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 land: 8,959 sq km water: 145 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