The Dominican Republic – not to be confused with the much smaller Caribbean island of Dominica – forms the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti. It is the most mountainous of all the Caribbean islands, with the highest peak, Pico Duarte, reaching an altitude of 3,098 metres (almost 10,200ft).
Like other islands in the region, the climate is tropical: warm throughout the year. There are two distinct seasons: hot and muggy from May to October, and cooler and more pleasant from December to March; with April and November lying somewhere in between.
