Hispaniola is the Caribbean island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The island lies between Cuba and Puerto Rico and is the second-largest island in the Caribbean, after Cuba. Haiti occupies its western portion, while the Dominican Republic occupies the eastern portion. The international border between the two countries runs across the island.
Hispaniola was called La Española by Christopher Columbus after his arrival in 1492. The name Hispaniola is the English form commonly used today. The island is sometimes confused with the countries located on it: Hispaniola is the geographic island, not a country.
Hispaniola is part of the Greater Antilles. Its major cities include Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic’s capital, and Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.