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 Central America and the Caribbean

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
territorial sea: 6 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
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: 21%
permanent crops: 10%
other: 69% (1998 est.)

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; Hurricane Georges damage

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)

NOTE: The information regarding Dominican Republic on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Dominican Republic Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Dominican Republic Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.