Dominican Republic

Republica Dominicana

representative democracyIndependence 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

Dominican Republic as the 2006 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 122 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, UTC-4
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
2006

Every edition of Dominican Republic

Populationas each edition published it
9.18 million July 2006 est. · 7.24m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.47% 2006 est. · 1.86% in 1993
Median ageyears
24.1 years 2006 est. · 23.5 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
71.73 years 2006 est. · 67.98 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.83 children per woman 2006 est. · 3.2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
28.25 deaths per 1,000 live births 2006 est. · 62 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$7,500 2005 est. · $1,120 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
9.3% 2005 est. · 5% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Explored and claimed by Christopher 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 followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930-1961. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962, but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the United States led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in an election to become president.

BALAGUER 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. Former President (1996-2000) Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna won election to a second term in 2004 following a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve more than one term.

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 22.49%permanent crops 10.26%other 67.25% (2005)irrigated 2,750 sq km (2003)
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 · (2006 est.)

235,016
65 and over5.5%
269,041
2,902,098
15-6461.9%
2,782,608
1,531,145
0-1432.6%
1,464,076
MaleFemale
Population
9,183,984
(July 2006 est.)growth rate: 1.47% (2006 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2006 est.)

Birth
23.22Death
5.73Net migration
-2.79

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2006 est.)71.73
70.21 · 73.33Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)28.25
30.58 · 25.8
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)84.7%
84.6% · 84.8%Median age years (2006 est.)24.1
24 · 24.3
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

mixed 73%white 16%black 11%

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 (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.83 children born/woman (2006 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

name:
Santo Domingo
geographic coordinates:
18 28 N, 69 54 W
time difference:
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, El Seibo, Elias Pina, 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, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Sanchez Ramirez, 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)
cabinet:
Cabinet nominated by the president
elections:
  • president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
  • 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 House of Representatives 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 in May 2006); House of Representatives - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held in May 2006)
election results:
  • Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - PRD 29, PLD 2, PRSC 1;
  • House of Representatives - 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 the National Judicial Council comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and an additional non-governing party congressional representative)

Political parties and leaders

  • Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna];
  • Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Ramon ALBURQUERQUE];
  • National Progressive Front [Vincent CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO];
  • Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ATUN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

International organization participation

ACP, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), 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 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:
Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, 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 that enjoyed strong GDP growth until 2003.

43 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$67.44billion
(2005 est.)official exchange rate: $18.15 billion (2005 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$7,500
(2005 est.)
Real growth rate
9.3%
(2005 est.)industrial production growth: 2% (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2003)

agriculture 11.2%industry 30.6%services 58.2% (2003)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

79%
US
50.2%
Colombia
6.2%
1.9%
Mexico
5.8%
2.4%
Netherlands
Exports $5.818 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)Imports $9.747 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)(2005)

Budget

Revenues
$5.322 billionExpenditures
$5.485 billion (2005)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion

Electricity

Electricity production
12.6 billion (2003)Electricity consumption
11.71 billion (2003)

Economy - overview

The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy that enjoyed strong GDP growth until 2003. 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.

Growth turned negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in the US economy (the source of about 80% of export revenues), but recovered in 2004 and 2005. With the help of strict fiscal targets agreed in the 2004 renegotiation of an IMF standby loan, President FERNANDEZ has stabilized the country's financial situation.

Although the economy continues to grow at a respectable rate, unemployment remains an important challenge. 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.

The Dominican Republic's development prospects improved with the ratification of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) in September 2005.

Labor force

2.3 million-2.6 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
17%
industry:
24.3%
services:
58.7% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate

17% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Investment (gross fixed)

24.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Public debt

45.5% of GDP (2005 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 (2003)

Oil - consumption

128,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

129,900 bbl/day (2003)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

300 million cu m (2003 est.)

Current account balance

$-143 million (2005 est.)

Exports

$5.818 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Imports

$9.747 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.853 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$7.687 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$571.6 million (2004)

Currency (code)

Dominican peso (DOP)

Exchange rates

Dominican pesos per US dollar - 30.409 (2005), 42.12 (2004), 30.831 (2003), 18.61 (2002), 16.952 (2001)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
3.623 million
(2005)
Internet users
91,895
(2006)
Fixed lines
894,500
(2005) · 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

938,300 (2005)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

3
over 3,047 m
3
2,438 to 3,047 m
4
1,524 to 2,437 m
4
3
914 to 1,523 m
5
1
under 914 m
10
Paved 14Unpaved 19

Networkskm

Roadways
12,600Railways
517
Roadways: 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 (2005)

Airports

33 (2006)

Railways

total:
517 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 (2005)

Roadways

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

Merchant marine

total:
1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT
by type:
cargo 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals

Boca Chica, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina, Santo Domingo

Military

Army, Navy, Air Force

6 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:
2,133,142
females age 18-49:
2,032,840 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49:
1,671,493
females age 18-49:
1,536,257 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49:
91,699
females age 18-49:
87,550 (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 2006. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/dominican-republic/2006.

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