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Location:
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Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
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Geographic coordinates:
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17 03 N, 61 48 W
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Map references:
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central america and the caribbean
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Area:
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total: 443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km
land: 443 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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153 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
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Climate:
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tropical; little seasonal temperature variation
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Terrain:
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mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m
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Natural resources:
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NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism
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Land use:
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arable land: 18.18%
permanent crops: 4.55%
other: 77.27% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor
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