands have a warm, tropical climate, with fairly constant temperatures year round.

The largest island, Antigua, is 21 km (about 12 miles) across and 281 sq km (about a hundred square miles) in area, or about two-thirds the size of New York City or seven eighths the area of Inner London. Barbuda covers 161 sq km, while Redonda encompasses a mere 2.6 sq km. The capital of Antigua and Barbuda is St. John's, located at St. John's Harbour on the northwest coast of Antigua. The principal city of Barbuda is Codrington, located on Codrington Lagoon.

Antigua and Barbuda both are generally low-lying islands whose terrain has been influenced more by limestone formations than volcanic activity. The highest point on Antigua, however, is Boggy Peak, the remnant of a volcanic crater rising 399 metres. This mountain is located amid a bulge of hills of volcanic origin in the south-western part of the island. The limestone formations in the northeast are separated from the south-western volcanic area by a central plain of clay formations. Barbuda's highest elevation is 44.5 metres, part of the highland plateau east of Codrington. The shorelines of both islands are greatly indented, with beaches, lagoons and natural harbours. The islands are rimmed by reefs and shoals. There are few streams, as rainfall is slight. Both islands lack adequate amounts of fresh groundwater.

Facts and Figures

• 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
• Area:
  (Note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km)
  • Total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)
  • Land: 442.6 sq km
  • Water: 0 sq km
• Land boundaries: 0 km
• Coastline: 153 km
• Maritime Claims:
  • Territorial sea: 12 nm
  • Contiguous zone: 24 nm
  • Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  • Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
• Climate: tropical maritime; 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
• Land Use:
  • Arable land: 18.18%
  • Permanent crops: 4.55%
  • Other: 77.27%
• Natural Hazards:
  • Hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
  • Periodic droughts
• Environmental 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