The Dominican Republic (DR) is classified as a small island developing state (SIDS) and is located in the Caribbean. It has a land area of approximately 48,600 km2, occupying the eastern two thirds of the island of Hispaniola; Haiti occupies the remaining western one third. Apart from the western border with Haiti, the rest of the country’s 1,126 km of coastline lies on the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The DR is generally mountainous, with deserts in the extreme western regions. The principal mountain range, the Central Cordillera, runs from east to west, is covered primarily by pine forests, and bisects the country. Between the Central Cordillera and the Northern Cordillera mountain ranges lies the Cibao (La Vega Real) Valley, approximately 225 km long and known for its excellent soil quality. Fertile valleys also abound in the central and eastern areas. The country hosts both the highest mountain in the West Indies, Mt. Duarte and the lowest-lying lake, Lake Enriquillo, a saltwater lake that sits at 46 meters below sea level; the third lowest point in the Caribbean. The Yaque del Norte, the Yaque del Sur, and the Yuna are country’s the principal rivers.