Location: | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba |
| Geographic coordinates: | 18 15 N, 77 30 W |
| Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area: | total: 10,991 sq km
land: 10,831 sq km
water: 160 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Connecticut |
| Land boundaries: | 0 km |
| Coastline: | 1,022 km |
| Maritime claims: | measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm |
| Climate: | tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior |
| Terrain: | mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m |
| Natural resources: | bauxite, gypsum, limestone |
| Land use: | arable land: 16.07%
permanent crops: 10.16%
other: 73.77% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 250 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards: | hurricanes (especially July to November) |
| Environment - current issues: | heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note: | strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal
Source: CIA World Factbook
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