Geography of Dominica

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about half way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 15 25 N, 61 20 W

Area: total: 751 sq km; land: 751 sq km; water: 0 sq km

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 Diablotins 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

Total renewable water resources: NA

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.02 cu km/yr
per capita: 213 cu m/yr (1996)

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.