Geography of Puerto Rico
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Location:
STS034-76-88.jpg
Caribbean, archipelago between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates: Template:Coor dm
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
Total:
9,104 km²
Land:
8,959 km²
Water:
145 km²
Area - comparative: Slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island, U.S.A.
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 501 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nautical miles (370 km)
Territorial sea:
12 nautical miles (22 km)
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 1,338 m
Natural resources: Some copper, nickel, gold, limestone and sand
Land use:
Arable land:
3.72%
Permanent crops:
5.07%
Other:
91.21% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 400 km² (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: Periodic droughts; hurricanes; earthquakes
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
- See also : Puerto Rico, Geography of the United States