Geography of Anguilla

Anguilla is an island in the Leeward Islands. It has numerous bays, including Barnes, Little, Rendezvous, Shoal, and Road Bays.

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
 * land: 91 km2
 * water: 0 km2

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

Coastline: 61 km

Maritime claims:
 * exclusive fishing zone: 200 nmi
 * territorial sea: 3 nmi

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
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:


 * Anguillita
 * Blowing Rock
 * Cove Cay
 * Crocus Cay
 * Deadman's Cay
 * Dog Island
 * East Cay
 * Little Island
 * Little Scrub Island
 * Mid Cay
 * North Cay
 * Prickly Pear Cays
 * Rabbit Island
 * Sandy Island, also known as Sand Island
 * Scilly Cay
 * Scrub Island
 * Seal Island
 * Sombrero, also known as Hat Island
 * South Cay
 * South Wager Island
 * West Cay

Districts
Anguilla is divided into fourteen districts:



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 in December to 30 °C in July. With no mountains to slow or trap clouds, rainfall is erratic, averaging about 900 mm 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 from Hurricane Luis in 1995, severe flooding of 1.5 to 6 m from Hurricane Lenny in 1999 and severe damage from Hurricane Irma in 2017, which remains the most powerful hurricane to hit the island.

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.