Cordrilla Central

The Cordillera Central forms the mountainous heart of Hispaniola. Its high ridges divide the northern Cibao valley from the southern basins, and rivers descend from its slopes toward both coasts. Forested mountains and deep valleys shape the interior, while the Yaque del Norte and other rivers carry water toward the surrounding plains. Indigenous names for many of these waters remain in use, recalling the communities that knew the mountains before Spanish conquest.