Page last updated on January 31, 2014

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: 13,790 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 163
land: 8,870 sq km
water: 4,921 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
0 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
501 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 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
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

Natural resources:
some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil

Land use:
arable land: 6.76%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 4.51%
other: 88.73% (2011)

Irrigated land:
220.4 sq km (2005)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

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