Dominican Republic

republicIndependence 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

Dominican Republic as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 99 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 Hispaniola,

1997

Every edition of Dominican Republic

Populationas each edition published it

7.87 million July 1997 est. · 7.24m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.65% 1997 est. · 1.86% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 23.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

69.39 years 1997 est. · 67.98 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.1 children per woman 1997 est. · 3.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

46 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 62 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$3,670 1996 est. · $1,120 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

7.3% 1996 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

18 fields

Land useshare of 48,730 sq km

arable land 21%permanent crops 9%permanent pastures 43%forests and woodland 12%other 15% (1993 est.)irrigated 2,300 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

48,730sq km

land: 48,380 sq kmwater : 350 sq kmslightly 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

Highest point

3,175m

Pico Duartelowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m

Land boundaries

275km

border countries: 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

Environment - current issues

water shortages;
soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs;
deforestation

Environment - international agreements

party to :: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:: Climate Change, 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

15 fields

Population

7,868,731

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 1.65% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

26.87Death

5.81Net migration

-4.6

Ethnic groups

white 16%black 11%mixed 73%

Literacy

82.1%

definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale: 82%female : 82.2% (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 36% (male 1,423,626; female 1,371,309)
15-64 years:: 60% (male 2,404,042; female 2,334,119) 65 years and over : 4% (male 160,270; female 175,365) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 69.39 years
male :: 67.21 years
female:: 71.69 years (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Dominican(s)
adjective:: Dominican

Government

Republic; President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 1996)

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

51.25%

Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 51.25%Jose Francisco PENA Gomez (PRD) 48.75%election last held 16 May 1996; runoff election held 30 June 1996 (next to be held 16 May 2000)

Senate, 120 seats, elected 30 May 1994one dot, one seat

PLD 13PRSC 50PRD 57

Country name

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:: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 1996);
Vice President Jaime David FERNANDEZ Mirabal (since 16 August 1996);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government :: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 1996);
Vice President Jaime David FERNANDEZ Mirabal (since 16 August 1996);
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 term;
election last held 16 May 1996;
runoff election held 30 June 1996 (next to be held 16 May 2000)
election results:: President FERNANDEZ elected to his first term; percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 51.25%, Jose Francisco PENA Gomez (PRD) 48.75%

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 (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:: Senate - last held 30 May 1994 (next to be held NA May 1998); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 1994 (next to be held NA May 1998)
election results:: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PRSC 15, PLD 1, PRD 14;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PLD 13, PRSC 50, PRD 57

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are elected by a Council made up of legislative and executive members with the president presiding

Political parties and leaders

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

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

Collective of Popular Organizations or COP

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Bernardo VEGA Boyrie
chancery:: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 332-6280, 6281

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)

Diplomatic representation from the US

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 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, 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 strong GDP | growth in 1995-96.

22 fields

Real growth rate

7.3%

(1996 est.)industrial production growth: 6.3% (1995 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

12.5%

(1995)

Unemployment rate

30%

(1996 est.)

Labor force

2.3million to 2.6 million

by occupation : agriculture 50%, services and government 32%, industry 18% (1991 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

Economy - overview

Economic reforms launched in late 1994 contributed to exchange rate stabilization, reduced inflation, and strong GDP growth in 1995-96. In 1996, there was increased mineral and petroleum exploration, and a new investment law that allows for repatriation of capital dividends has drawn more investment to the island.

Upon coming to power in August 1996, President FERNANDEZ nevertheless inherited a trouble-ridden economy hampered by a pressured peso, a large external debt, nearly bankrupt state-owned enterprises, and a manufacturing sector hindered by daily power outages. In December, FERNANDEZ presented a bold economic reform package - including such reforms as the devaluation of the peso, income tax cuts, a 50% increase in sales taxes, reduced import tariffs, and increased gasoline prices - in an attempt to create a market-oriented economy that can compete internationally. The legislature, however, has been slow to act on several of the economic measures.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $29.8 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $3,670 (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

2,450,400 kW (1995)

Electricity - production

6.506 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

613 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

total value:: $3.1 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities:: ferronickel, sugar, gold, coffee, cocoa
partners :: US 45%, EU 34%, Canada, Japan, Puerto Rico (1995)

Imports

total value:: $5.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities:: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
partners:: US 44%, EU 16%, Venezuela 11%, Netherlands Antilles, Mexico, Japan (1995)

Communications

6 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)

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3

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)