Cotubanamá National Park
| Cotubanamá National Park | |
|---|---|
| Parque Nacional del Este | |
Aerial picture of Cotubanamá National Park, displaying the Catuano Straight and Saona Island | |
Location of Cotubanamá National Park in the Dominican Republic | |
Interactive map of Cotubanamá National Park | |
| Location | La Altagracia, Dominican Republic |
| Nearest city | Bayahibe |
| Coordinates | 18°16′45″N 68°42′06″W / 18.279068°N 68.701663°W |
| Area | 792 km2 (306 sq mi) |
| Designation | National Park and Reserve |
| Established | 1975 |
Cotubanamá National Park (formerly Parque Nacional del Este or "National Park of the East") is located on the lower southeastern coast of the Dominican Republic, spanning across the provinces of La Altagracia and La Romana with an area of 791.9 km2 (305.8 sq mi) which includes a range of dense humid and dry subtropical forests, mangroves, beaches, and caves.
East National Park was officially declared a National Park and Reserve in 1975 by Decree No. 1311, and subsequently inducted into the environmental and Protected Area Laws No. 64-00 and Law No. 202-04, after a study was conducted on the land which discovered the presence of over 539 plant species, more than 50 of which are endemic to the region. It consists of 31,244 Ha of open space on the southeastern peninsula of Hispaniola and 10,650 Ha on Saona Island, a popular tourist destination, totaling 41,894 Ha in protected area. The protected area also includes a 12,000 Ha buffer zone around the park boundaries.
In 2014, the Dominican National Congress voted to change the park's original name of Parque Nacional del Este, to Parque Nacional Cotubanamá in honor of the fallen Taino Chief (Cacique).