Editing Geography of Barbados (section)

==Physical characteristics==
The physical characteristics of Barbados are its lowlands or gently sloping, terraced plains, separated by rolling hills that generally parallel the coasts.<ref name=":0">{{Cite encyclopedia|title=Islands of the Commonwealth Caribbean: a regional study|publisher=[[Federal Research Division]], [[Library of Congress]]|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/88600483/|last1=Meyerson|first1=Beatrice Berle|date=1987|editor1-last=Meditz|editor1-first=Sandra W.|pages=390–391|language=English|lccn=88600483|last2=Hornbeck|first2=John F.|last3=Haggerty|first3=Richard A.|entry=Barbados: Geography|editor2-first=Dennis M.|editor2-last=Hanratty}}</ref> Elevations in the interior range from 180 to 240 meters above sea level. [[Mount Hillaby]] is the highest point at 340 meters above sea level.<ref name=":0" /> Farther south, at [[Christ Church Ridge]], elevations range from sixty to ninety meters.<ref name=":0" /> Eighty-five percent of the island's surface consists of coralline limestone twenty-four to thirty meters thick; [[Scotland District]] contains outcroppings of oceanic formations at the surface, however.<ref name=":0" /> Sugarcane is planted on almost 80 percent of the island's limestone surface.<ref name=":0" /> The soils vary in fertility; erosion is a problem, with crop loss resulting from landslides, washouts, and falling rocks.<ref name=":0" /> Most of the small streams are in Scotland District.<ref name=":0" /> The rest of the island has few surface streams; nevertheless, rainwater saturates the soil to produce underground channels such as the famous [[Coles Cave]].<ref name=":0" /> Also notable in the island is the rocky cape known as [[Pico Teneriffe (Barbados)|Pico Teneriffe]]<ref>[http://www.barbadospocketguide.com/barbados-attractions/beaches-and-bays/north-coast-beaches/pico-teneriffe.html Pico Teneriffe]</ref> or Pico de Tenerife, which is named after the fact that the island of [[Tenerife]] in [[Spain]] is the first land east of Barbados according to the belief of the locals.

In Barbados [[forest cover]] is around 15% of the total land area, equivalent to 6,300 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, which was unchanged from 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 6,300 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 0 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 0% was reported to be [[primary forest]] (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 5% of the forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 1% of the forest area was reported to be under [[State ownership|public ownership]], 0% [[Private property|private ownership]] and 99% with ownership listed as other or unknown.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/a6e225da-4a31-4e06-818d-ca3aeadfd635/content |title=Terms and Definitions FRA 2025 Forest Resources Assessment, Working Paper 194 |publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |year=2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020, Barbados |url=https://fra-data.fao.org/assessments/fra/2020/BRB/home/overview |website=Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations}}</ref>