Virgin Islands Geography - 2024

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates

18 20 N, 64 50 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total: 1,910 sq km

land: 346 sq km

water: 1,564 sq km

Area - comparative

twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Coastline

188 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November

Terrain

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little flat land

Elevation

highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Natural resources

pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism

Land use

agricultural land: 11.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 2.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 5.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 57.4% (2018 est.)

other: 31.1% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land

1 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

while overall population density throughout the islands is relatively low, concentrations appear around Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and Christiansted on St. Croix

Natural hazards

several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Geography - note

important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean