Dominican Republic Geography:
Location:
Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Geographic coordinates:
19 00 N, 70 40 W
Map references:
Area:
total:
48,730 sq km
land:
48,380 sq km
water:
350 sq km
Area - comparative:
Slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries:
total: 360 km
border countries: Haiti 360 km
Coastline:
1,288 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 6 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:
Tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Terrain:
Rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
Natural resources:
Nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Land use:
arable land: 22.65%
permanent crops: 10.33%
other: 67.02%
(2001)
Irrigated land:
2,590 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
Lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
Water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea (not ratified)
Geography - Note:
Shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti |
