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| Dominican Republic |

Introduction | Dominican Republic

Background: | Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of its subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin BALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has had one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the past decade.

Geography | Dominican Republic

Location: | Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Geographic coordinates: | 19 00 N, 70 40 W
Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean
Area: | total: 48,730 sq km land: 48,380 sq km water: 350 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries: | total: 360 km border countries: Haiti 360 km
Coastline: | 1,288 km
Maritime claims: | contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 6 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate: | tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Terrain: | rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
Natural resources: | nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Land use: | arable land: 21.08% permanent crops: 9.92% other: 69% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: | 2,590 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: | lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: | water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: | shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)

People | Dominican Republic

Population: | 8,715,602 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 33.6% (male 1,497,777; female 1,431,104) 15-64 years: 61.2% (male 2,719,505; female 2,614,495) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 212,045; female 240,676) (2003 est.)
Median age: | total: 23.5 years male: 23.3 years female: 23.7 years (2002)
Population growth rate: | 1.36% (2003 est.)
Birth rate: | 23.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate: | 6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate: | -3.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 34.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 31.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 36.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 67.96 years male: 66.41 years female: 69.58 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 2.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 2.5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 130,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 7,800 (2001 est.)
Nationality: | noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups: | white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%
Religions: | Roman Catholic 95%
Languages: | Spanish
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.7% male: 84.6% female: 84.8% (2003 est.)

Government | Dominican Republic

Country name: | conventional long form: Dominican Republic conventional short form: none local long form: Republica Dominicana local short form: none
Government type: | representative democracy
Capital: | Santo Domingo
Administrative divisions: | 29 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde
Independence: | 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday: | Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution: | 28 November 1966
Legal system: | based on French civil codes
Suffrage: | 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
Executive branch: | chief of state: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2004) election results: Raphael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez elected president; percent of vote - Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (PRD) 49.87%, Danilo MEDINA (PLD) 24.95%, Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 24.6%
Legislative branch: | bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (149 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 24, PLD 3, PRSC 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are elected by a Council made up of members of the legislative and executive branches with the president presiding)
Political parties and leaders: | Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hatuey DE CAMPS]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Eduardo ESTRELLA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | Collective of Popular Organizations or COP
International organization participation: | ACP, Caricom (observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo GUILIANI Cury consulate(s): Mobile and Ponce (Puerto Rico) consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Jacksonville, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280 chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500 telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171 FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437
Flag description: | a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon

Economy | Dominican Republic

Economy - overview: | The Dominican Republic's economy experienced dramatic growth over the last decade, even though the economy was hit hard by Hurricane Georges in 1998. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoy nearly 40% of national income. Growth probably will slow in 2003 with reduced tourism and expected low growth in the US economy, the source of 87% of export revenues.
GDP: | purchasing power parity - $53.78 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 4.1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 11% industry: 34% services: 55% (2001)
Population below poverty line: | 25%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 47.4 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 5.3% (2002 est.)
Labor force: | 2.3 million - 2.6 million
Labor force - by occupation: | services and government 58.7%, industry 24.3%, agriculture 17% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 14.5% (2002 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $2.9 billion expenditures: $3.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (2001 est.)
Industries: | tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate: | 2% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: | 9.186 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 92% hydro: 7.6% other: 0.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: | 8.543 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: | NA (2001)
Oil - imports: | NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: | sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs
Exports: | $5.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities: | ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods
Exports - partners: | US 85%, Canada 1.6%, UK 1.6% (2002)
Imports: | $8.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities: | foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners: | US 51.5%, Venezuela 9.6%, Mexico 5.1%, Spain 4% (2002)
Debt - external: | $4.8 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: | $239.6 million (1995)
Currency: | Dominican peso (DOP)
Currency code: | DOP
Exchange rates: | Dominican pesos per US dollar - 18.61 (2002), 16.95 (2001), 16.42 (2000), 16.03 (1999), 15.27 (1998)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | Dominican Republic

Telephones - main lines in use: | 709,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 130,149 (1997)
Telephone system: | general assessment: NA domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave radio relay network international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios: | 1.44 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 25 (1997)
Televisions: | 770,000 (1997)
Internet country code: | .do
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 24 (2000)
Internet users: | 186,000 (2002)

Transportation | Dominican Republic

Railways: | total: 1,503 km standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge note:: 986 km also operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m, 0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2002) narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge
Highways: | total: 12,600 km paved: 6,224 km unpaved: 6,376 km (1999)
Waterways: | none
Pipelines: | crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km
Ports and harbors: | Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo
Merchant marine: | total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: | 30 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Military | Dominican Republic

Military branches: | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police
Military manpower - military age: | 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 2,319,419 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 1,453,705 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 89,073 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $180 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.1% (FY98)

Transnational Issues | Dominican Republic

Disputes - international: | despite efforts to control illegal migration, destitute Haitians continue to cross into the Dominican Republic
Illicit drugs: | transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003