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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 coordinatess 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 Saumātre, 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:
Signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban