Geography

Area

Climate

tropical maritime climate; minimal seasonal temperature fluctuations; seasonal rainfall variation

Terrain

rugged highlands and mountainous regions interspersed with fertile valleys

Land use

Location

Caribbean region, covering the eastern two-thirds of Hispaniola, situated between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, to the east of Haiti

Coastline

1,288 km

Elevation

Irrigated land

2,981 sq km (2018)

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Land boundaries

Maritime claims

Natural hazards

situated in the center of the hurricane belt and prone to severe storms from June through October; occasional flooding events; recurrent droughts

Geography - note

shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti (the eastern two-thirds constitutes the Dominican Republic, while the western one-third is Haiti); it is the second largest nation in the Antilles (following Cuba); features geographical diversity, including the tallest mountain in the Caribbean, Pico Duarte, as well as the lowest point and largest lake, Lago Enriquillo

Natural resources

nickel, bauxite, gold, silver, cultivable land

Area - comparative

slightly over twice the area of New Jersey

Geographic coordinates

19 00 N, 70 40 W

Population distribution

coastal development is prominent, particularly in the southern coastal plains and Cibao Valley, where the population density is the highest; smaller population centers are found in the interior mountain ranges (Cordillera Central)

Major lakes (area sq km)