Dominican Republic
Republica Dominicana
democratic republicIndependence 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
Dominican Republic as the 2012 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 156 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The Taino - indigenous inhabitants of Hispaniola prior to the arrival of the Europeans - divided the island into five chiefdoms and territories. Christopher COLUMBUS explored and claimed the island on his first voyage in 1492; it 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 to 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 Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (first term 1996-2000) won election to a new term in 2004 following a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve more than one term, and was since reelected to a second consecutive term.
Geography
Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
20 fieldsLand useshare of 48,670 sq km
Location
Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 3.39 cu km/yr (32%/2%/66%)
- per capita:
- 381 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- Law of the Sea
People and Society
30 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2012 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.86 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- high
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne diseases:
- dengue fever and malaria
- water contact disease:
- leptospirosis (2009)
Government
Democratic republic; President Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (since 16 August 2012); President Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (since 16 August 2012)
21 fieldsSenate, 183 seats, elected 16 May 2010one dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Dominican Republic
- conventional short form:
- The Dominican
- local long form:
- Republica Dominicana
- local short form:
- La Dominicana
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, Bahoruco, 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
Legal system
civil law system based on the French civil code; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage
- 18 years of age, universal and compulsory;
- married persons regardless of age can vote;
- note - members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote by law
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (since 16 August 2012);
- Vice President Margarita CEDENO DE FERNANDEZ (since 16 August 2012);
- note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
- head of government:
- President Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (since 16 August 2012); Vice President Margarita CEDENO DE FERNANDEZ (since 16 August 2012)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet nominated by the president; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held on 20 May 2012 (next to be held in 2016)
- election results:
- Danilo MEDINA elected president;
- percent of vote - Danilo MEDINA 51.2%, Hipolito MEJIA 47%;
- Margarita CEDENO DE FERNANDEZ elected vice president
Legislative branch
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Diputados (183 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
- elections:
- Senate - last held on 16 May 2010 (next to be held in May 2016);
- House of Representatives - last held on 16 May 2010 (next to be held in May 2016);
- in order to synchronize presidential, legislative, and local elections for 2016, those members elected in 2010 will actually serve terms of six years
- election results:
- Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - PLD 31, PRSC 1;
- House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - PLD 105, PRD 75, PRSC 3
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 [Miguel VARGAS Maldonado];
- National Progressive Front [Vinicio CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO];
- Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Carlos MORALES Troncoso]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania);
- Collective of Popular Organizations or COP;
- Foundation for Institution-Building and Justice or FINJUS
International organization participation
ACP, AOSIS, BCIE, Caricom (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA (associated member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Anibal de Jesus de CASTRO Rodriguez
- 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 Juan (Puerto Rico), Sun Valley (California)
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Raul H. YZAGUIRRE
- 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 a laurel 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;
- in the shield a bible is opened to a verse that reads "Y la verdad nos hara libre" (And the truth shall set you free);
- blue stands for liberty, white for salvation, and red for the blood of heroes
National anthem
- name:
- "Himno Nacional" (National Anthem)
- lyrics/music:
- Emilio PRUD"HOMME/Jose REYES
note: adopted 1934; also known as "Quisqueyanos valientes" (Valient Sons of Quisqueye); the anthem never refers to the people as Dominican but rather calls them "Quisqueyanos," a reference to the indigenous name of the island
Economy
38 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2012 est.)
Economy - overview
The Dominican Republic has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, but in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in telecommunications, tourism, and free trade zones. The economy is highly dependent upon the US, the destination for more than half of exports.
Remittances from the US amount to about a 10th of GDP, equivalent to almost half of exports and three-quarters of tourism receipts. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GDP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of GDP. High unemployment and underemployment remains an important long-term challenge.
The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) came into force in March 2007, boosting investment and exports and reducing losses to the Asian garment industry. The growth of the Dominican Republic's economy rebounded from the global recession in 2010-12 and remains one of the fastest growing in the region although its fiscal situation is weak; the fiscal deficit climbed from 2.6% in 2011 to approximately 8% in 2012.
Distribution of family income - Gini index
48.4 (2007) · 47.4 (1998) country comparison to the world: 26
Commercial bank prime lending rate
15.9% (31 December 2012 est.) · 15.55% (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 38
Stock of narrow money
$4.895 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $4.409 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 102
Stock of broad money
$17.85 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $16.38 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
Stock of domestic credit
$22.68 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $21.23 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
Agriculture - products
sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs
Current account balance
-$4.254 billion (2012 est.) · -$4.521 billion (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Exports - commodities
ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$4.317 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $4.117 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 96
Debt - external
$16.58 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $14.86 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 82
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$24.18 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $21.38 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 68
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$59 million (31 December 2012 est.) · $59 million (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
Exchange rates
Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar - 39.42 (2012 est.) · 38.232 (2011 est.) · 37.307 (2010 est.) · 36.03 (2009) · 34.775 (2008)
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 2.973 million kW(2009 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
19.6 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 84
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave radio relay network
- domestic:
- fixed-line teledensity is about 10 per 100 persons; multiple providers of mobile-cellular service with a subscribership of nearly 90 per 100 persons
- international:
- country code - 1-809;
- landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), Antillas 1, and the Fibralink submarine cables that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and US;
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Broadcast media
- combination of state-owned and privately-owned broadcast media;
- 1 state-owned TV network and a number of private TV networks;
- networks operate repeaters to extend signals throughout country;
- combination of state-owned and privately-owned radio stations with more than 300 radio stations operating (2007)
Transportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Ports and terminals
Puerto Haina, Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo; oil terminals: Andres LNG terminal (Boca Chica), Punta Nizao oil terminal
Military
Army, Navy (Marina de Guerra, includes naval infantry), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana, FAD) (2011)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Army, Navy (Marina de Guerra, includes naval infantry), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana, FAD) (2011)
Military service age and obligation
- 16-21 years of age for compulsory military service;
- recruits must be Dominican Republic citizens;
- women may volunteer (2010)
Manpower available for military service
- males age 16-49:
- 2,580,083
- females age 16-49:
- 2,464,698 (2010 est.)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
- Haitian migrants cross the porous border into the Dominican Republic to find work;
- illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find better 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 in particular by Colombian narcotics traffickers;
- significant amphetamine consumption (2008)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Dominican Republic.” The World Factbook 2012. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/dominican-republic/2012.