Geography of the Dominican Republic

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This article details the geography of the Dominican Republic.

Country Map

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Location
Caribbean, it occupies two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Geographic coordinates
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Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
  • Total: 48,730 km²
  • Land: 48,380 km²
  • Water: 350 km²
Area - comparative
Slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries
  • Total: 275 km
  • Border countries: Haiti 275 km
Coastline
1,288 km
Maritime claims
  • Contiguous zone: 24 nm
  • Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
  • Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  • Territorial sea: 6 nm
Climate
Tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Rivers
Significant rivers include the Jimani River, Río Yaque del Norte, Río Jamao del Norte, Río Isabela and the Ozama River

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Terrain
Rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
Elevation extremes
Natural resources
Nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Land use
  • Arable land: 21%
  • Permanent crops: 9%
  • Permanent pastures: 43%
  • Forests and woodland: 12%
  • Other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land
2,300 km² (1993 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; Hurricane Georges damage
Environment - international agreements
Geography - note
Shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)

See also

Template:North America in topices:Geografía de la República Dominicana fr:Géographie de la République dominicaine pt:Geografia da República Dominicana