2012 Edition

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 since reelected to a second consecutive term.

Area

48,670 sq km 48,320 sq km 350 sq km

total

48,670 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

Lago Enriquillo -46 m Pico Duarte 3,175 m

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

Environment - international agreements

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands Law of the Sea

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Law of the Sea

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

3.39 cu km/yr (32%/2%/66%) 381 cu m/yr (2000)

per capita

381 cu m/yr (2000)

total

3.39 cu km/yr (32%/2%/66%)

Geographic coordinates

19 00 N, 70 40 W

Geography - note

shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

Irrigated land

2,750 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

360 km Haiti 360 km

border countries

Haiti 360 km

total

360 km

Land use

22.49% 10.26% 67.25% (2005)

arable land

22.49%

other

67.25% (2005)

permanent crops

10.26%

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

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines 6 nm 24 nm 200 nm 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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

Total renewable water resources

21 cu km (2000)

Age structure

29% (male 1,487,058/ female 1,435,903) 64.3% (male 3,311,791/ female 3,178,705) 6.7% (male 311,811/ female 363,330) (2012 est.)

0-14 years

29% (male 1,487,058/ female 1,435,903)

15-64 years

64.3% (male 3,311,791/ female 3,178,705)

65 years and over

6.7% (male 311,811/ female 363,330) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

19.44 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.4% (2007)

Death rate

4.41 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

Education expenditures

2.3% of GDP (2009)

Ethnic groups

mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%

Health expenditures

6.1% of GDP (2009)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.9% (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,300 (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

57,000 (2009 est.)

Hospital bed density

1 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate

21.3 deaths/1,000 live births 23.27 deaths/1,000 live births 19.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

female

19.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

total

21.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Spanish (official)

Life expectancy at birth

77.44 years 75.28 years 79.69 years (2012 est.)

female

79.69 years (2012 est.)

total population

77.44 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 87% 86.8% 87.2% (2002 census)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

87.2% (2002 census)

male

86.8%

total population

87%

Major cities - population

SANTO DOMINGO (capital) 2.138 million (2009)

Major infectious diseases

high bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever dengue fever and malaria leptospirosis (2009)

degree of risk

high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease

leptospirosis (2009)

Maternal mortality rate

150 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

Median age

26.5 years 26.3 years 26.7 years (2012 est.)

female

26.7 years (2012 est.)

male

26.3 years

total

26.5 years

Nationality

Dominican(s) Dominican

adjective

Dominican

noun

Dominican(s)

Net migration rate

-1.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Population

10,088,598 (July 2012 est.)

Population growth rate

1.305% (2012 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 87% of population rural: 74% of population total: 83% of population urban: 13% of population rural: 26% of population total: 17% of population

rural

26% of population

total

17% of population

urban

13% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

12 years 11 years 13 years (2004)

female

13 years (2004)

male

11 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

1.04 male(s)/female 1.04 male(s)/female 1.04 male(s)/female 0.86 male(s)/female 1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

15-64 years

1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.86 male(s)/female

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.41 children born/woman (2012 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

30.3% 21.2% 44.5% (2007)

female

44.5% (2007)

total

30.3%

Urbanization

69% of total population (2010) 2.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

rate of urbanization

2.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

69% of total population (2010)

Administrative divisions

31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Bahoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, El Seibo, Elias Pina, 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, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Sanchez Ramirez, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde

Capital

Santo Domingo 18 28 N, 69 54 W UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

geographic coordinates

18 28 N, 69 54 W

name

Santo Domingo

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002 and January 2010

Country name

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republica Dominicana La Dominicana

conventional long form

Dominican Republic

conventional short form

The Dominican

local long form

Republica Dominicana

local short form

La Dominicana

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador Raul H. YZAGUIRRE corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500 [1] (809) 221-2171 [1] (809) 686-7437

chief of mission

Ambassador Raul H. YZAGUIRRE

embassy

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

FAX

[1] (809) 686-7437

mailing address

Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500

telephone

[1] (809) 221-2171

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Anibal de Jesus de CASTRO Rodriguez 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 [1] (202) 332-6280 [1] (202) 265-8057 Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Sun Valley (California)

chancery

1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Anibal de Jesus de CASTRO Rodriguez

consulate(s) general

Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Sun Valley (California)

FAX

[1] (202) 265-8057

telephone

[1] (202) 332-6280

Executive branch

President Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (since 16 August 2012); Vice President Margarita CEDENO DE FERNANDEZ (since 16 August 2012); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government President Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (since 16 August 2012); Vice President Margarita CEDENO DE FERNANDEZ (since 16 August 2012) Cabinet nominated by the president 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) Danilo MEDINA elected president; percent of vote - Danilo MEDINA 51.2%, Hipolito MEJIA 47%; Margarita CEDENO DE FERNANDEZ elected vice president

cabinet

Cabinet nominated by the president

chief of state

President Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (since 16 August 2012); Vice President Margarita CEDENO DE FERNANDEZ (since 16 August 2012); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Danilo MEDINA elected president; percent of vote - Danilo MEDINA 51.2%, Hipolito MEJIA 47%; Margarita CEDENO DE FERNANDEZ elected vice 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)

head of government

President Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (since 16 August 2012); Vice President Margarita CEDENO DE FERNANDEZ (since 16 August 2012)

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

Government type

democratic republic

Independence

27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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, NAM, OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA (associated member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the National Judicial Council comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and an additional non-governing party congressional representative)

