Geography of Anguilla

Anguilla is an island in the Leeward Islands, which lies between the Caribbean Sea in the west and the open Atlantic Ocean in the east. It is a long, flat, dry/wet, scrub-covered coral island, south and east of Puerto Rico and north of the Windward chain. It is separated from the British Virgin Islands by the Anegada Passage. The island has no significant elevations with its terrain consisting entirely of beaches, dunes, and low limestone bluffs.

Anguilla
ContinentNorth America
SubregionCaribbean
Geographic coordinates18°15′N 63°10′W
Area
 - Total
 - Water		 Ranked 227th
91 km²
0 km
Coastline61 km
Land boundaries0 km
Highest pointCrocus Hill, 73 m
Lowest pointCaribbean Sea, 0 m
Largest inland body of waterRoad Bay Pond
Land Use
 - Arable land
 - Permanent crops
 - Other
0 %
0 %
100 % (2012 est.)
Climate:tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds
Terrain:flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone
Natural resourcessalt, fish, lobster
Natural hazardshurricanes, tropical storms (June to November)
Environmental issueslow water supplies

Hills

Anguilla’s highest elevation, Crocus Hill, is 73 m (240 ft). Crocus Hill is among the cliffs that line the northern shore.

Coastline

The numerous bays, including Barnes, Little, Rendezvous, Shoal, and Road Bays, lure many vacationers to this tropical island. The coast and the beautiful, pristine beaches are integral to the tourism-based economy of Anguilla. Because of Anguilla’s warm climate, the beaches can be used year-round.

Statistics

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 18°15′ N, 63°10′ W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

  • total: 91 km2 (35 sq mi)
  • land: 91 km2 (35 sq mi)
  • water: 0 km2 (0 sq mi)

Area – comparative: about half the size of Washington, D.C.

Coastline: 61 km

Maritime claims:

  • exclusive fishing zone: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)
  • territorial sea: 3 nmi (5.6 km; 3.5 mi)

Climate: tropical moderated by northeast trade winds

Terrain: flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Elevation extremes:

  • lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  • highest point: Crocus Hill 73 m

Natural resources: salt, fish, lobster

Land use:

  • arable land: 0%
  • permanent crops: 0%
  • permanent pastures: 0%
  • forests and woodland: 61.1%
  • other: 38.9% (mostly rock with some commercial salt ponds)

Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)

Environment – current issues: supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system.

Islands and cays
Anguilla islands and cays

The territory of Anguilla consists of the island of Anguilla itself (by far the largest), as well as numerous other islands and cays, most of which are very small and uninhabited. These include:

Districts

Anguilla is divided into fourteen districts:

District Population (2011)[1]
Blowing Point870
East End671
George Hill879
Island Harbour988
North Hill464
North Side1980
Sandy Ground230
Sandy Hill636
South Hill1722
Stoney Ground1549
The Farrington624
The Quarter959
The Valley1067
West End813

Climate

Anguilla features a tropical wet and dry climate under the Köppen climate classification. The island has a rather dry climate, moderated by northeast trade winds. Temperatures vary little throughout the year. Average daily maxima range from about 27 °C (80.6 °F) in December to 30 °C (86 °F) in July. Rainfall is erratic, averaging about 900 mm (35.4 in) per year, the wettest months being September and October, and the driest February and March. Anguilla is vulnerable to hurricanes from June to November, peak season August to mid-October. The island suffered damage in 1995 from Hurricane Luis.

Climate data for The Valley - capital of Anguilla
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 28
(82)		 28
(82)		 28
(82)		 28
(82)		 30
(86)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 30
(86)		 29
(84)		 28
(82)		 30
(86)
Daily mean °C (°F) 26
(79)		 26
(79)		 26
(79)		 27
(81)		 27
(81)		 28
(82)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 28
(82)		 27
(81)		 26
(79)		 27
(81)
Average low °C (°F) 23
(73)		 23
(73)		 23
(73)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 26
(79)		 26
(79)		 26
(79)		 26
(79)		 26
(79)		 25
(77)		 24
(75)		 23
(73)
Average precipitation cm (inches) 7
(2.8)		 4
(1.6)		 4
(1.6)		 7
(2.8)		 9
(3.5)		 7
(2.8)		 8
(3.1)		 11
(4.3)		 11
(4.3)		 9
(3.5)		 11
(4.3)		 9
(3.5)		 102
(40)
Source: Weatherbase[2]

Vegetation

Anguilla’s coral and limestone terrain provide no subsistence possibilities for forests, woodland, pastures, crops, or arable lands. Its dry climate and thin soil hamper commercial agricultural development.

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See also

References
  1. "Districts of Anguilla". Archived from the original on 2017-02-13. Retrieved 2015-03-23.
  2. "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for The Valley".

 This article incorporates public domain material from the CIA World Factbook website https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html.

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