Dominican Republic Geography
LocationCaribbean, 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
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
territorial sea: 6 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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
Geography - note
shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti
