View source for Geography of Haiti

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{{For|the island of Haiti's geography|Hispaniola}}
{{Country geography
| name = Haiti
| map = HaitiOMC.png
| continent = [[Americas]]
| region = [[Caribbean]]<br />[[Greater Antilles]]
| coordinates = {{coord|19|00|N|72|25|W|type:country}}
| area ranking =147th
| km area = 27,750 
| percent land=
| km coastline = 1,771
| borders =[[Land borders|Total land borders]]:<br />388 km
| highest point= [[Pic la Selle]]<br />2,680&nbsp;m
| lowest point= [[Caribbean Sea]]<br />0&nbsp;m| 
| longest river= [[Artibonite River]]|
| largest lake= [[Étang Saumâtre]]|
|exclusive economic zone={{convert|126760|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}}}
The [[Haiti|Republic of Haiti]] comprises the western three-eighths of the [[island]] of [[Hispaniola]], west of the [[Dominican Republic]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=de9NDQAAQBAJ|title=Vascular Surgery: A Global Perspective |editor=Dardik, Alan |page=341 |year=2016 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-319-33745-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5wBsDQAAQBAJ|title=Current Affairs November 2016 eBook |editor=Josh, Jagran |page=93 |year=2016 }}</ref> Haiti is positioned east of the neighboring island of [[Cuba]], between the [[Caribbean Sea]] and the [[Atlantic Ocean|North Atlantic Ocean]].

Haiti's total area is {{convert| 27,560  |km2|0}}, of which {{convert|27560|km2|0}} is land and {{convert|190|km2|0}} is water. Haiti has {{convert|1771|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} of [[coastline]] and a {{convert|360|km|0}}-border with the Dominican Republic.

==Climate==
[[File:Haiti Köppen.svg|left|thumb|280px|Köppen climate types of Haiti]]
The climate is tropical with some variation depending on altitude. Port-au-Prince ranges in January from an average minimum of {{convert|23|°C|1}} to an average maximum of {{convert|31|°C|1}}; in July, from {{convert|25|–|35|°C|°F}}. The rainfall pattern is varied, with rain heavier in some of the lowlands and on the northern and eastern slopes of the mountains.

Port-au-Prince receives an average annual rainfall of {{convert|1370|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}. There are two rainy seasons, April–June and October–November. Haiti is subject to periodic droughts and floods, made more severe by [[deforestation in Haiti|deforestation]]. [[Atlantic hurricane]]s are also a menace. For example, [[Hurricane Matthew]] caused [[Effects of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti|large amounts of damage]] when it hit Haiti in 2016.<ref name="TCR">{{cite tech report|url={{NHC TCR url|id=AL142016_Matthew}}|title=Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew 2016|author=Stewart, Stacy R|date=April 3, 2017|access-date=May 14, 2017|publisher=United States National Hurricane Center}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = Port-au-Prince
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan high C = 31
|Feb high C = 31
|Mar high C = 32
|Apr high C = 32
|May high C = 33
|Jun high C = 35
|Jul high C = 35
|Aug high C = 35
|Sep high C = 34
|Oct high C = 33
|Nov high C = 32
|Dec high C = 31
|year high C = 
|Jan mean C = 27
|Feb mean C = 26.5
|Mar mean C = 27
|Apr mean C = 28
|May mean C = 28
|Jun mean C = 30
|Jul mean C = 30
|Aug mean C = 29.5
|Sep mean C = 28
|Oct mean C = 28
|Nov mean C = 27
|Dec mean C = 26.5
|year mean C = 
|Jan low C = 23
|Feb low C = 22
|Mar low C = 22
|Apr low C = 23
|May low C = 23
|Jun low C = 24
|Jul low C = 25
|Aug low C = 24
|Sep low C = 24
|Oct low C = 24
|Nov low C = 23
|Dec low C = 22
|year low C = 
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 33
|Feb rain mm = 58
|Mar rain mm = 86
|Apr rain mm = 160
|May rain mm = 231
|Jun rain mm = 102
|Jul rain mm = 74
|Aug rain mm = 145
|Sep rain mm = 175
|Oct rain mm = 170
|Nov rain mm = 86
|Dec rain mm = 33
|Jan rain days = 3
|Feb rain days = 5
|Mar rain days = 7
|Apr rain days = 11
|May rain days = 13
|Jun rain days = 8
|Jul rain days = 7
|Aug rain days = 11
|Sep rain days = 12
|Oct rain days = 12
|Nov rain days = 7
|Dec rain days = 3
|unit rain days = 1 mm
|Jan sun = 279.0
|Feb sun = 254.2
|Mar sun = 279.0
|Apr sun = 273.0
|May sun = 251.1
|Jun sun = 237.0
|Jul sun = 279.0
|Aug sun = 282.1
|Sep sun = 246.0
|Oct sun = 251.1
|Nov sun = 240.0
|Dec sun = 244.9
|source 1 = Climate & Temperature<ref name="climate Port-au-Prince">{{cite web | url =http://www.haiti.climatemps.com/ | title =Port-Au-Prince, Haiti | access-date =September 2, 2012 | publisher =Climate & Temperature | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20190721210008/http://www.haiti.climatemps.com/ | archive-date =July 21, 2019 | url-status =dead }}</ref>
|date=September 2012
}}

==Physical geography==
Haiti's terrain varies, with more than three fourths of the territory above {{convert|700|ft|m}}. Its climate is predominantly [[tropical]], with some smaller areas of [[semi-arid climate|semi-arid]], [[subtropical climate|subtropical]], and [[oceanic climate]]. Fertile valleys are interspersed between the mountain ranges forming vast areas of contrast between elevations in many areas throughout the territory. Haiti (and Hispaniola) are separated from [[Cuba]] by way of the [[Windward Passage]], a {{convert|45|nmi|km mi|0|abbr=on|lk=in}} wide strait that passes between the two countries.

Haiti's lowest elevation is reported by one source to be [[sea level]] (the [[Caribbean Sea]]<ref>CIA factbook</ref>), by another source to be below sea level (Gheskio clinic, [[Port-au-Prince]]<ref>Wall Street Journal, Feb 20–21, 2010</ref> or in [[Gonaïves]], <-1m<ref>Several sources, such as http://www.france24.com/en/20080911-disaster-aftermath-hurrican-ike-hanna-gonaives-haiti {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919004012/http://www.france24.com/en/20080911-disaster-aftermath-hurrican-ike-hanna-gonaives-haiti |date=2008-09-19 }}</ref>), while its highest point is [[Pic la Selle]] at {{convert|2680|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.

* Haiti's most important valley in terms of crops is the Plaine de l'Artibonite, which is oriented south of the [[Montagnes Noires, Haiti|Montagnes Noires]]. This region supports the country's (also Hispaniola's) longest river, the [[Artibonite River|Fleuve Artibonite]] whose watershed begins in the western region of the Dominican Republic and continues most of its length through central Haiti and onward where it empties into the [[Gulf of Gonâve]]. The river is navigable for a distance by barge. The eastern and central region of the island is a large elevated plateau.
* The northern region consists of the ''Massif du Nord'' (Northern Massif) and the ''Plaine du Nord'' (Northern Plain). The Massif du Nord is an extension of the Cordillera Central in the Dominican Republic. It begins at Haiti's eastern border, north of the Guayamouc River, and extends to the northwest through the northern peninsula. The ''Plateau Central'' (Central Plateau) extends along both sides of the Guayamouc River, south of the Massif du Nord. It runs from the southeast to the northwest. To the southwest of the Plateau Central are the Montagnes Noires, whose most northwestern part merges with the Massif du Nord.
* The southern region consists of the [[Plaine du Cul-de-Sac]] (the southeast) and the mountainous southern peninsula (also known as the [[Tiburon Peninsula, Haiti|Tiburon Peninsula]]). The Plaine du Cul-de-Sac is a natural depression which harbors the country's saline lakes, such as [[Trou Caïman]] and Haiti's largest lake Lac Azuei (also known as [[Étang Saumâtre]]). The Chaîne de la Selle mountain range, an extension of the southern mountain chain of the Dominican Republic (the ''Sierra de Baoruco''), extends from the Massif de la Selle in the east to the [[Massif de la Hotte]] in the west. This mountain range harbors [[Pic la Selle]], the highest point in Haiti at 2,680 metres (8,793&nbsp;ft).

==Islands==
{{Further|List of islands of Haiti}}

Numerous smaller islands make up a part of Haiti's total territory. The most notable islands are:
#''[[Gonâve Island|Île de la Gonâve]]'', the largest offshore island of mainland Hispaniola, is located to the west-northwest of [[Port-au-Prince]] in Haiti's [[Gulf of Gonâve]], in the [[Caribbean Sea]] (the largest gulf of the [[Antilles]]). It has an area of 743&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>. Its [[Taíno people|Taíno]] name was ''Guanabo''.  La Gonâve was once a pirate base.
#''[[Tortuga (Haiti)|Tortuga]]'' (''Turtle''), is the second largest offshore island of the mainland, located off the northwest coast of Hispaniola. It has an area of 180&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>. The island was a major center of [[Piracy in the Caribbean|Caribbean piracy]] during the 17th century and has become famous in many works of literature and film. The island's name derives from the turtle-like shape of the island.
#''[[Île à Vache]]'' (''Cow Island'') is a small and lush Caribbean island located off southwestern of Haiti with a total area of 52&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.
#''[[Cayemites|Les Cayemites]]'', a pair of islands located in the Gulf of Gonâve off the coast of southwest Hispaniola. It has a combined area of 45&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.
#''[[Navassa Island|La Navasse]]'', is a rocky outcropping that has been subject to an ongoing territorial dispute with the United States. The island is located {{convert|40|nmi|mi km}} west of [[Jérémie]] on the south west [[peninsula]] of Haiti,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/haiti/rock.htm |title=Whose Rock Is It? Yes, the Haitians Care |first=Larry |last=Rohter |date=October 19, 1998 |via=Port-au-Prince Journal |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 28, 2012 }}</ref> and measures {{convert|2|sqmi|km2|1}}.

Haiti also has several lakes. The largest lake in Haiti, and the second largest lake of the island of Hispaniola and the [[Caribbean|West Indies]], is [[Etang Saumatre|Lake Azuei]]. It is located in the Cul-de-Sac Depression with an area of 170&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>. It is a [[saline lake]] with a higher concentration of salt than the sea water and harbors numerous [[fauna]] such as [[American crocodile]]s and [[American flamingo]]s.

[[Lake Péligre]] is an artificial lake created by the construction of the [[Péligre Hydroelectric Dam]].

[[Trou Caïman]] is a saltwater lake with a total area of 16.2&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>. [[Lake Miragoâne]] is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in the [[Caribbean]], with an area of 25&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.

== Statistics ==
[[File:Haiti2025OSM.png|thumb|Detailed map of Haiti]]
; Maritime claims:
:* [[Territorial sea]]: {{convert|12|nmi|km mi|1|abbr=on}}
:* [[Contiguous zone]]: {{convert|24|nmi|km mi|1|abbr=on|lk=in}}
:* [[Exclusive economic zone]]: {{convert|126760|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} and {{convert|200|nmi|km mi|1|abbr=on}}
:* [[Continental shelf]]: to depth of exploitation

; Climate:
: Tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
; Terrain:
: Mostly rough and mountainous

; Natural resources:
: [[Bauxite]], [[copper]], [[calcium carbonate]], [[gold]], [[marble]], [[hydropower]], arable land
; Land use:
:* Arable land: 36.28%
:* Permanent crops: 10.16%
:* Other: 53.56% (2012 est.)
; Irrigated land:
: 970&nbsp;km<sup>3</sup>
; Total renewable water resources:
: 14.03&nbsp;km<sup>3</sup> (2011)
; Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
:* Total: 1.2&nbsp;km<sup>3</sup>/yr (17%/3%/80%)
:* Per capita: 134.3 m<sup>3</sup>/yr (2009)
; Natural hazards:
: Lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts
; Extreme points 
:* Northernmost point – [[Pointe Tete de Chien]], [[Tortuga (Haiti)|Tortuga Island]], [[Nord-Ouest (department)|Nord-Ouest Department]]
:*Southernmost point – south of [[Torbeck]], [[Les Cayes Arrondissement]]
:*Westernmost point – cape near [[Anse-d'Hainault|Anse d'Hainault]], [[Grand'Anse (department)|Grand'Anse]]
:*Easternmost point – border with [[Dominican Republic]], [[Centre (department)|Centre Department]]
:*Highest point – [[Pic la Selle]]: 2680 m
:*Lowest point – [[Caribbean Sea]]: 0 m
; Environment—current issues:
: Extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water
; Environment—international agreements
:* Party to: [[Biodiversity]], [[United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change|Climate Change]], [[Desertification]], [[Law of the Sea]], [[Marine Dumping]], [[Marine Life Conservation]], Ozone Layer Protection
:* Signed, but not ratified: [[Hazardous Wastes]]

==See also==
* [[Environment of Haiti]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External resources==
{{Commons category}}

{{Haiti topics}}
{{Geography of North America}}
{{North America topic|Climate of}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geography of Haiti}}
[[Category:Geography of Haiti| ]]