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Location:
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Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
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Geographic coordinates:
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19 00 N, 70 40 W
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Map references:
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Central America and the Caribbean
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Area:
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total: 48,730 sq km
land: 48,380 sq km
water: 350 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
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Land boundaries:
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total: 360 km
border countries: Haiti 360 km
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Coastline:
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1,288 km
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Maritime claims:
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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
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Climate:
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tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
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Terrain:
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rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
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Natural resources:
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nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
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Land use:
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arable land: 21.08%
permanent crops: 9.92%
other: 69% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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2,590 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts
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Environment - current issues:
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water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)
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