Netherlands Antilles Geography

Location: Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - composed of five islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast of Venezuela, and St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius lie east of the US Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates: 12 15 N, 68 45 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 960 sq km land: 960 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

Area - comparative: more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint-Martin) 10.2 km

Coastline: 364 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Terrain: generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements:

Geography - note: the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao)



Links: Netherlands Antilles Travel Blogs (all) | Netherlands Antilles Travel Photos | Netherlands Antilles Travel Forum | Netherlands Antilles Facts | Map of Netherlands Antilles

Areas in Netherlands Antilles: Bonaire | Curaçao | Saba | Sint Eustatius | Sint Maarten