th the US)

Map
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Location: 18 15 N, 66 30 W -- Caribbean, island between the
Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican
Republic

Flag
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Description: five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom)
alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist
side bears a large white five-pointed star in the center; design
based on the US flag

Geography
---------

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 area: 9,104 sq km
land area: 8,959 sq km
comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode
Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 501 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical marine, mild, little seasonal temperature
variation

Terrain: mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north;
mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most
coastal areas
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:
arable land: 8%
permanent crops: 9%
meadows and pastures: 41%
forest and woodland: 20%
other: 22%

Irrigated land: 390 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: the recent drought has caused water levels in
reservoirs to drop and prompted water rationing for more than
one-half of the population
natural hazards: periodic droughts
international agreements: NA

Geographic 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

People
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Population: 3,819,023 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 25% (male 484,038; female 461,175)
15-64 years: 65% (male 1,201,841; female 1,279,707)
65 years and over: 10% (male 174,274; female 217,988) (July 1996
est.)

Population growth rate: 0.18% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 15.56 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 7.46 deat