Map of Dominican Republic | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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Background: 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 later reelected to a second consecutive term. In 2012 Danilo MEDINA Sanchez was elected president.


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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 reference

Area
Rank: 132
Land: 48,320 km²
Water: 350 km²
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries
Border countries: (1) Haiti 376 km

Coastline: 1288 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall

Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

Elevation
Extremes highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

Natural resources: nickel bauxite gold silver

Land use
Permanent crops: 9.25%
Other: 74.32% (2011)

Irrigated land: 3,065 km² (2009)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 21 km³ (2011)

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

Geography
Note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti


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Population: 10,349,741 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 87
Growth rate: 1.25% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 93
Below poverty line: 34.4% (2010 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups: mixed 73% white 16% black 11%

Languages: Spanish (official)

Religions: Roman Catholic 95% other 5%

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-24 years: 18.5% (male 974,688/female 937,103)
25-54 years: 39.3% (male 2,078,915/female 1,984,585)
55-64 years: 7.2% (male 376,175/female 371,152)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 336,712/female 392,668) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 47 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 10.1 %
Potential support ratio: 9.9 (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 26.9 years
Female: 27.3 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.25% (2014 est.)
Rank: 93

Birth rate: 18.97 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 92

Death rate: 4.5 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 203

Net migration rate: -1.93 migrant(s)/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 165

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 2.03% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: SANTO DOMINGO (capital) 2.191 million (2011)

Environment
Current issues: water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 20.3

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 92
Male: 21.56 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 17.62 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 62
Male: 75.6 years
Female: 80.08 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.36 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Rank: 88

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 72.9% (2007)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 1.88 physicians/1000 population (2000)

Hospital bed density: 1.7 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2012 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 54
People living with hivaids: 45,000 (2012 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 63
Deaths: 1900 (2012 est.)
Deaths rank: 59

Major infectious diseases
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: dengue fever (2013)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 21.2% (2008)
Rank: 90

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3.4% (2007)
Rank: 106

Education expenditures: 2.2% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 163

Literacy
Total population: 90.1%
Male: 90%
Female: 90.2% (2011 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional short form: The Dominican
Local long form: Republica Dominicana
Local short form: La Dominicana

Government type: democratic republic

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 18 28 N 69 54 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regiones singular - region);Cibao Nordeste Cibao Noroeste Cibao Norte Cibao Sur El Valle Enriquillo Higuamo Ozama Valdesia Yuma

Dependent areas

Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

National holiday: Independence Day 27 February (1844)

Constitution: many previous (38 total); latest proclaimed 26 January 2010; note - the Dominican Republic Government has a practice of promulgating a 'new' constitution whenever an amendment is ratified (2013)

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

Citizenship

Suffrage: 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

Executive branch
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: 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 Sanchez elected president; percent of vote - Danilo MEDINA Sanchez 51.2% Hipolito MEJIA 47% other 1.8%; 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 six-year terms
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: 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

Political parties and leaders:

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 MINUSMA NAM OAS OIF (observer) OPANAL OPCW Pacific Alliance (observer) 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 chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 332-6,280
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 265-8,057
In the us consulate general: Boston Chicago Glendale (CA) Mayaguez (Puerto Rico) Miami New Orleans New York San Juan (Puerto Rico)
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 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 symbols: palmchat (bird)

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Emilio PRUD'HOMME/Jose REYES

National heritage


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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 approximately half of exports. Remittances from the US amount to about 5% of GDP equivalent to about a third of exports and two-thirds 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 Dominican Republic's economy rebounded from the global recession in 2010-13 and the fiscal situation is improving. A tax reform package passed in November 2012 and a reduction in government spending helped to narrow the central government budget deficit from 6.6% of GDP in 2012 to below 3% in 2013. A successful government bond placement in 2013 helped finance the deficit.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 76

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 140

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 123

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 7.7%
Investment in fixed capital: 15.6%
Investment in inventories: 0.1%
Exports of goods and services: 26.4%
Imports of goods and services: -33.2%: (2013 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 29.1%
Services: 64.9% (2013 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: 2.5% (2013 est.)
Rank: 118

Labor force: 4.912 million (2013 est.)
Rank: 80
By occupation industry: 22.3%
By occupation services: 63.1% (2005)

Unemployment rate: 14.3% (2012 est.)
Rank: 137

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 34.4% (2010 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 36.4% (2010 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index: 52 (2000 est.)
Rank: 28

Budget
Expenditures: $10.79 billion (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -3% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 123

Taxes and other revenues: 15.2% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 193

Public debt: 41.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 74

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.7% (2012 est.)
Rank: 156

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 15.48% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 34

Stock of narrow money: $4.738 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 99

Stock of broad money: $14.83 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 89

Stock of domestic credit: $23.71 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 74

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: -$4.037 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 146

Exports: $9.079 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 97
Commodities: ferronickel sugar gold silver coffee cocoa tobacco meats consumer goods
Partners: US 47% Haiti 16.1% China 4.3% (2012)

Imports: $17.76 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 83
Commodities: foodstuffs petroleum cotton and fabrics chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Partners: US 43.3% Venezuela 7.7% China 6.3% Mexico 5.3% Colombia 4.1% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.579 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 98

Debt external: $16.33 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 82

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $24.86 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 64

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $59 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 87

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 13.09 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 88
Consumption: 13.11 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 83
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 130
Imports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 138
Installed generating capacity: 5.701 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 74
Generation sources fossil fuels: 90.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 75
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 78
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 9.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 115
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 97

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 61.1 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 123
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 106
Crude oil imports: 27,260 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 65
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 125

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 28,050 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 88
Products consumption: 122,300 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 72
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 172
Products imports: 85,490 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 53

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 124
Consumption: 820 million m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 91
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 91
Imports: 930 million m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 57
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 132

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 20.64 million Mt (2011 est.)

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.065 million (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 73
Mobile cellular: 9.038 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 86

Telephone system
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) (2011)

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)

Internet
Country code: .do
Hosts: 404,500 (2012)
Hosts rank: 55
Users: 2.701 million (2009)
Users rank: 68

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 121

Military and security forces

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

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 36 (2013)
Rank: 109
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways: 18 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines: gas 27 km; oil 103 km (2013)

Railways
Rank: 125
Standard gauge: 142 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Rank: 110
Paved: 9,872 km
Unpaved: 9,833 km (2002)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals
Oilgas terminal: Andres LNG terminal (Boca Chica) Punta Nizao oil terminal


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Disputes 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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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)