Geography of Puerto Rico
Location:
Caribbean, archipelago between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates:
18 15 N, 66 30 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
Total:
9,104 sq km
Land:
8,959 sq km
Water:
145 sq km
Area - comparative:
Slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
501 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
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 and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil
Land use:
Arable land:
3.72%
Permanent crops:
5.07%
Other:
91.21% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
400 sq km (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
Referenced By
Borikén | ISO 3166-1:PR | Peurto Rico | Porto Rico | Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico/Transnational issues | Puetro Rico | San Juan Bautista (Puerto Rico)
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