GEOGRAPHY

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 66 30 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: total: 13,790 sq km
land: 8,870 sq km
water: 4,921 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 501 km

Climate: tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,339 m

Natural resources: some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil

Land use: arable land: 3.69%
permanent crops: 5.59%
other: 90.72% (2005)

Irrigated land: 400 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; hurricanes

Environment - current issues: erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages