| Geography and Climate |
US Virgin Islands located in the Caribbean, are islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico. Area comparatively twice the size of Washington, DC.
Climate is subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November. Terrain consists of mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land. Elevation extreme has the lowest point in the Caribbean Sea 0 m and highest point in Crown Mountain 474 m. Natural resources are sand, sea, surf and sun. Land use: arable land: 15%, permanent crops: 6%, permanent pastures: 26%, forests and woodland: 6%, other: 47% (1993 est.).
Natural hazards are several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts, floods, and 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.
Ref. Anonymous, 1999 |