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: 275 km border countries : Dominican Republic 275 km

Coastline: 1,771 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf : to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

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 2,680 m