|
Location:
|
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
|
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
18 15 N, 66 30 W
|
|
Map references:
|
Central America and the Caribbean
|
|
Area:
|
total: 9,104 sq km
water: 145 sq km
land: 8,959 sq km
|
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
|
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km
|
|
Coastline:
|
501 km
|
|
Maritime claims:
|
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
|
|
Climate:
|
tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation
|
|
Terrain:
|
mostly mountains, with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas
|
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m
|
|
Natural resources:
|
some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil
|
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 3.72%
permanent crops: 5.07%
other: 91.21% (1998 est.)
|
|
Irrigated land:
|
400 sq km (1998 est.)
|
|
Natural hazards:
|
periodic droughts; hurricanes
|
|
Environment - current issues:
|
erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages
|
|
Geography - note:
|
important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north
|
