A land of character
There are various opposing theories about the formation of the islands that make up the Caribbean arc. Whether part of Central America collapsed or land emerged as a result of subterranean movements, one theory is that deep crevasses, some with volcanic activity, formed at the bottom of the sea, one of which gave rise to Hispaniola. Today, the Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti (located in the western part). It occupies two-thirds of the island, covering 48,734 km², an area roughly the size of Switzerland. It has 1,288 km of coastline, over a third of which is beachfront, and the border with Haiti is 275 km long. At its longest point, from east to west, the island stretches 390 km, and 286 km from north to south. The island is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south. The Mona Channel, dreaded by sailors for its strong currents and unpredictable winds, separates it from Puerto Rico to the east. A land of contrasts, Hispaniola is the most mountainous of the four islands of the Greater Antilles, home to the highest peak in the Caribbean: Pico Duarte (3,175 m). In fact, almost half the island is occupied by four mountain ranges. It is also home to the archipelago's lowest point: the hypersaline Lake Enriquillo, 40 meters below sea level, which extends over 260 km². Because of its position in the Caribbean arc, Hispaniola was dubbed "the key to the West Indies" by King Philip II of Spain. As for the Haitians, they describe it as a crocodile's jaw ready to slam into Cuba's tail.
The country's terrain and vegetation are varied. The Dominican Republic is criss-crossed by four mountain ranges, the result of folding during the Tertiary era. The Cordillera Central, 20 km wide and 100 km long, originates in Haiti as the Massif du Nord. It crosses the center of the country and ends in the south towards San Cristóbal. The highest point in the Antilles - Pico Duarte (3,175 m) - lies in the middle of the range, next to the Pelona peak (3,087 m). The range has a high plateau, the Valle Nuevo, at 2,200 m, with a cold climate (down to minus 8°C in winter). The Cordillera Norte separates the coastal plain from the Cibao Valley, parallel to the Cordillera Central, from Montecrisiti to El Gran Espero (Maria Trinidad Sanchez province). Peak Diego de Ocampo is the highest point at 1,229 m. The Cordillera Oriental, or Sierra del Seibo, the shortest and lowest of these ranges, occupies the eastern part of the island. Cocoa, coffee and citrus fruits are planted on its slopes. The Sierra de Bahoruco, in the south-western region, dominates the coast, stretching over 70 km of steep terrain. It covers an area of 2,400 km² and culminates at Loma del Toro, 2,367 m above sea level. It is criss-crossed by the Palomino, Ito, Las Damas, Bermesi, Bahoruco and Nizaito rivers.
Also worthy of note is the modest Sierra de Samaná, which, although not a mountainous area in the strict sense of the term, rises to an altitude of some 600 m and is characterized by reliefs plunging steeply into the sea and by the gentle undulations of its hills called lomas. The country also boasts an astonishing karst formation of cones and dolines, with caves and underground rivers, covered by an impenetrable rainforest: the sensational Haitises National Park. The northern and central regions, meanwhile, are particularly fertile valleys: the Cibao Valley is the country's main supplier of agricultural produce. Thousands of caves dot the Dominican territory, dozens of them below sea level, many of them still unexplored. There are also two dry regions in the Dominican Republic: the almost desert-like south-west, with its endless, desolate hills, and the Montecristi region in the north-east, where only sparse, often steppe-like vegetation grows.
Protected areas and major parks
The national system of protected areas covers 25% of the Dominican territory. As in many countries, flora and fauna are preserved here, while in other parts of the country, humans cohabit more or less successfully with wild species, some of which are in serious danger of extinction. Protected areas are subdivided into several categories: 8 areas de protección estricta (strict protection areas), including 6 scientific reserves and 2 marine mammal sanctuaries. Visits to these areas are subject to strict rules; 19 parques nacionales (national parks), including two underwater parks; 15 reservas nacionales (national reserves); 19 monumentos naturales (natural monuments) and 25 areas de manejo de hábitats/especies (human/animal cohabitation areas). This last category includes a number of places that are particularly popular with travellers, including Laguna Cabral and Playa las Aguilas. These are recreational areas, close to nature parks, subject to specific regulations. In addition to these 25 areas, there are Santo Domingo's 6 urban parks, including the Botanical Garden.
