Dominican_Republic_update.qxd

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A Tropical Land of Mountains and Valleys

Two more mountain ranges, separated by the Neiba Valley, rise up in the southwestern portion of the country. The Sierra de Bahoruco is the southernmost of the two, with the Sierra de Neiba to the north. In between lies mostly desert land, with the exception of the Lake Enriquillo area, which features a swamplike environment. Several rivers run through the Dominican Republic. The longest is the Yaque del Norte (or North Yaque), which flows from the Cordillera Central near Pico Duarte through the Cibao Valley before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean in the far northwest, near the town of Monte Cristi. Climate The Dominican Republic enjoys a tropical climate that features warm tem- peratures and brief periods of rainfall. For the most part, the temperature doesn’t vary too much, ranging from a low of about 60°F (16°C) to highs

Hurricanes—severe tropi- cal storms with torrential rains and very high winds—are common in the Dominican Republic. One of the worst storms was Hurricane Georges, which struck the island

in the fall of 1998. Thousands were left

homeless and more than 380 people were killed.