Dominican Republic

Republica Dominicana

republicIndependence 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

Dominican Republic as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 89 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

Position19 00 N, 70 40 W

Area48,730 sq km

LocationCaribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of

1996

Every edition of Dominican Republic

Populationas each edition published it

8.09 million July 1996 est. · 7.24m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.73% 1996 est. · 1.86% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 23.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

69.06 years 1996 est. · 67.98 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.66 children per woman 1996 est. · 3.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

47.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 62 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$3,400 1995 est. · $1,120 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3.5% 1995 est. · 5% in 1993

Geography

Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of | Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, | east of Haiti

15 fields

Land useshare of 48,730 sq km

arable land 23%permanent crops 7%meadows and pastures 43%forest and woodland 13%other 14%irrigated 2,250 sq km (1989)

Area

48,730sq km

land area: 48,380 sq kmcomparative area: slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

Coastline

1,288km

contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 6 nm

Land boundaries

275km

border country: Haiti 275 km

Location

Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti

Climate

tropical maritime;
little seasonal temperature variation;
seasonal variation in rainfall

Terrain

rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

lowest point:: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
highest point:: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

Environment

current issues:: water shortages;
soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs;
deforestation
natural hazards:: occasional hurricanes (July to October)
international agreements:: party to - Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection;
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Geographic note

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

People

15 fields

Population

8,088,881

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 1.73% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

23.51Death

5.66Net migration

-0.53

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years69.06

66.89 · 71.34

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy82.1%

82% · 82.2%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

white 16%black 11%mixed 73%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 34% (male 1,401,322; female 1,355,530)
15-64 years:: 62% (male 2,541,356; female 2,460,509)
65 years and over:: 4% (male 156,238; female 173,926) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.9 male(s)/female
all ages:: 1.03 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

47.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Dominican(s)
adjective:: Dominican

Government

Republic

23 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

42.6%

Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 42.6%Juan BOSCH Gavino (PLD) 13.2%Jose Francisco PENA Gomez (PRD) 41.9%Jacobo MAJLUTA (PRI) 2.3%

Legislature, 30 seatsone dot, one seat

PRSC 15PLD 1PRD 14

Legislature, 120 seatsone dot, one seat

PLD 13PRSC 50PRD 57

Name of country

conventional long form:: Dominican Republic
conventional short form:: none
local long form:: Republica Dominicana
local short form:: none

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

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 and head of government:: President Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo (since 16 August 1986, sixth elected term began 16 August 1994);
Vice President Jacinto PEYNADO Garrigoza (since 16 August 1994);
president is elected for a four-year term by direct vote;
election last held 16 May 1994 (next to be held 16 May 1996);
results - Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 42.6%, Juan BOSCH Gavino (PLD) 13.2%, Jose Francisco PENA Gomez (PRD) 41.9%, Jacobo MAJLUTA (PRI) 2.3%
cabinet:: Cabinet was nominated by the president

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

Senate (Senado)

elections last held 16 May 1994 (next to be held NA May 1998);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (30 total) PRSC 15, PLD 1, PRD 14

Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)

elections last held 16 May 1994 (next to be held NA May 1998);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (120 total) PLD 13, PRSC 50, PRD 57

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are elected by the Senate

Political parties and leaders

major parties:: Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo;
Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Lidio CADET;
Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD), Jose Franciso PENA Gomez;
Independent Revolutionary Party (PRI), Jacobo MAJLUTA
minor parties:: National Veterans and Civilian Party (PNVC), Juan Rene BEAUCHAMPS Javier;
Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic (PLRD), Andres Van Der HORST;
Democratic Quisqueyan Party (PQD), Elias WESSIN Chavez;
National Progressive Force (FNP), Marino VINICIO Castillo;
Popular Christian Party (PPC), Rogelio DELGADO Bogaert;
Dominican Communist Party (PCD), Narciso ISA Conde;
Dominican Workers' Party (PTD), Ivan RODRIGUEZ;
Anti-Imperialist Patriotic Union (UPA), Ignacio RODRIGUEZ Chiappini;
Alliance for Democracy Party (APD), Maximilano Rabelais PUIG Miller, Nelsida MARMOLEJOS, Vicente BENGOA;
Democratic Union (UD), Fernando ALVAREZ Bogaert

note: in 1983 several leftist parties, including the PCD, joined to form the Dominican Leftist Front (FID); however, they still retain individual party structures

Other political or pressure groups

Collective of Popular Organizations (COP)

International organization participation

ACP, Caricom (observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (guest), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Jose del Carmen ARIZA Gomez
chancery:: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 332-6280

FAX

[1] (202) 265-8057

consulate(s) general:: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s):: Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce (Puerto Rico)

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Donna Jean HRINAK
embassy:: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo
mailing address:: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041
telephone:: [1] (809) 221-2171, 221-8100

FAX

[1] (809) 686-7437

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

Economic reforms launched in late 1994 | contributed to exchange rate stabilization, reduced inflation, and | relatively strong GDP growth in 1995.

21 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$3,400

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

3.5%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: 6.3% (1995 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

9.5%

(1995)

Unemployment rate

30%

(1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector(1995)

agriculture 13%industry 32%services 55% (1995)

Budget

Revenues

$1.8 billionExpenditures

$2.2 billion (1994 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 1,450,000 kW

Electricity production

5.4 billionElectricity consumption per capita

651 (1993)

Economic overview

Economic reforms launched in late 1994 contributed to exchange rate stabilization, reduced inflation, and relatively strong GDP growth in 1995. Output growth was concentrated in the tourism and free trade zone (ftz) sectors while sugar and non-ftz manufacturing declined last year.

Drought in early 1995 hurt agricultural production but favorable world prices for export commodities helped mitigate the impact. Sugar refining was devastated by a disastrous harvest resulting from the drought and ongoing problems at the state-owned sugar company. Unreliable electric supplies continue to hamper expansion in manufacturing;

small and medium-sized retail firms also suffer due to the dismal power situation. A presidential election scheduled for May 1996 could lead to increased government spending before and in the immediate aftermath of the vote, raising the potential for rising inflation and increased pressure on the Dominican peso.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $26.8 billion (1995 est.)

Labor force

2.3 million to 2.6 million; by occupation: agriculture 50%, services and government 32%, industry 18% (1991 est.)

Industries

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

Agriculture

sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, meat, eggs

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

Exports

$837.7 million (f.o.b., 1995)

commodities:: ferronickel, sugar, gold, coffee, cocoa
partners:: US 47.5%, EC 22%, Puerto Rico 8.4%, Asia 6.7% (1994)

Imports

$2.867 billion (f.o.b., 1995)

commodities:: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
partners:: US 60% (1993)

External debt

$4.6 billion (1994)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $21 million (1993)

Currency

1 Dominican peso (RD$) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

Dominican pesos (RD$) per US$1 - 13.589 (December 1995), 13.617 (1995), 13.160 (1994), 12.676 (1993), 12.774 (1992), 12.692 (1991)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 31 in all

over 3 047 m

1 524 to 2 437 m

914 to 1 523 m

under 914 m

2 438 to 3 047 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

11,931Railways

757

Highways: paved: 5,766 km · unpaved: 6,165 km (1987 est.) · Railways: standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad) · narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominica Government Railway); 240 km operated by sugar companies in various gauges (0.558-m, 0.762-m, 1.067-m gauges) (1995)

Railways

total:: 757 km
standard gauge:: 375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad)
narrow gauge:: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominica Government Railway); 240 km operated by sugar companies in various gauges (0.558-m, 0.762-m, 1.067-m gauges) (1995)

Highways

total:: 11,931 km
paved:: 5,766 km
unpaved:: 6,165 km (1987 est.)

Communications

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police

9 fields

Fixed lines

190,000

(1987 est.)

Telephone system

domestic:: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave radio relay network
international:: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

males age 15-49:: 2,212,012
males fit for military service:: 1,391,472
males reach military age (18) annually:: 83,611 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $116 million, 1.4% of GDP (1994)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Dominican Republic.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/dominican-republic/1996.

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