Dominica
751 km²
Caribbean natural sites make up the biodiversity hotspot we know. For example:
The wealth of these islands stems from their volcanic geological history (histoire géologique liée aux volcans). There are currently 21 active volcanoes in the Caribbean. Although some have been dormant for several years, there is at least one on each island, from Saba to Grenada, except in Dominica where there are 9.
Mount Duarte, the highest peak in the Caribbean, is located in the north of the Dominican Republic and reaches an altitude of 3,098 m. Its mountain range extends to the northern massif of Haiti. The highest peak in the Lesser Antilles is the active volcano of La Soufrière (La Soufrière) in Guadeloupe, reaching an altitude of 1,467 m.
Haiti, adorned with geological assets and in particular numerous caves including:,( Marie-Louise Boumba), Jean Zinga but also and above all the Marie-Jeanne cave,(grotte Marie-Jeanne), the longest in the Caribbean with its 5.3 km of gallery. Located at an altitude of 120 meters in the commune of Port-à-Piment in the department of South Haiti, it is classified, to this day, as the largest underground heritage of Haiti.
Guadeloupe and its archipelago hide many secrets with its dual formation (volcanic and limestone). Marie-Galante, formerly attached to Grande-Terre, is a small, flat but surprising island. Discover the Gueule Grand Gouffre or Désirade, the oldest island in the Lesser Antilles, facing the Pointe des Châteaux (the most visited site in Guadeloupe) and the management of Petite-Terre, the only island home only to West Indian iguanas iguanes antillais.
In terms of forest diversity, our territories are home to forests of all types: xerophilous forest, mesophilous forest, hygrophilous forest, high-altitude forest, mangrove… In Haiti, the Pine Forest, located at an altitude of over 2,000 meters, forms a vast, important and emblematic expanse of tropical and subtropical coniferous forests.
Underwater, life abounds. In Guadeloupe, we find the Grand cul-de-sac marin where corals, fish and turtles coexist, sheltered by the largest coral reef in the Lesser Antilles.
In fresh water, many waterfalls are known, notably the Carbet Falls Chutes du Carbet with their history linked to the Amerindians living at their mouths in huts. But also the Saut-d'Eau Waterfall, Cascade Saut-d'Eau , emblematic in Haiti for pilgrimages.
Our biodiversity is rich and interconnected; for it to survive and stay healthy, we must protect every link in the chain. Forests, mangroves, seabeds, seas, rivers, lakes, ponds… all the ecosystems they shelter are a guarantee of the balance of our environment.
Lake Azuei is located in the town of Thomazeau, 39 kilometers from Port-au-Prince. Also called the Saumâtre Pond (Etang Saumâtre) for its brackish water, it is the largest natural lake in Haiti. Bordering the Dominican Republic, it is located at the foot of the Matheux chain and the water well.
DiscoverExtended over an area of eight hectares, the botanical garden of Les Cayes is located at the entrance to the city of Les Cayes, in the southern department of Haiti. This scientific institution created in September 2003 by the agronomist Wiliam Cinéa is a member of the World Network of Botanical Gardens, the French-speaking network of Botanical Gardens and the Association of Public Gardens of the United States.
DiscoverLocated 120 meters above sea level in the city of Port-à-Piment, about 61 km west of the city of Les Cayes in the southern department of Haiti, the Marie-Jeanne cave is currently classified as the largest underground heritage in Haiti and the longest cave in the entire Caribbean.
DiscoverLocated in the Nippes department, the Miragoâne pond is a freshwater lake, marshy for a large part of its surface, with a surface area of about 25 km², fed by various ravines and streams, in particular the Pineau spring, from the west of the Selle chain.
DiscoverLocated at the northern entrance to the Haitian capital, the Arcadins coast takes its name from the homonymous islets that lie off this 19 kilometers coastline bathed by the Gulf of Gonâve from Williamson to the Xaragua hotel.
DiscoverSupplied with water by the Terrible Mountain (Montagne Terrible) in the Center department, the Saut-d’Eau Waterfall is one of the most attractive natural sites in Haiti. According to legend, the waterfall would be known as a sacred site.
DiscoverLocated about eight kilometers from the city of Hinche, capital of the Center department (Haiti), Bassin Zim (Zim Basin) is an impressive natural site that includes mysterious caves and a waterfall. At about 20 meters high, the water flows into a deep basin, forming a green natural pool.
DiscoverKnown as the most famous of Haiti’s natural pools, the Bassin Bleu (Blue Lake) is a picturesque natural site located in the southeast of Haiti, particularly in the city of Jacmel. Planted in a surreal setting, the Bassin Bleu is the symbol of perfect beauty.
DiscoverLocated on the eastern flank of La Soufrière, the Grand Carbet river is famous for its three waterfalls. The first is the highest with a jump of 115 meters between two levels.
DiscoverLa Soufrière, Guadeloupe’s only active volcano*, is the highest point in the Lesser Antilles at an altitude of 1,467 meters. Also know as “The Old Lady” by the locals due to the pleated skirt shape of its crater, it belongs to a volcanic group along with five other extinct volcanoes (La Citerne, la Madeleine, l’Échelle, Carmichaël and la Grande Découverte).
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