La Caleta Underwater National Park
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IUCN category II (national park)
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| Location | Dominican Republic |
| Nearest city | Santo Domingo |
| Coordinates | 18°26′58″N 69°41′07″W / 18.4494°N 69.6854°WCoordinates: 18°26′58″N 69°41′07″W / 18.4494°N 69.6854°W |
| Area | 12 square kilometres (4.6 sq mi) |
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The Parque Nacional Submarino La Caleta (English: La Caleta Underwater National Park) is a national park located approximately 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. It is adjacent to Las Americas International Airport.
Created by Decree No. 249 on September 25, 1986, La Caleta Underwater National Park is the first underwater park in the Dominican Republic and is considered by experts to be one of the five best diving locations in the Caribbean.
It has a maximum depth of 180 metres (590 ft). Many coral reefs can be found between 10 metres (33 ft) and 50 metres (160 ft). It is one of the most visited parks in the country and attracts divers from both the Dominican Republic and other countries.
It is classified as an ecotourism park, aimed at the assessment of existing natural resources, while encouraging participants to pursue conservation and respect for nature.
The main tourist attraction is the ship Hickory, which was removed in 1984 by Grayson Roach in order to form a habitat for reef fish and a diving destination. Inside the park there is an Ethnological and Archaeological Museum which has a large collection of objects created by the Taíno.
At the time of the arrival of conquistadors in 1492, La Caleta was a major Indian settlement. The settlement, known as Herds led Toto, included La Caleta and its surrounding area. According to tradition, it was inhabited by native people who were engaged in fishing and agriculture.
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