Location and climate of the island of Vis

The Island of Vis, position and climate

The island of Vis is located between latitude 43° 12'' and 43° 48' 6'' north and longitude 16° 3' and 15° 48'' east. It is 45-55 km away from the shore depending on the point of measurement.

Vis is 18 km from the extreme western point of the island of Hvar, and 147 km from the closest point on the Italian shore.

The island of Vis is trapezium-like; its longest longitudinal line, which connects east and west, is 17 km long, and the one that bonds the north to the south is 8 km long. The surface area of the island is 90 square kilometres.

Two large bays, one to the north, St. George's port and the other on the western part of the island, Komiža Bay, are indented deeply in the Vis trapezium.

The Island of Vis is created mainly of chalky limestone and dolomites whist the north-eastern and eastern part of Komiža Bay is made up of Triassic and igneous rocks. Vis is always mentioned together with the smaller islands: Biševo, Svetac, Brusnik and Jabuka. The climate of the island of Vis is Mediterranean with hot and dry summers and gentle and humid winters. The average annual temperature surpasses 16°C. The average summer temperature is lower than that on the mainland by a degree or two, and higher by a degree or two during the winter. The average annual rainfall is 800 mm per m2, which is slightly lower when compared to neighbouring islands and the mainland, whilst due to its geological structure the island has more fresh water sources than neighbouring islands. However, the plantations of palms, oranges and lemons, oleanders and aloes, Indian figs and other subtropical plants best characterize Vis' climate.