Catalina Island, Dominican Republic

Infobox Islands
name = Catalina


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Location map|Dominican Republic|lat=18.36|long=-69.0047
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coordinates = coord|18|21|36|N|69|00|17|W
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area = convert|9.6|km2|sqmi
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country = Dominican Republic
country admin divisions title = Province
country admin divisions = La Altagracia
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Catalina Island or "Isla Catalina" is an uninhabited tropical island located 1.5 miles from the mainland on the south-east corner of the Dominican Republic, near La Altagracia and La Romana.

The island itself is only 9.6 square kilometers in size, and is a diverse preservation of eco-systems including sand dunes, mangroves, and reefs. Formed out of coral stone, the island contains three overlapping plateaus. The highest elevation on the island is only 60 feet above sea level. The seas around the Island are rich in wildlife, with many species of birds and tropical marine fish, and there are large areas where natural sandbars offshore bring the depth to just a few feet.

The island was baptized "Catalina" by Christopher Columbus, who discovered it in May, 1494, on his way to the Americas.Before it was part of the Province of Colón

On December 13, 2007, the Shipwreck of a 17th century merchant vessel has been found in a depth of 3 meters just off the island. It is probably William Kidd's "Quedah Merchant".

See also List of islands in the Caribbean

It's a favourite destination for cruise ships. In particular, Costa Cruises, whose ships anchor offshore and transports passengers to their private beach via tender.