Location: Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 72 25 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 27,750 sq km land: 27,560 sq km water: 190 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km
Coastline: 1,771 km
Climate: tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Terrain: mostly rough and mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 8,710 ft.
Natural resources: bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 28.3% permanent crops: 11.61% other: 60.09% (2001)
Irrigated land: 750 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 and earthquakes; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being
cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water
Geography - note: shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti,
eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 72 25 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 27,750 sq km land: 27,560 sq km water: 190 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km
Coastline: 1,771 km
Climate: tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Terrain: mostly rough and mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 8,710 ft.
Natural resources: bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 28.3% permanent crops: 11.61% other: 60.09% (2001)
Irrigated land: 750 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 and earthquakes; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being
cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water
Geography - note: shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti,
eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
| Geography |
