Montserrat: Geography#
Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico |
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Geographic Coordinates | 16 45 N, 62 12 W 16.75,-62.2 |
Land boundaries | 0 km |
Coastline | 40 km |
Elevation Extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006) |
Highest Mountains | |
Terrain | volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland |
Natural Hazards | volcanic eruptions; severe hurricanes (June to November) volcanism: Soufriere Hills volcano (elev. 915 m), has erupted continuously since 1995; a massive eruption in 1997 destroyed most of the capital, Plymouth, and resulted in approximately half of the island becoming uninhabitable |
Natural Resource | NEGL |
Land Use | arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2011) |
Climate | tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation |
Irrigated Land | NA |
Renewable Water Resources | NA |
Environment_CurrentIssues | land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation |
Environment - international agreements | NA |
Large Cities | |
Geography-note | the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages |