Page last updated on February 23,

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
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 168
land: 10,831 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 160 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
0 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
1,022 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior
More Climate Details

Terrain:
mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Land use:
arable land: 15.83%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 10.01%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 74.16% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
250 sq km (2008)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
9.4 cu km (2000)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.41 cu km/yr (34%/17%/49%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 155 cu m/yr (2000)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]

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