The Shape of the Dominican Republic: A Rectangular Gem with a Southern Bulge
The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two-thirds of Hispaniola with a distinctive shape: roughly rectangular with a pronounced southern coastal bulge.
Geometric Profile
- Overall shape: Rectangle ~250 km (E-W) × ~150 km (N-S)
- Southern bulge: Barahona Peninsula extends ~50 km southward
- Area: 48,671 km² (18,792 sq mi) — 2nd largest Caribbean nation (after Cuba)
- Coastline: ~1,288 km (800 mi) — Atlantic north, Caribbean south
Borders
- West: Haiti (388 km land border — only land neighbor)
- North: Atlantic Ocean
- East: Mona Passage (separates from Puerto Rico)
- South: Caribbean Sea
Regional Geography
| Region | Characteristics |
|---|
| Cibao Valley (NW) | Fertile agricultural heartland; Santiago, La Vega |
| Central Highlands | Cordillera Central; Pico Duarte (3,098 m — Caribbean's highest) |
| Eastern Coastal Plain | Punta Cana, Bávaro, La Romana; tourism corridor |
| Southwest (Barahona Peninsula) | Arid, Enriquillo Lake (-46 m — Caribbean's lowest), unique ecosystems |
| Southeast | Santo Domingo (capital), San Pedro de Macorís; urban/industrial |
Shape Implications
- Climate variety: Rainforest (NE) to desert (SW) in 200 km
- Trade winds: NE trades bring moisture to north/east slopes
- Hurricane exposure: Eastern/southern coasts vulnerable
- Transport: East-west highway (Duarte) connects Santo Domingo to Cibao; north-south harder
Comparison
- Similar size: Costa Rica (51,100 km²), Slovakia (49,035 km²)
- US state comparison: ~Vermont + New Hampshire combined
The Dominican Republic's rectangular-with-bulge shape packs extraordinary geographic diversity—alpine peaks, tropical beaches, fertile valleys, arid lowlands—into a compact, navigable nation.
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