Geography & environment — Dominican Republic
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Dominican Republic: The Caribbean
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
The Caribbean
- Geographic Coordinates
19 00 N, 70 40 W
- Total Area
18,791 Square Miles 48,670 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
18,656 Square Miles 48,320 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
135 Square Miles 350 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
224 Miles 360 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Haiti 360 km
- Coastline
800 Miles 1,288 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
Rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
- Highest Point
3,175 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Pico Duarte 3,175 m
- Lowest Point
-46 Meters
- Lowest Point Location
Lago Enriquillo -46 m
- Natural Resources
Nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
- Irrigated Land
1,183 Square Miles 3,065 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
The climate varies little year round. Although the country is in the tropics, constant trade winds keep temperatures from frequently exceeding 90°F. Temperatures in its coastal cities average about 78°F, with seasonal variations of 5-8 degrees. Rainfall varies regionally with about two-thirds of the annual 57 inches in the capital falling in the rainy season from May to November. Hurricanes are a significant weather threat, particularly from June through October, and have caused serious damage in the past.
- Terrain
Rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
- Location
Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
- Total Area
18,791 Square Miles 48,670 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Haiti 360 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
Water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation
- Environment - International Agreements
Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands Signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
