1996 Edition

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

Location

19 00 N, 70 40 W -- Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

land area

48,380 sq km

total area

48,730 sq km

Climate

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

Coastline

1,288 km

Environment

current issues

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

international agreements

party to - Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

natural hazards

occasional hurricanes (July to October)

Geographic coordinates

19 00 N, 70 40 W

Geographic note

shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

2,250 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries

border country

Haiti 275 km

total

275 km

Land use

arable land

23%

forest and woodland

13%

meadows and pastures

43%

other

14%

permanent crops

7%

Location

Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

6 nm

Natural resources

nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Terrain

rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

highest point

Pico Duarte 3,175 m

lowest point

Lago Enriquillo -46 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 34% (male 1,401,322; female 1,355,530) 15-64 years: 62% (male 2,541,356; female 2,460,509) 65 years and over: 4% (male 156,238; female 173,926) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

23.51 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.66 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

Infant mortality rate

47.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Spanish

Life expectancy at birth

female

71.34 years (1996 est.)

male

66.89 years

total population

69.06 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

82.2%

male

82%

total population

82.1%

Nationality

adjective

Dominican

noun

Dominican(s)

Net migration rate

-0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

8,088,881 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.73% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%

Sex ratio

all ages

1.03 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.66 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Capital

Santo Domingo

Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)

elections last held 16 May 1994 (next to be held NA May 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120 total) PLD 13, PRSC 50, PRD 57

Constitution

28 November 1966

Data code

DR

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Jose del Carmen ARIZA Gomez

telephone

[1] (202) 332-6280

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet was nominated by the president

chief of state and head of government

President Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo (since 16 August 1986, sixth elected term began 16 August 1994); Vice President Jacinto PEYNADO Garrigoza (since 16 August 1994); president is elected for a four-year term by direct vote; election last held 16 May 1994 (next to be held 16 May 1996); results - Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 42.6%, Juan BOSCH Gavino (PLD) 13.2%, Jose Francisco PENA Gomez (PRD) 41.9%, Jacobo MAJLUTA (PRI) 2.3%

FAX

[1] (202) 265-8057

[1] (809) 686-7437

consulate(s)

Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce (Puerto Rico)

consulate(s) general

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

Flag

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

Independence

27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

International organization participation

ACP, Caricom (observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (guest), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are elected by the Senate

Legal system

based on French civil codes

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

Name of country

conventional long form

Dominican Republic

conventional short form

none

local long form

Republica Dominicana

local short form

none

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Other political or pressure groups

Collective of Popular Organizations (COP)

Political parties and leaders

major parties

Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo; Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Lidio CADET; Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD), Jose Franciso PENA Gomez; Independent Revolutionary Party (PRI), Jacobo MAJLUTA

minor parties

National Veterans and Civilian Party (PNVC), Juan Rene BEAUCHAMPS Javier; Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic (PLRD), Andres Van Der HORST; Democratic Quisqueyan Party (PQD), Elias WESSIN Chavez; National Progressive Force (FNP), Marino VINICIO Castillo; Popular Christian Party (PPC), Rogelio DELGADO Bogaert; Dominican Communist Party (PCD), Narciso ISA Conde; Dominican Workers' Party (PTD), Ivan RODRIGUEZ; Anti-Imperialist Patriotic Union (UPA), Ignacio RODRIGUEZ Chiappini; Alliance for Democracy Party (APD), Maximilano Rabelais PUIG Miller, Nelsida MARMOLEJOS, Vicente BENGOA; Democratic Union (UD), Fernando ALVAREZ Bogaert

note

in 1983 several leftist parties, including the PCD, joined to form the Dominican Leftist Front (FID); however, they still retain individual party structures

Senate (Senado)

elections last held 16 May 1994 (next to be held NA May 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (30 total) PRSC 15, PLD 1, PRD 14

Suffrage

18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age

note

members of the armed forces and police cannot vote

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Donna Jean HRINAK

embassy

corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo

mailing address

Unit 5500, APO AA 34041

telephone

[1] (809) 221-2171, 221-8100

Agriculture

sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, meat, eggs

Budget

expenditures

$2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)

revenues

$1.8 billion

Currency

1 Dominican peso (RD$) = 100 centavos

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $21 million (1993)

Economic overview

Economic reforms launched in late 1994 contributed to exchange rate stabilization, reduced inflation, and relatively strong GDP growth in 1995. Output growth was concentrated in the tourism and free trade zone (ftz) sectors while sugar and non-ftz manufacturing declined last year. Drought in early 1995 hurt agricultural production but favorable world prices for export commodities helped mitigate the impact. Sugar refining was devastated by a disastrous harvest resulting from the drought and ongoing problems at the state-owned sugar company. Unreliable electric supplies continue to hamper expansion in manufacturing; small and medium-sized retail firms also suffer due to the dismal power situation. A presidential election scheduled for May 1996 could lead to increased government spending before and in the immediate aftermath of the vote, raising the potential for rising inflation and increased pressure on the Dominican peso.

Electricity

capacity

1,450,000 kW

consumption per capita

651 kWh (1993)

production

5.4 billion kWh

Exchange rates

Dominican pesos (RD$) per US$1 - 13.589 (December 1995), 13.617 (1995), 13.160 (1994), 12.676 (1993), 12.774 (1992), 12.692 (1991)

Exports

$837.7 million (f.o.b., 1995)

commodities

ferronickel, sugar, gold, coffee, cocoa

partners

US 47.5%, EC 22%, Puerto Rico 8.4%, Asia 6.7% (1994)

External debt

$4.6 billion (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $26.8 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

13%

industry

32%

services

55% (1995)

GDP per capita

$3,400 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

3.5% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

Imports

$2.867 billion (f.o.b., 1995)

commodities

foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

partners

US 60% (1993)

Industrial production growth rate

6.3% (1995 est.)

Industries

tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.5% (1995)

Labor force

2.3 million to 2.6 million

by occupation

agriculture 50%, services and government 32%, industry 18% (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

30% (1995 est.)

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $116 million, 1.4% of GDP (1994)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

2,212,012

males fit for military service

1,391,472

males reach military age (18) annually

83,611 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 120, FM 0, shortwave 6

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic

relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave radio relay network

international

1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

190,000 (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

18 (1987 est.)

Televisions

728,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

31

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

6

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

3

with paved runways over 3 047 m

2

with paved runways under 914 m

14

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

1

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

4 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

5,766 km

total

11,931 km

unpaved

6,165 km (1987 est.)

Merchant marine

total

1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT (1995 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km

Ports

Barahona, La Romana, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo

Railways

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)

standard gauge

375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad)

total

757 km