| 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
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 |
| Coastline: |
501 km |
| 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
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,339 m |
| Natural resources: |
some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil |
| Land use: |
arable land: 3.69%
permanent crops: 5.59%
other: 90.72% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: |
400 sq km (2003) |
| 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 |
