Land use:
arable land: 37%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 12%
other: 46% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
Environment—current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
Environment—international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity
Geography—note: easternmost Caribbean island
People
Population: 259,191 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23% (male 30,132; female 29,359)
15-64 years: 67% (male 85,437; female 88,131)
65 years and over: 10% (male 9,862; female 16,270) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.04% (1999 est.)