The National Parks Directorate is the administration in charge of their management, and it is here that you must request authorization for individual visits, although it is sometimes best to go with an agency. This organization has a number of brochures and information on local amenities and official rates. The State Secretariat for the Environment and Natural Resources has a very well-designed website listing all the national parks, protected areas and natural sites in the Dominican Republic(www.ambiente.gob.do).
Aside fromthe areas where people and animals live together, the national parks are splendid areas where nature is generally well preserved, such as Parque Nacional Montecristi. Located on the north-western coast, it extends over 19.3 km² and is a formidable maritime promontory, famous for its reclining camel shape. Parque Nalga de Maco, in the west, covers 28,000 hectares between the provinces of Elias Piña and Santiago Rodiguez. In this mountainous, humid and relatively cool area, rich in biodiversity, you'll encounter many of Hispaniola's endemic species, some of which are on the verge of extinction. In the heart of the Cordillera Central, in the Constanza region, you'll find the Parque Nacional Jose del Carmen Ramirez, as well as the Parque Nacional Armando Bermudez, the largest forest reserve in the country and on the island.
Located below sea level, the 2,600-hectare Parque Nacional Lago Enriquillo e Isla Cabritos is home to the largest colony of American crocodiles, iguanas and pink flamingos. In the same area is the Parque Nacional Jaragua, known for its dry forest and thorny vegetation. Traces of pre-Columbian civilizations have recently been discovered here. It is also home to the Bahia de las Aguilas (Bay of Eagles), a carey turtle sanctuary. Iguanas, flamingos and frigate birds are also protected here. Still in the south-west of the country, the differences in altitude and steep relief of the Parque Nacional Sierra de Bahoruco make it home to extraordinary biodiversity and a wide range of ecosystems. More than 50% of Dominican orchids are found here.
To the south of the Samanà peninsula, in the north-east of the Dominican Republic, Parque Nacional Los Haitises attracts travellers like a magnet. This park is a veritable maze of vegetation, with deep fjords nibbled away by mangrove forests and climbing plants. It is also home to the boa, manatee, several species of sea turtle, pelican and water cock. In the south-east of the country, south of the Bayahibe-Boca de Yuma line, a 430 km² uninhabited desert peninsula forms the Parque Nacional del Este, recently renamed Parque Nacional Cotubanamá. Caves with walls engraved with Taino petroglyphs are the main attraction. Off the coast, the island of Saona (25 km long and 5 km wide) is bordered by two fishing villages (Mano Juan and Punta Catuano) and long white sandy beaches, making it well worth a day trip.
The northern part of the country also boasts a number of parks well worth a visit. The Parque Historico La Isabela corresponds to the area where the very first Spanish (and European) trading post in the New World was established, to the west of Puerto Plata. Overlooking the bay of Puerto Plata, the Parque Nacional Loma Isabel de Torres is a mighty hill whose summit can be reached by a difficult trail or cable car. Parque Nacional El Choco covers 78 km², stretching between the foothills of the Cordillera Septentrional and the Atlantic coast. It includes two lagoons, Cabarete and Goleta. Caves, rivers and underground ponds are the main attractions.
Closer to the capital, you'll find the Parque Submarino La Caleta, an underwater protected area with an impressive number of shipwrecks, as well as the Parque Montaña La Humeadora: this small 84 km² park in the province of Alta Gracia, 10 km from San Cristóbal, is also known as The Smoky. It was declared a prohibited zone until 1996, due to its microclimate, the rainiest in the Dominican Republic. Finally, although small (4.4 km²), the Parque Nacional Cuevas de Bourbon o del Pomier is an anthropological reserve to the north of San Cristóbal: a veritable encyclopedia of carved stones, evidence of the pre-Hispanic Taino civilization.
