2000 Edition

Background

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.

Area

land

48,380 sq km

total

48,730 sq km

water

350 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

Climate

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

Coastline

1,288 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Pico Duarte 3,175 m

lowest point

Lago Enriquillo -46 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

19 00 N, 70 40 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

2,300 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Haiti 275 km

total

275 km

Land use

arable land

21%

forests and woodland

12%

other

15% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

9%

permanent pastures

43%

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 hazards

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

Natural resources

nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Terrain

rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

Age structure

0-14 years: 34% (male 1,486,902; female 1,422,977) 15-64 years: 61% (male 2,609,934; female 2,518,330) 65 years and over: 5% (male 192,254; female 212,136) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

25.15 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

4.72 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

Infant mortality rate

35.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Spanish

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.38 years (2000 est.)

male

71.12 years

total population

73.2 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

82.2% (1995 est.)

male

82%

total population

82.1%

Nationality

adjective

Dominican

noun

Dominican(s)

Net migration rate

-4.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

8,442,533 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

1.64% (2000 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

3 children born/woman (2000 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

Constitution

28 November 1966

Country name

conventional long form

Dominican Republic

conventional short form

none

local long form

Republica Dominicana

local short form

none

Data code

DR

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Charles MANATT

embassy

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

mailing address

Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500

telephone

(809) 221-2171

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Roberto Bienvenido SALADIN Selin

telephone

(202) 332-6280

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet nominated by the president

chief 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

election results

Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna elected president; percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (PLD) 51.25%, Jose Francisco PENA Gomez (PRD) 48.75%

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)

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

FAX

(202) 265-8057

(809) 686-7437

consulate(s)

Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce (Puerto Rico)

consulate(s) general

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

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 is at the center of the cross

Government type

representative democracy

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, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema, judges are elected by a Council made up of legislative and executive members with the president presiding

Legal system

based on French civil codes

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 (149 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 24, PLD 3, PRSC 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17

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)

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Democracy Party or APD ; Anti-Imperialist Patriotic Union or UPA ; Democratic Quisqueyan Party or PQD ; Democratic Union or UD ; Dominican Communist Party or PCD ; Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Jose Tomas PEREZ]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD ; Dominican Worker's Party or PTD ; Independent Revolutionary Party or PRI ; Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or PLRD ; National Progressive Force or FNP ; National Veterans and Civilian Party or PNVC ; Popular Christian Party or PPC [Rogelio DELGADO Bogaert]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo]

note

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

Collective of Popular Organizations or COP

Suffrage

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

note

members of the armed forces and police cannot vote

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $867 million (1999 est.)

revenues

$2.3 billion

Currency

1 Dominican peso (RD$) = 100 centavos

Debt - external

$3.7 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$239.6 million (1995)

Economy - 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 - including the intellectual property rights bill, social security reform, and a new electricity law first submitted in 1993 - the economy has grown vigorously under FERNANDEZ's administration. Construction, tourism and telecommunications are leading the advance. The government is working to increase electric generating capacity, a key to continued economic growth; the state electricity company was finally privatized following numerous delays. The continuation of this vigorous growth in 2000 will depend on the policies adopted by the new administration.

Electricity - consumption

7.883 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

8.476 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

72.04%

hydro

27.62%

nuclear

0%

other

0.34% (1998)

Exchange rates

Dominican pesos (RD$) per US$1 - 16.161 (January 2000), 16.033 (1999), 15.267 (1998), 14.265 (1997), 13.775 (1996), 13.597 (1995)

Exports

$5.1 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats

Exports - partners

US 61.6%, Belgium 11.1%, Asia 5.9%, Canada 2.9% (1998 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $43.7 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

13.6%

industry

30.8%

services

55.6% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,400 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

8.3% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 39.6% (1989)

Imports

$8.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners

US 56%, Venezuela 23%, Mexico 9%, Japan 4% (1999 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

6.3% (1995 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.1% (1999)

Labor force

2.3 million to 2.6 million

Labor force - by occupation

services and government 58.7%, industry 24.3%, agriculture 17% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

25% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate

13.8% (1999 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios

1.44 million (1997)

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 - main lines in use

569,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

33,000 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

25 (1997)

Televisions

770,000 (1997)

Airports

28 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

13 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 9 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

6,224 km

total

12,600 km

unpaved

6,376 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 1 (1999 est.)

total

1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km

Ports and harbors

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

Railways

narrow gauge

142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominican Republic 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

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$180 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.1% (FY98)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,239,309 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,405,845 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

86,569 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

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

ECUADOR