Geography of Dominica
Location: | Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago |
Geographic coordinates: | 15 25 N, 61 20 W |
Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean |
Area: | total: 754 sq km land: 754 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative: | slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC |
Land boundaries: | 0 km |
Coastline: | 148 km |
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Climate: | tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall |
Terrain: | rugged mountains of volcanic origin |
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m |
Natural resources: | timber, hydropower, arable land |
Land use: | arable land: 6.67% permanent crops: 21.33% other: 72% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | NA |
Natural hazards: | flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months |
Environment - current issues: | NA |
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note: | known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world |