Dominican Republic - Caribbean
Dominican Republic the south with the Caribbean Sea, the east with the Mona Passage and the west with Haiti. Dominican Peso being its currency.
Biodiversity
Has an important biological diversity. Our biodiversity is composed by a flora of more than 5.600 species of plants in the island of the Dominican Republic, being some of them endemic. It exists, also a mixture of native species brought from the European Conquest. As far as the fauna, 70 species of fish, 60 of amphibians, 141 of reptiles including 83% endemic have been named in the island, 254 endemic birds including 22 endemic ones and 33 mammals. The marine biodiversity, due to its condition of tropical island, counts on great formation of coralline reefs. All the South or coastal area of the Caribbean Sea has coralline reefs, they have a great diversity in sort and taxonomic family. The North or coastal area of the Atlantic Ocean has important samples also, from Monte Cristi to the Samaná Bay.
The protected areas include:
14 national parks and 9 scientific reserves that occupy around 12% of the national territory, (recently has been added several protected areas increasing their number to 18%) a submarine park: La Caleta Submarine National Park, the biggest worldwide humpback whales sanctuary: The Silver Bank. And a sanctuary of birds: 7 Brothers Keys, Cayos Siete Hermanos in Monte Cristi.
Dominican Republic has the greatest biodiversity in the Caribbean, with a greater number of species by square kilometers.
Adjacent Islands
Saona Island: located to the Southeastern of Dominican Republic, is the one of greater size. Having an extension of 117 km², with a population approximately of 600 inhabitants in the only inhabitable site called "Mano Juan", has not had greater development due to the salinity of the water of its wells. Its activity is based on the fishing and some tourism services. It has three great lagoons: Canto de la Playa, Los Flamencos and Secucho to its South, separated coast by a beach with the exception of Secucho that is located in its interior, and other two small lagoons.
Catalina Island: at the moment is the one of greater interest and tourist benefit for the Dominican Republic, has diverse infrastructures to lodge the tourists who frequently visit it. It’s located in the southwest of La Romana in the Southeastern of the country.
Article by www.nautiliusproject.com/
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