Dominican Republic

republicIndependence 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

Dominican Republic as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 70 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSanto Domingo

Area48,730 km2

1990

Every edition of Dominican Republic

Populationas each edition published it

7.24 million July 1990 · 10.9m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 1.86% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 23.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 67.98 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.2 children per woman 1990 · 2.17 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

62 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 20.8 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $1,120 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 5% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Land useshare of 48,730 km2

arable land 23%permanent crops 7%meadows and pastures 43%forest and woodland 13%other 14%includes 4% irrigated

Total area

48,730km2

land area: 48,380 km2Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire Land boundary 275 km with Haiti

Coastline

1,288km

Territorial sea: 6 nm

Continental shelf

outer edge of continental margin or 200 nm;

Climate

tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain

rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

Environment

subject to occasional hurricanes (July to October); deforestation

Note

shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

People

14 fields

Population

7,240,793

(July 1990), growth rate 2.0% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

28Death

Ethnic divisions

mixed 73%white 16%black 11%

Literacy

74%

Nationality

noun--Dominican(s); adjective--Dominican

Labor force

2,300,000-2,600,000; 49% agriculture, 33% services, 18% industry (1986)

Government

Republic

16 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

41.8%

Joaquin Balaguer (PRSC) 41.8%Jacobo Majluta (PRD) 39.7%Juan Bosch Gavino (PLD) 18.5%16 May 1986 (next to be held May 1990)

Senate, 30 seats, elected 16 May 1986one dot, one seat

PRSC 21PRD 7PLD 2

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

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema) Chief of State and Head of Government--President Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo (since 16 August 1986);
Vice President Carlos A. MORALES Troncoso (since 16 August 1986) Major parties--Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), Joaquin Balaguer Ricardo;
Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD), which fractured in May 1989 with the understanding that leading rivals Jacobo Majluta and Jose Francisco Pena Gomez would run separately for president at the head of the Independent Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the Social Democratic Institutional Bloc (BIS), respectively, and try to reconstitute the PRD after the election;
Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Juan Bosch Gavino;
Minor parties--National Veterans and Civilian Party (PNVC), Juan Rene Beauchanps Javier;
The Structure (LE), Andres Van Der Horst;
Democratic Quisqueyan Party (PQD), Elias Wessin Chavez;
Constitutional Action Party (PAC), Luis Arzeno Rodriguez;
National Progressive Force (FNP), Marino Vinicio Castillo;
Popular Christian Party (PPC), Rogelio Delgado Bogaert;
Dominican Communist Party (PCD), Narciso Isa Conde;
Anti-Imperialist Patriotic Union (UPA), Ivan Rodriguez;
in 1983 several leftist parties, including the PCD, joined to form the Dominican Leftist Front (FID);
however, they still retain individual party structures

Suffrage

universal and compulsory at age 18 or if married;
members of the armed forces and police cannot vote President--last held 16 May 1986 (next to be held May 1990);
results--Joaquin Balaguer (PRSC) 41.8%, Jacobo Majluta (PRD) 39.7%, Juan Bosch Gavino (PLD) 18.5%;
Senate--last held 16 May 1986 (next to be held May 1990);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(30 total) PRSC 21, PRD 7, PLD 2;
Chamber of Deputies--last held 16 May 1986 (next to be held May 1990);
results--PRSC 40.6%, PRD 33.5%, PLD 18.3%, LE 5.3%, other 2.3%;
seats--(120 total) PRSC 56, PRD 48, PLD 16

Communists

an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 members in several legal and illegal factions; effectiveness limited by ideological differences and organizational inadequacies

FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, IRC, ISO, ITU, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Carlos A. MORALES Troncoso (serves concurrently as Vice President);
Chancery at 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 332-6280;
there are Dominican Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Consulates in Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Minneapolis, Mobile, Ponce (Puerto Rico), and San Francisco;
US--Ambassador Paul D. TAYLOR;
Embassy at the corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo (mailing address is APO Miami 34041-0008);
telephone [809] 541-2171

Flag

a centered white cross that extends to the edges, divides the flag into four rectangles--the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue;
a small coat of arms is at the center of the cross

Economy

The economy is largely dependent on the agricultural sector, which employs 50% of the labor force and provides about half of export revenues.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$5.1billion

per capita $790; real growth rate 0.5% (1988)

Inflation, consumer prices

57.6%

(1988)

Unemployment rate

25%

(1988)

External debt

$3.6billion

(1989) est.

Budget

Revenues

$413 millionExpenditures

$522 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $218 million (1988)

Overview

The economy is largely dependent on the agricultural sector, which employs 50% of the labor force and provides about half of export revenues. The principal commercial crop is sugarcane, followed by coffee, cocoa, and tobacco. Industry is based on the processing of agricultural products, durable consumer goods, minerals, and chemicals.

Rapid growth of free trade zones has established a significant expansion of manufacturing for export, especially wearing apparel. Over the past decade tourism has also increased in importance and is a significant earner of foreign exchange and a source of new jobs. Unemployment is officially reported at about 25%, but underemployment may be much higher.

Exports

$711 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--sugar, coffee, cocoa, gold, ferronickel;
partners--US, including Puerto Rico, 74%

Imports

$1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities--foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals;
partners--US, including Puerto Rico, 37% (1985)

Industrial production

growth rate 30% (1987 est.)

Electricity

1,376,000 kW capacity; 4,000 million kWh produced, 560 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco

Agriculture

accounts for 18% of GDP and employs 49% of labor force;
sugarcane most important commercial crop, followed by coffee, cotton, and cocoa;
food crops--rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas;
animal output--cattle, hogs, dairy products, meat, eggs;
not self-sufficient in food