Geography of Haiti

The nation of Haiti comprises the western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, west of the Dominican Republic and between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. Haiti's geographic coordinates are at a longitude of 72° 25′ west and a latitude of 19° 00′ north. The total area is 27,750km,² of which 27,560km² is land and 190km² is water. This makes Haiti slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Maryland. Haiti has 1,771km of coastline and a 360km-border with the Dominican Republic.

Haiti's lowest elevation is at sea level; its highest point is Chaine de la Selle at 2,680m. There are no navigable rivers; the largest lake is Etang Saumâtre, a salt-water body located in the southern region.

Maritime claims

• Contiguous zone: 24 nm
• Continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
• Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
• Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

Tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Terrain

Mostly rough and mountainous

Natural resources

Bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Land use

• Arable land: 20.32%
• Permanent crops: 12.7%
• Other: 66.98% (1998 est.)

Natural hazards

Lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment--current issues

Extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment--international agreements

• Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
• Signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban