Dominican Republic

Republica Dominicana

representative democracyIndependence 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

Dominican Republic as the 2005 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 119 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, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
2005

Every edition of Dominican Republic

Populationas each edition published it
8.95 million July 2005 est. · 7.24m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.29% 2005 est. · 1.86% in 1993
Median ageyears
23.88 years 2005 est. · 23.5 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
71.44 years 2005 est. · 67.98 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.86 children per woman 2005 est. · 3.2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
32.38 deaths per 1,000 live births 2005 est. · 62 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$6,300 2004 est. · $1,120 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
1.7% 2004 est. · 5% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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.

In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865. 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

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 22.65%permanent crops 10.33%other 67.02% (2001)irrigated 2,590 sq km (1998 est.)
Area
48,730sq km
land: 48,380 sq kmwater: 350 sq kmslightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Coastline
1,288km
territorial sea: 6 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Highest point
3,175m
Pico Duartelowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
Land boundaries
360km
border countries: Haiti 360 km

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

Climate

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

Terrain

rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

Natural resources

nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea

Geography - note

shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

People

19 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2005 est.)

226,372
65 and over5.4%
260,333
2,815,544
15-6461.7%
2,703,012
1,505,964
0-1432.9%
1,438,809
MaleFemale
Population
8,950,034
(July 2005 est.)growth rate: 1.29% (2005 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2005 est.)

Birth
23.28Death
7.35Net migration
-3.02

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2005 est.)71.44
69.94 · 73.03Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)32.38
34.81 · 29.84
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)84.7%
84.6% · 84.8%Median age years (2005 est.)23.88
23.68 · 24.09
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

white 16%black 11%mixed 73%

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:
0.87 male(s)/female
total population:
1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.86 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

7,900 (2003 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Dominican(s)
adjective:
Dominican

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%

Languages

Spanish

Government

Representative democracy; President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

57.1%
Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 57.1%Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (PRD) 33.7%Eduardo ESTRELLA (PRSC) 8.7%election last held 16 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2008)

Senate, 150 seats, elected 16 May 2002one dot, one seat

PRD 73PLD 41PRSC 36

Country name

conventional long form:
Dominican Republic
conventional short form:
The Dominican
local long form:
Republica Dominicana
local short form:
La Dominicana

Government type

representative democracy

Capital

Santo Domingo

Administrative divisions

31 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 Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde

Independence

27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Constitution

28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002

Suffrage

18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote

Executive branch

chief of state:
  • President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004);
  • Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004);
  • note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:
  • President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004);
  • Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004);
  • 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 2004 (next to be held in May 2008)
election results:
Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (PRD) 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA (PRSC) 8.7%

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held May 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held May 2006)
election results:
  • Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  • seats by party - PRD 29, PLD 2, PRSC 1;
  • Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  • seats by party - PRD 73, PLD 41, PRSC 36

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by a the National Judicial Council comprised of the President, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the President of the Supreme Court, and an opposition or non-governing party member)

Political parties and leaders

  • Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna];
  • Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Vicente Sanchez BARET];
  • Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ATUN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • Collective of Popular Organizations or COP;
  • Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania);
  • Foundation for Institution-Building (FINJUS)

International organization participation

ACP, 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), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador-designate Flavio Dario Espinal JACOBO
chancery:
1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 332-6280
FAX:
[1] (202) 265-8057
consulate(s) general:
Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

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

The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy which enjoyed GDP growth of more than 7% in 1998-2000.

39 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$55.68billion
(2004 est.)
Real growth rate
1.7%
(2004 est.)industrial production growth: 2% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate
17%
(2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2003)

agriculture 10.7%industry 31.5%services 57.8% (2003)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

80%
US
48.1%
Venezuela
13.5%
Colombia
4.8%
Mexico
4.8%
2.1%
South Korea
1.9%
Canada
Exports $5.446 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)Imports $8.093 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)(2004)

Budget

Revenues
$2.625 billionExpenditures
$3.382 billion (2004 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion

Electricity

Electricity production
9.583 billion (2002)Electricity consumption
8.912 billion (2002)

Economy - overview

The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy which enjoyed GDP growth of more than 7% in 1998-2000. Growth subsequently plummeted as part of the global economic slowdown. 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% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. Growth turned negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in the US economy (the source of about 85% of export revenues), but recovered slightly in 2004.

Resumption of a badly needed IMF loan, slowed due to government repurchase of electrical power plants, is basic to the restoration of social and economic stability. Newly elected President FERNANDEZ in mid-2004 promised belt-tightening reform. His administration has passed tax reform and is working to meet preconditions for a $600 IMF standby arrangement to ease the country's fiscal situation.

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2004 est.)

Labor force

2.3 million - 2.6 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 17%, industry 24.3%, services and government 58.7% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
2.1%
highest 10%:
37.9% (1998)

Investment (gross fixed)

18.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Public debt

61.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Industries

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

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - imports

129,900 bbl/day (2003)

Current account balance

$762.2 million (2004 est.)

Exports

$5.446 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods

Imports

$8.093 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Debt - external

$7.745 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$239.6 million (1995)

Currency (code)

Dominican peso (DOP)

Exchange rates

Dominican pesos per US dollar - 42.12 (2004), 30.831 (2003), 18.61 (2002), 16.952 (2001), 16.415 (2000)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
2,120,400
(2003)
Internet users
64,197
(2003)
Fixed lines
901,800
(2003) · country code .do

Telephone system

general assessment:
NA
domestic:
relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave radio relay network
international:
  • country code - 1-809;
  • 1 coaxial submarine cable;
  • satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

Internet users

500,000 (2003)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

3
over 3,047 m
3
2,438 to 3,047 m
3
1,524 to 2,437 m
3
3
914 to 1,523 m
5
1
under 914 m
10
Paved 13Unpaved 18

Networkskm

Highways
12,600Railways
1,743
Highways: paved: 6,224 km · unpaved: 6,376 km (1999) · Railways: standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge · narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m, 0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2004)

Railways

total:
1,743 km
standard gauge:
375 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge:
142 km 0.762-m gauge

note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m, 0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2004)

Highways

total:
12,600 km
paved:
6,224 km
unpaved:
6,376 km (1999)

Ports and harbors

Boca Chica, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina, Santo Domingo

Merchant marine

total:
3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,230 GRT/17,011 DWT
by type:
cargo 3 (2005)

Airports

31 (2004 est.)

Military

Army, Navy, Air Force

7 fields

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 2,108,197 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 1,420,693 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find work

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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Dominican Republic.” The World Factbook 2005. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/dominican-republic/2005.

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