Statistical information Dominican Republic 1999

Dominican Republic in the World
top of pageBackground: A legacy of unsettled mostly non-representative rule for much of the 20th century was brought to an end in 1996 when free and open elections ushered in a new government.
top of pageLocation: 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 reference:
Central America and the CaribbeanAreaTotal: 48,730 km²
Land: 48,380 km²
Water: 350 km²
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundariesTotal: 275 km
Border countries: (1) Haiti 275 kmCoastline: 1,288 km
Maritime claimsContiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 6 nm
Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
Extremes highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Land useArable land: 21%
Permanent crops: 9%
Permanent pastures: 43%
Forests and woodland: 12%
Other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,300 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts
GeographyNote: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)
top of pagePopulation: 8,129,734 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 1.62% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: 20.6% (1992 est.)
NationalityNoun: Dominican(s)
Adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups: white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%
Languages: Spanish
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 35% (male 1,447,435; female 1,393,122)
15-64 years: 61% (male 2,501,206; female 2,426,564)
65 years and over: 4% (male 171,049; female 190,358) (1999 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 1.62% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 25.97 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.66 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.14 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt 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: 0.9 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 42.52 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 70.07 years
Male: 67.86 years
Female: 72.4 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.03 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 82.1%
Male: 82%
Female: 82.2% (1995 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Dominican Republic
Conventional short form: none
Local long form: Republica Dominicana
Local short form: none
Government type: republic
Capital: Santo Domingo
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
Dependent areasIndependence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution: 28 November 1966
Legal system: based on French civil codes
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age
Note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
Executive branchChief 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: Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna elected president; percent of vote_Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (PLD) 51.25%, Jose Francisco PENA Gomez (PRD) 48.75%
Legislative branch: 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 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2002); Chamber of Deputies_last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2002)
Election results: Senate_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_PRD 24, PLD 4, PRSC 2; Chamber of Deputies_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are elected by a Council made up of legislative and executive members with the president presiding)
Political parties and leadersInternational 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, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (guest), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo VEGA Boyrie
In the us chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 332-62,801
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 265-8,057
In the us consulates general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
In the us consulates: Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce (Puerto Rico)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
From the us embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo
From the us mailing address: Unit 5,500, APO AA 34,041-5,500
From the us telephone: [1] (809) 221-2,171
From the us FAX: [1] (809) 686-7,437
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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: In December 1996, incoming President FERNANDEZ presented a bold reform package for this Caribbean economy_including 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. Even though most reforms are stalled in the legislature, the economy grew vigorously in 1997-98, with tourism and telecommunications leading the advance. The government is working to increase electric generating capacity, a key to continued economic growth, but the privatization of the state electricity company has met numerous delays. In late September 1998, Hurricane Georges caused approximately $1.3 billion in damages, largely to agriculture and infrastructure.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 7% (1998 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $5,000 (1998 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 19%
Industry: 25%
Services: 56% (1996 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
Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (1995 est.)
Labor force: 2.3 million to 2.6 million
By occupation agriculture: 50%
By occupation services and government: 32%
By occupation industry: 18% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate: 16% (1997 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: 20.6% (1992 est.)
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $2.3 billion
Expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $867 million (1999 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $997 million (1997 est.)
Commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, coffee, cocoa
Partners: US 45%, EU 19.9%, Canada 3.6%, South Korea 3.3% (1996)
Imports: $3.6 billion (1998)
Commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Partners: US 44%, EU 16%, Venezuela 11%, Netherlands Antilles, Mexico, Japan (1995)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $3.6 billion (1997)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Dominican pesos (RD$) per US$1_15.949 (January 1999), 15.267 (1998), 14.265 (1997), 13.775 (1996), 13.597 (1995), 13.160 (1994)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 6.7 billion kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 70.15%
Production by source hydro: 29.85%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 6.7 billion kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 190,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone systemDomestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave radio relay network
International: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station_1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $180 million (1998)
Percent of gdp: 1.1% (1998)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 36 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 14
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 22
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 15 (1998 est.)
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km
RailwaysTotal: 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)
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine: total:1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT (1998 est.)
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US