Location:
Caribbean, island 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
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 8,959 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 145 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 171

Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
501 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]

Climate:
tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
mostly mountains with coastal plain in north; precipitous mountains to the sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas

Elevation:
mean elevation: 261 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
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:
agricultural land: 22% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 6.6% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 5.6% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 9.8% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 63.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 14.8% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
220 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population distribution:
population clusters tend to be found along the coast, the largest of these is found in and around San Juan; an exception to this is a sizeable population located in the interior of the island immediately south of the capital around Caguas; most of the interior, particularly in the western half of the island, is dominated by the Cordillera Central mountains, where population density is low

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; hurricanes

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; occasional droughts cause water shortages; industrial pollution

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