Competitor;

Subject:
Physical Geography of the Island of Santo Domingo
Issue:
Physical-geographic characteristics of the island of Santo
Domingo .
Facilitator:
FRANCIS ANT. MÉNDEZ ALCEQUIEZ
Task 2
Welcome to our second week of work, in which we will identify the main
physical-geographic characteristics of the island of Santo Domingo and the
Dominican Republic.

Consult the indicated bibliography and other sources of scientific interest for the
topic under study.

It is recommended:

1. Indicate the general physical-geographic characteristics of the

island of Santo Domingo, with emphasis on its climate, relief and
coasts.

Geography and Climate of the Dominican Republic.

The Island of Hispaniola is, among the Greater Antilles, the second largest.
Preceded by Cuba, this island is shared with Haiti (west), where the territory of
Santo Domingo occupies two thirds of the total area, with a surface area of
48,511.44 km2.

The country has three large mountain systems: The Central Cordillera, which
begins in Haiti, crossing the entire central area and ends in the southern part
(San Cristóbal), in this mountain system is located the highest peak in the
Antilles, Pico Duarte (3,175 meters. Tall). The Northern Cordillera, which runs
parallel to the Central Cordillera separating the Cibao Valley from the Atlantic
Coastal Plain, with the Diego de Ocampo peak being the highest of its
elevations. The Eastern Cordillera, the shortest and lowest of the three, in the
eastern part of the island. Other important mountain ranges are the Bahoruco
and Neyba mountain ranges in the Southwest region.

The country has abundant rivers, many of them navigable, such as the Soco
River, the Higuamo, Romana, Yaque del Norte, Yaque del Sur, Yuna, Yuma,
Bajabonico, Ozama (navigable in parts), among others.

Dominican relief

The island of Santo Domingo is part of a geological unit. It is the Antillean arc,
which starts from North America and reaches South America. Geologists admit
that three rows of mountains, now submerged, extend from the continent.

These cross under the Yucatán Channel and the Canal del Viento and reach
Santo Domingo. The first, starts from the Yucatan Peninsula and reaches Cuba.
The second, starts a little further south of Yucatán, that is, British Honduras,
runs parallel to the island of Cuba and culminates in the Sierra Maestra.

The third begins in Nicaragua, passes through Jamaica and arrives in Santo
Domingo. The three chains of submerged mountains that start from Central
America are reduced to two, to reach our island. One of these chains emerges
upon reaching Haiti and penetrates through the San Nicolás peninsula. It does
not continue towards the Frankish East, but rather turns southeast and forms
our Central mountain range. The other mountain chain that comes from Central
America passes through Jamaica and penetrates Santo Domingo, emerges on
the Tiburon peninsula and culminates in the Horte and La Salle mountains,
which are the highest mountains in Haiti.

This mountain range also deviates slightly towards the South when reaching the
Dominican Republic. Here we know it as the Sierra de Bahoruco, which reaches
the same coast in the province of Barahona. The Sierra de Neiba does not
seem to integrate with this mountain system that penetrates through the Tiburon
peninsula.

The Sierra de Neiba seems to be a rather isolated mountain system. It has,

however, ramifications that link it to the Central Mountain Range. These
ramifications are visible beyond the intersection of the Azua, San Juan de la
Maguana and Barahona highways.

Geographical position

The island of Santo Domingo occupies a position almost equidistant between

Cuba and Puerto Rico. The Wind Channel separates it from Cuba. The shortest
distance is about 77 kilometers, between Cape San Nicolás in Haiti and Punta
Maisi in Cuba.

Another channel, La Mona, separates our island from Puerto Rico. The shortest
distance is about 102 kilometers, between Cabo Engaño, in the Dominican
Republic, and Punta Jiguero, in Puerto Rico.

The Dominican Republic is, therefore, close to Puerto Rico. San Juan, the
capital of the island, is less than an hour's flight from Santo Domingo, which
greatly favors an active commercial exchange.

The proximity of our country to the United States is about 2,500 kilometers to
New York, which reduces the distance to three and a half hours by flight from
Santo Domingo. It's a two-hour flight to Miami, all of which benefits us for
economic and cultural relations.

The territory of the Dominican Republic is located between the 18th and 20th
parallels. More precisely, between the parallels 17 degrees 40 minutes and 19
degrees 56 minutes North latitude of the Equator.

