Dominican Republic

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

• coastal development is significant, especially in the southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley, where population density is highest;
• smaller population clusters exist in the interior mountains (Cordillera Central)

• lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October;
• occasional flooding;
• periodic droughts

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

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

• shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds makes up the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti);
• the second largest country in the Antilles (after Cuba);
• geographically diverse with the Caribbean's tallest mountain, Pico Duarte, and lowest elevation and largest lake, Lago Enriquillo

noun:

Dominican(s)

adjective:

Dominican

• coastal development is significant, especially in the southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley, where population density is highest;
• smaller population clusters exist in the interior mountains (Cordillera Central)

at birth:

1.04 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.89 male(s)/female

total population:

1.02 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

degree of risk:

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases:

dengue fever

conventional long form:

Dominican Republic

conventional short form:

The Dominican

local long form:

Republica Dominicana

local short form:

La Dominicana

etymology:

the country name derives from the capital city of Santo Domingo (Saint Dominic)

name:

Santo Domingo

geographic coordinates:

18 28 N, 69 54 W

time difference:

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

named after Saint Dominic de Guzman (1170-1221), founder of the Dominican Order

history:

many previous (38 total); latest proclaimed 13 June 2015

amendments:

• proposed by a special session of the National Congress called the National Revisory Assembly;
• passage requires at least two-thirds majority approval by at least one half of those present in both houses of the Assembly;
• passage of amendments to constitutional articles, such as fundamental rights and guarantees, territorial composition, nationality, or the procedures for constitutional reform, also requires approval in a referendum;
• amended many times, last in 2017

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of the Dominican Republic

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

2 years

• 18 years of age;
• universal and compulsory;
• married persons regardless of age can vote;
• note - members of the armed forces and national police by law cannot vote

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 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

elections/appointments:

• president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a maximum of two consecutive terms);
• election last held on 15 May 2016 (rescheduled from 17 May to 5 July 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic)

election results:

• Danilo MEDINA Sanchez reelected president in first round;
• percent of vote - Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (PLD) 61.7%, Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (PRM) 35%, other 3.3%;
• Margarita CEDENO DE FERNANDEZ (PLD) reelected vice president

highest courts:

• Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia (consists of a minimum of 16 magistrates);
• Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 13 judges);
• note - the Constitutional Court was established in 2010 by constitutional amendment

judge selection and term of office:

• Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and a non-governing party congressional representative;
• Supreme Court judges appointed for 7-year terms;
• Constitutional Court judges appointed for 9-year terms

subordinate courts:

• courts of appeal;
• courts of first instance;
• justices of the peace;
• special courts for juvenile, labor, and land cases;
• Contentious Administrative Court for cases filed against the government

• Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]
• Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Miguel VARGAS Maldonado]
• Institutional Social Democratic Bloc or BIS
• Liberal Reformist Party or PRL (formerly the Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or PLRD)
• Modern Revolutionary Party or PRM [Jose Ignacio PALIZA]
• National Progressive Front or FNP [Vinicio CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]
• Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Federico ANTUN]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Jose Tomas PEREZ Vazquez (since 23 February 2015)

chancery:

1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 332-6280, 660-2263

FAX:

[1] (202) 265-8057

consulate(s) general:

Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

consulate(s):

San Francisco

chief of mission:

Ambassador Robin BERNSTEIN (since 6 September 2018)

telephone:

[1] (809) 567-7775

embassy:

Av. Republica de Colombia # 57, Santo Domingo

mailing address:

Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500

FAX:

[1] (809) 686-7437

• a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are ultramarine blue (hoist side) and vermilion red, and the bottom ones are vermilion red (hoist side) and ultramarine 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

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

Fitch rating:

BB- (2016)

Moody's rating:

Ba3 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating: BB- (2015)

agriculture:

14.4%

industry:

20.8% (2014)

services:

64.7% (2014 est.)

lowest 10%:

1.9%

highest 10%:

37.4% (2013 est.)

• 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 (2019)

total:

496 km (2014)

standard gauge:

354 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

narrow gauge:

142 km 0.762-m gauge (2014)

total:

19,705 km (2002)

paved:

9,872 km (2002)

unpaved:

9,833 km (2002)

total:

37

by type:

bulk carrier 1, general cargo 2, oil tanker 1, other 33 (2019)

major seaport(s):

Puerto Haina, Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo

oil terminal(s):

Punta Nizao oil terminal

LNG terminal(s) (import):

Andres LNG terminal (Boca Chica)

• the military's inventory consists mostly of older US equipment with limited quantities of Brazilian, European, and Israeli material;
• since 2010, Brazil and Israel are the leading suppliers of armaments to the Dominican Republic (2019 est.)

• 17-21 years of age for voluntary military service;
• recruits must have completed primary school and be Dominican Republic citizens;
• women may volunteer (2012)

• 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

• 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