The Dominican Republic is a country on the island of Hispaniola part of the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean. The western third of the island is the country of Haiti. The Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean island nation (after Cuba) with an area of some 48000 sq km and 9.5 million people. There are also a number of offshore islands and cays that are part of Dominican territory.
The mainland of the Dominican Republic has four mountain ranges; the highest peaks covered in pine forests and between the Central and Northern ranges lies the rich and fertile Cibao valley, where Santiago is situated. There are a number of other valleys some that are less productive and arid. The climate is a tropical maritime climate with a wet season from May to November, and the average temperatures vary from 21 C in the mountains and 25 C on the coast, rising to 30 C in some places.