This means that the southernmost geographical point of our country, the Alto
Velo island, is at 17 degrees 40 minutes. The northernmost point, Cape Isabela,
is 19 degrees 56 minutes from the equator.
The Tropic of Cancer, which limits the Equatorial Zone to the north, passes to
the north of our country. The Dominican Republic is therefore within the torrid
zone. We live in a tropical country.

If you take the Greenwich meridian that passes through London, the Dominican
Republic is located between the 68th and 72nd meridians. More precisely,
between 68 degrees 20 minutes and 72 degrees 01 minute, West longitude.

Since the 70th meridian passes through Haina, near Santo Domingo, that
should be the one used to set the official time throughout the territory. But, by
international agreement, the 75th meridian has been adopted, which passes
through western Haiti.

The Sea of the Antilles, with a surface area of about 3.5 million square
kilometers, separates Santo Domingo from the coast of South America and
Central America. The Atlantic Ocean separates us from the continental lands of
North America.

Area and position of the island of Santo Domingo

The area of the island of Santo Domingo is about 77,000 kilometers, of which
48,442 square kilometers belong to the Dominican Republic, including the
adjacent islands.

The figure of 48,442 square kilometers has been accepted until now for the total
area of our country. They are also given as figures for length and width: the first,
from Cabo Engaño to the westernmost end of the border line at 390 kilometers.

From Cape Isabela to Cape Beata is 286 kilometers; and also 390 kilometers of
the border line, which with 1,576 kilometers of coastline, complete the contour,
length and width measurements of our territory.

This extends to the polar circles, separating us from New York by about 2,500
kilometers and from Europe by about 5,000 kilometers.

Climate

It has a predominantly tropical climate and where rainfall is abundant, an

average temperature between 25–30°C, with few exceptions in regions with
high altitudes such as Constanza, Jarabacoa and Ocoa, among others, where
the temperature drops to –5°. C in winter. The day expands between 11 a.m.
and 1 p.m. a year, depending on the season. The rainy season runs from May
to November, highlighting May, August and September and, due to its torrential
rains, during this time there are numerous landslides. It is prone to hurricanes
and on average one occurs every 7–8 years and a tropical storm every 4 years
and floods.
2. Prepare maps where the geographical location, dimensions and
limits of the island of Santo Domingo are denoted.
 3. Identify the latent earthquake threats on the island, based on its
geological constitution.

The geologist Osiris de León explains in his work

“Earthquakes, soils and landslides in the Dominican
Republic”, that the island of Hispaniola is cut from northwest
to southeast by 8 large regional faults that divide it into four
important plate fragments and that are the main causes. of
the earthquakes recorded on the island.

He explains that the one with the greatest seismic activity

is that of the northern block - made up of the Cibao valley,
the Samaná bay, the Northern mountain range, the
Samaná peninsula and the Atlantic coast. The earthquake
of September 22, 2003 near Puerto Plata is attributed to
this fault, which caused extensive damage, especially in
public schools in that city.
 Main earthquakes recorded in the history of the Dominican
Republic:

In 1562 Santiago and La Vega were destroyed and
Puerto Plata suffered damage.
In 1614 there was an earthquake that seriously
damaged Santo Domingo. There were aftershocks
for 42 days.
In 1673, 24 people died and the city of Santo
Domingo was destroyed, aftershocks for 40 days.
Year 1691 was the destruction of Azua and damage
to Santo Domingo.
In 1751 Azua destroyed, ruins in El Seibo, damage
in Santo Domingo, Port-au-Prince and in Croix-des-
Bouquets in Haiti, a tsunami also occurred, this
earthquake affected the entire south of the island.
In 1761 Sense throughout the south Azua
destroyed again, damage in Neiba, San Juan; It
was felt in La Vega, Santiago and Cotuí.
In 1842 Catastrophe throughout the island,
tsunami on the northern coasts, 5,000 to 6,000
dead in Haiti, Santiago, Cap Haitien and Mole
Saint-Nicolás destroyed, many buildings
destroyed in Santo Domingo.
In 1897 Santiago, Guayubín, Guanábano-
abajo, Altamira, Navarrete. Cathedral and
Government Palace in ruins. Breaks of the
Puerto Plata submarine cable, landslide in the
mountains north of Santiago.

On August 4, 1946, an earthquake of

magnitude 8.1 in the northeast of the
country caused damage throughout the
country, caused a tsunami in the
province of Nagua, and thus wiped out
the fishing population of Matancitas.
This was one of the largest earthquakes
of the 20th century. .