Hispaniola

Hispaniola is the Caribbean island shared by the sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti and is the second-largest island in the Caribbean. The island contains a mix of coastal plains, inland valleys and several mountain ranges, including the Cordillera Central.

Highlights across the island include agricultural plains, urban centres, and highland areas such as the range containing Pico Duarte at 3,087 metres. Coastal areas host beaches and bays while interior regions contain cloud forests and freshwater rivers.

The island was colonized and contested by European powers from the late 15th century and later became the location of two independent nations with different colonial legacies. Over time land use, population growth and political developments have produced distinct economic and environmental conditions on each side of the border.

Geographically Hispaniola lies in the Greater Antilles between Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east; the island’s coasts face the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

• Size and population: Second-largest island in the Caribbean by area and home to a population distributed across coastal plains and interior highlands.
• Varied terrain: The island's terrain includes coastal plains, interior mountain ranges and river valleys, creating diverse climates and ecosystems in short distances.

What to See #

• Two nations: The Dominican Republic and Haiti share the island, with international border lines running northwest to southeast and differing national administrations on each side.
• Cordillera Central and Pico Duarte: Mountain ranges including the Cordillera Central, which contains Pico Duarte at 3,087 metres, the island's highest point and the highest peak in the Caribbean.