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 [Joaquin BALAGUER
Ricardo] |
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 is at the center of the cross
|
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 billion (2002
est.) |
GDP - real growth rate:
|
4.2% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity - $6,100 (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 87.3%, Netherlands 1.1%, Canada 0.7%, France
0.7% (2000) |
Imports:
|
$8.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
Imports - commodities:
|
foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics,
chemicals and pharmaceuticals |
Imports - partners:
|
US 60.5%, Japan 10.4%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3%
(2000) |
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 - 18.6098 (2002),
16.9516 (2001), 16.415 (2000), 16.0331 (1999),
15.2666 (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 (1996) |
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) |
|