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

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) 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 terms of six years 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

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

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 terms of six years

National anthem

"Himno Nacional" (National Anthem) Emilio PRUD"HOMME/Jose REYES adopted 1934; also known as "Quisqueyanos valientes" (Valient Sons of Quisqueye); the anthem never refers to the people as Dominican but rather calls them "Quisqueyanos," a reference to the indigenous name of the island

lyrics/music

Emilio PRUD"HOMME/Jose REYES

name

"Himno Nacional" (National Anthem)

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

National symbol(s)

palmchat (bird)

Political parties and leaders

Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Miguel VARGAS Maldonado]; National Progressive Front [Vinicio CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Carlos MORALES Troncoso]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Foundation for Institution-Building and Justice or FINJUS

Suffrage

18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age can vote; note - members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote by law

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

$8.338 billion $13.07 billion (2012 est.)

expenditures

$13.07 billion (2012 est.)

revenues

$8.338 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-8% of GDP (2012 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

15.9% (31 December 2012 est.) 15.55% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance

-$4.254 billion (2012 est.) -$4.521 billion (2011 est.)

Debt - external

$16.58 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $14.86 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

48.4 (2007) 47.4 (1998)

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 more than half of exports. Remittances from the US amount to about a 10th of GDP, equivalent to almost half of exports and three-quarters 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 growth of the Dominican Republic's economy rebounded from the global recession in 2010-12 and remains one of the fastest growing in the region although its fiscal situation is weak; the fiscal deficit climbed from 2.6% in 2011 to approximately 8% in 2012.

Exchange rates

Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar - 39.42 (2012 est.) 38.232 (2011 est.) 37.307 (2010 est.) 36.03 (2009) 34.775 (2008)

Exports

$9.467 billion (2012 est.) $8.536 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 48.8%, Haiti 16.7% (2011)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

6.1% 31.9% 61.9% (2012 est.)

agriculture

6.1%

industry

31.9%

services

61.9% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$9,600 (2012 est.) $9,400 (2011 est.) $9,200 (2010 est.) data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2012 est.) 4.5% (2011 est.) 7.8% (2010 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$59.13 billion (2012 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$98.74 billion (2012 est.) $94.9 billion (2011 est.) $90.83 billion (2010 est.) data are in 2012 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

1.8% 36.4% (2010 est.)

highest 10%

36.4% (2010 est.)

lowest 10%

1.8%

Imports

$18.2 billion (2012 est.) $17.42 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners

US 43.6%, Venezuela 7.2%, Mexico 5.8%, China 5.7% (2011)

Industrial production growth rate

1.5% (2010 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.7% (2012 est.) 8.5% (2011 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

16.4% of GDP (2012 est.)

Labor force

4.806 million (2012 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

14.6% 22.3% 63.1% (2005)

agriculture

14.6%

industry

22.3%

services

63.1% (2005)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

34.4% (2010 est.)

Public debt

40% of GDP (2012 est.) 38.6% of GDP (2011 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$4.317 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $4.117 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of broad money

$17.85 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $16.38 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$59 million (31 December 2012 est.) $59 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$24.18 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $21.38 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$22.68 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $21.23 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$4.895 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $4.409 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14.1% of GDP (2012 est.)

Unemployment rate

14.7% (2012 est.) 14.6% (2011 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

19.6 million Mt (2010 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Crude oil - imports

26,150 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2011 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

Electricity - consumption

9.881 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2010 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

83% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

16.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0.3% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2010 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

2.973 million kW (2009 est.)

Electricity - production

12.3 billion kWh (2010 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

820 million cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - imports

820 million cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

122,300 bbl/day (2011 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

88,480 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

33,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

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

Internet hosts

404,500 (2012)

Internet users

2.701 million (2009)

Telephone system

relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave radio relay network fixed-line teledensity is about 10 per 100 persons; multiple providers of mobile-cellular service with a subscribership of nearly 90 per 100 persons 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)

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

general assessment

relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave radio relay network

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

1.044 million (2011)

Telephones - mobile cellular

8.77 million (2011)

Airports

36 (2012)

Airports - with paved runways

1 (2012)

1,524 to 2,437 m

4

2,438 to 3,047 m

4

914 to 1,523 m

4

over 3,047 m

3

total

16

under 914 m

1 (2012)

Airports - with unpaved runways

18 (2012)

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

1

total

20

under 914 m

18 (2012)

Heliports

1 (2012)

Pipelines

oil 99 km

Ports and terminals

Puerto Haina, Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo Andres LNG terminal (Boca Chica), Punta Nizao oil terminal

oil terminals

Andres LNG terminal (Boca Chica), Punta Nizao oil terminal

Railways

142 km 142 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

total

142 km

Roadways

19,705 km 9,872 km 9,833 km (2002)

total

19,705 km

unpaved

9,833 km (2002)

Manpower available for military service

2,580,083 2,464,698 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

2,464,698 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

2,580,083

Manpower fit for military service

2,188,358 2,090,180 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

2,090,180 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

2,188,358

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

100,047 96,302 (2010 est.)

female

96,302 (2010 est.)

male

100,047

Military branches

Army, Navy (Marina de Guerra, includes naval infantry), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana, FAD) (2011)

Military expenditures

0.7% of GDP (2009)

Military service age and obligation

16-21 years of age for compulsory military service; recruits must be Dominican Republic citizens; women may volunteer (2010)

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

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)