| Summary: | Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University The islands and nations of the Caribbean are beset by numerous problems which retard economic development. Most critical of these problems are limited natural resources, a heavy dependence on monoculture, backward agricultural practices and high population densities. Although the Dominican Republic shares these problems with neighboring islands and countries, this nation has exerted considerable efforts toward strengthening its economy. This study examines the Dominican Republic geographically with particular emphasis on the nation's ability to develop its economy and to achieve a standard of living hitherto unknown among other tropical agrarian economies of the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola. This island lies at the convergence of two major cordillera axes of the West Indies and is the most rugged island of the Greater Antilles. In general, the mountains tend in an east to west direction with the Cordillera Central dominating the island and extending nearly the entire length of the country. Mountainous terrain covers approximately 60 per cent of the nation's area. Of remaining level lands the most important are the Cibao Valley north of the Cordillera Central and the South Coastal Plain which occupies the eastern two-thirds of the country south ot this cordillera. Easterly trade winds dominate the climate, which generally is warm and humid. Heaviest rainfall occurs in the northeast where a tropical rainforest is found. Southern and western sections of the country exhibit a savanna type of climate with maximum precipitation coming in the period of high insolation. The north coast also has a savanna climate, but maximum rainfall there comes in the winter months. The southwestern corner of the country, while basically having a savanna climate, is drier than other areas and certain sections are sub-humid. In spite of these climatic conditions of generally abundant rainfall and warm temperatures which favor agriculture, ...
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