NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



695 



4. HAITI AND SANTO DOMINGO 

 BY G. KINGSLEY NOBLE 



I. GENERAL CONDITIONS 



1. Topography 



The island of Hispaniola is divided 

 by four ranges which run in a general 

 east-west direction. These, by shutting 

 off the trade winds to a greater or less 

 extent, control the rainfall in most of 

 the country. The Monte Cristi range, 

 close to the northern coast, reaches a 

 maximum height of 1400 meters, the 

 high points being near Loma Diego 

 Campo and the easterly Quita Espuela 

 ridge. The central part of the island 

 is a great mass of ranges running in 

 various directions but chiefly east and 

 west. It is here that we find several 

 peaks running up to nearly 3000 meters 

 or over. Naturally, this mountain 

 range catches most of the rain. To the 

 southwest of the central Cordillera 

 there are two additional ranges or 

 series of ranges the most northern 

 very dry, the southern wet in part. 



The rains falling to a greater or less 

 extent on these. 



2. Rainfall 



The great diversity in vegetation 

 zones is, of course, closely correlated 

 with distribution of the rains. With 

 such a diversity of topography and 

 vegetation zones in Hispaniola we would 

 expect a considerable difference in the 

 precipitation throughout the island. In 

 general it may be said that there are two 

 rainy seasons everywhere on the island. 

 The first is a short one in May and 

 June. Frequently it does not come at 

 all. The second and longer season may 

 occur in September, October or No- 

 vember. Almost every locality has 

 its own rainy season, and as this varies 

 from year to year, it is difficult for the 

 visitor to be sure of his weather before 

 starting for the island. The data in 

 the table given below are compiled in 

 part from statements supplied to me by 

 the former Military Governor of Santo 

 Domingo; they are based in part upon 

 charts in the office of the Chief Engineer 

 of Haiti. 



3. Vegetation areas 



a. North slope of northern coast 

 range is heavily forested in the east, 



where rain forest occurs sparsely so 

 in the west. Some pines occur on the 

 mountain crests. 

 6. Southern slope of northern range 



