2003 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 33.6% (male 1,497,777; female 1,431,104) 15-64 years: 61.2% (male 2,719,505; female 2,614,495) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 212,045; female 240,676) (2003 est.)

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

Background

Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola 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. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of its subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin BALAGUER became president. He 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. The Dominican economy has had one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the past decade. Geography Dominican Republic

Birth rate

23.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Capital

Santo Domingo

Climate

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

Coastline

1,288 km

Constitution

28 November 1966

Country name

conventional long form

Dominican Republic

conventional short form

none

local long form

Republica Dominicana

local short form

none

Death rate

6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

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, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified

Law of the Sea

Ethnic groups

white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

Executive branch

chief of state

President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

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) People Dominican Republic

Government type

representative democracy

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

2.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

7,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

130,000 (2001 est.)

Independence

27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

Infant mortality rate

female

31.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

36.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total

34.19 deaths/1,000 live births

Irrigated land

2,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Haiti 360 km

total

360 km

Land use

arable land

21.08%

other

69% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

9.92%

Languages

Spanish

Legal system

based on French civil codes

Life expectancy at birth

female

69.58 years (2003 est.)

male

66.41 years

total population

67.96 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

84.8% (2003 est.) Government Dominican Republic

male

84.6%

total population

84.7%

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

Median age

female

23.7 years (2002)

male

23.3 years

total

23.5 years

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Nationality

adjective

Dominican

noun

Dominican(s)

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

Net migration rate

-3.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

8,715,602 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

1.36% (2003 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

Suffrage

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

note

members of the armed forces and police cannot vote

Terrain

rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

Total fertility rate

2.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

30 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3

total

13

under 914 m

1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m

10 (2002) Military Dominican Republic

Budget

expenditures

$3.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

revenues

$2.9 billion

Currency

Dominican peso (DOP)

Currency code

DOP

Debt - external

$4.8 billion (2002 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL

embassy

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

mailing address

Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500

telephone

[1] (809) 221-2171

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Hugo GUILIANI Cury

consulate(s)

Mobile and Ponce (Puerto Rico)

consulate(s) general

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

Disputes - international

despite efforts to control illegal migration, destitute Haitians continue to cross into the Dominican Republic

Distribution of family income - Gini index

47.4 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$239.6 million (1995)

Economy - overview

The Dominican Republic's economy experienced dramatic growth over the last decade, even though the economy was hit hard by Hurricane Georges in 1998. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoy nearly 40% of national income. Growth probably will slow in 2003 with reduced tourism and expected low growth in the US economy, the source of 87% of export revenues.

Electricity - consumption

8.543 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

9.186 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

92%

hydro

7.6%

nuclear

0%

other

0.4% (2001)

Exchange rates

Dominican pesos per US dollar - 18.61 (2002), 16.95 (2001), 16.42 (2000), 16.03 (1999), 15.27 (1998)

Exports

$5.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 85%, Canada 1.6%, UK 1.6% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 265-8057

[1] (809) 686-7437

chancery

1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 332-6280

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Dominican Republic

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 an olive 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 Economy Dominican Republic

GDP

purchasing power parity - $53.78 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

11%

industry

34%

services

55% (2001)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.1% (2002 est.)

Highways

paved

6,224 km

total

12,600 km

unpaved

6,376 km (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

37.9% (1998)

lowest 10%

2.1%

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; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$8.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners

US 51.5%, Venezuela 9.6%, Mexico 5.1%, Spain 4% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2001 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.3% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

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

Internet country code

.do

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

24 (2000)

Internet users

186,000 (2002) Transportation Dominican Republic

Judicial branch

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

Labor force

2.3 million - 2.6 million

Labor force - by occupation

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

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 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006)

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 1 (2002 est.)

total

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

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$180 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.1% (FY98) Transnational Issues Dominican Republic

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

2,319,419 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

1,453,705 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

89,073 (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km

Political parties and leaders

Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hatuey DE CAMPS]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Eduardo ESTRELLA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Collective of Popular Organizations or COP

Population below poverty line

25%

Ports and harbors

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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios

1.44 million (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

142 km 0.762-m gauge

standard gauge

375 km 1.435-m gauge note:: 986 km also operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m, 0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2002)

total

1,503 km

Telephone system

domestic

relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave radio relay network

general assessment

NA

international

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

Telephones - main lines in use

709,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

130,149 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

25 (1997)

Televisions

770,000 (1997)

Unemployment rate

14.5% (2002 est.)

Waterways

none