Dominica Geography:
Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
15 25 N, 61 20 W
Map references:
Area:
total:
754 sq km
land:
754 sq km
water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 0 km
border countries: NA
Coastline:
148 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:
Tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Terrain:
Rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m
Natural resources:
Timber, hydropower, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 6.67%
permanent crops: 20%
other: 73.33%
(2001)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
Flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements (not ratified)
Geography - Note:
Known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world |
