Dominica Geography
LocationCaribbean, 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
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
0 km
Coastline
148 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 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 sq km
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, 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
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
