2020 Edition
factbook.json (GitHub)
Introduction
Background
The Taino -- indigenous inhabitants of Hispaniola prior to the arrival of Europeans -- divided the island now known as the Dominican Republic and Haiti 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 the Haitians conquered and ruled it 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 and 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 US led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in the presidential election. BALAGUER maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years, until international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held.
Geography
Area
- land
- 48,320 sq km
- total
- 48,670 sq km
- water
- 350 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey
Climate
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Coastline
1,288 km
Elevation
- highest point
- Pico Duarte 3,098 m
- lowest point
- Lago Enriquillo -46 m
- mean elevation
- 424 m
Geographic coordinates
19 00 N, 70 40 W
Geography - note
shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds makes up the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti); the second largest country in the Antilles (after Cuba); geographically diverse with the Caribbean's tallest mountain, Pico Duarte, and lowest elevation and largest lake, Lago Enriquillo
Irrigated land
2,981 sq km (2018)
Land boundaries
- border countries
- Haiti 376 km
- total
- 376 km
Land use
- agricultural land
- 55.4% (2023 est.)
- agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 20.2% (2023 est.)
- agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 11.3% (2023 est.)
- agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 23.8% (2023 est.)
- forest
- 46.6% (2023 est.)
- other
- 0% (2023 est.)
Location
Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Major lakes (area sq km)
- salt water lake(s)
- Lago de Enriquillo - 500 sq km
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
- 12 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, arable land
Population distribution
coastal development is significant, especially in the southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley, where population density is highest; smaller population clusters exist in the interior mountains (Cordillera Central)
Terrain
rugged highlands and mountains interspersed with fertile valleys
People and Society
Age structure
- 0-14 years
- 25.5% (male 1,402,847/female 1,358,833)
- 15-64 years
- 66.9% (male 3,667,584/female 3,563,848)
- 65 years and over
- 7.6% (2024 est.) (male 395,345/female 427,400)
Alcohol consumption per capita
- beer
- 3.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols
- 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits
- 2.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- total
- 5.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine
- 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Birth rate
17.4 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Child marriage
- women married by age 15
- 9.4% (2019)
- women married by age 18
- 31.5% (2019)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
3% (2019 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
53.2% (2019 est.)
Death rate
6.97 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Dependency ratios
- elderly dependency ratio
- 11.8 (2025 est.)
- potential support ratio
- 8.5 (2025 est.)
- total dependency ratio
- 49.6 (2025 est.)
- youth dependency ratio
- 37.8 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
- improved: rural
- rural: 91.4% of population (2022 est.)
- improved: total
- total: 96.8% of population (2022 est.)
- improved: urban
- urban: 97.8% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: rural
- rural: 8.6% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: total
- total: 3.2% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: urban
- urban: 2.2% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 3.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 20.9% national budget (2025 est.)
Ethnic groups
mixed 70.4% (Mestizo/Indio 58%, Mulatto 12.4%), Black 15.8%, White 13.5%, other 0.3% (2014 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.06 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 4.9% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 14.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
Hospital bed density
1.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- female
- 19 deaths/1,000 live births
- male
- 24.3 deaths/1,000 live births
- total
- 20.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Languages
- Languages
- Spanish (official)
- major-language sample(s)
- La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Life expectancy at birth
- female
- 74.3 years
- male
- 71 years
- total population
- 72.6 years (2024 est.)
Literacy
- female
- 94.4% (2024 est.)
- male
- 93.6% (2024 est.)
- total population
- 94% (2024 est.)
Major urban areas - population
3.524 million SANTO DOMINGO (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
124 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Median age
- female
- 29.4 years
- male
- 29.1 years
- total
- 29.6 years (2025 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
20.9 years (2013 est.)
Nationality
- adjective
- Dominican
- noun
- Dominican(s)
Net migration rate
-2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
27.6% (2016)
Physician density
2.43 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Population
- female
- 5,392,613
- male
- 5,506,679
- total
- 10,899,292 (2025 est.)
Population growth rate
0.78% (2025 est.)
Religions
Evangelical 50.2%, Roman Catholic 30.1%, none 18.5%, unspecified 1.2% (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
- improved: rural
- rural: 91.9% of population (2022 est.)
- improved: total
- total: 96.5% of population (2022 est.)
- improved: urban
- urban: 97.4% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: rural
- rural: 8.1% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: total
- total: 3.5% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: urban
- urban: 2.6% of population (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
- female
- 15 years (2022 est.)
- male
- 13 years (2022 est.)
- total
- 14 years (2022 est.)
Sex ratio
- 0-14 years
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over
- 0.93 male(s)/female
- at birth
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- total population
- 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
- female
- 5.9% (2025 est.)
- male
- 13.5% (2025 est.)
- total
- 9.7% (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.17 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- rate of urbanization
- 1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
- urban population
- 84.4% of total population (2023)
Government
Administrative divisions
31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabón, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elías Piña, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Hermanas Mirabal, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, María Trinidad Sánchez, Monseñor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Samaná, Sánchez Ramírez, San Cristóbal, San José de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macorís, Santiago, Santiago Rodríguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde
Capital
- etymology
- named after Saint Domingo de GUZMAN (1170-1221), founder of the Dominican Order; the city's full name was originally Santo Domingo de Guzman
- geographic coordinates
- 18 28 N, 69 54 W
- name
- Santo Domingo
- time difference
- UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Citizenship
- citizenship by birth
- no
- citizenship by descent only
- at least one parent must be a citizen of the Dominican Republic
- dual citizenship recognized
- yes
- residency requirement for naturalization
- 2 years
Constitution
- amendment process
- proposed by a special session of the National Congress called the National Revisory Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority approval by at least one half of those present in both houses of the Assembly; passage of amendments to constitutional articles, such as fundamental rights and guarantees, territorial composition, nationality, or the procedures for constitutional reform, also requires approval in a referendum
- history
- many previous (38 total); latest proclaimed 13 June 2015
Country name
- conventional long form
- Dominican Republic
- conventional short form
- The Dominican
- etymology
- the name is a latinized form of the Spanish term Santo Domingo, meaning "holy Sunday;" Spanish explorers originally settled the island on a Sunday in 1496, and the name was first given to the island of Hispaniola as a whole in 1697
- former
- Santo Domingo (the capital city's name formerly applied to the entire country)
- local long form
- República Dominicana
- local short form
- La Dominicana
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission
- Ambassador Leah F. CAMPOS (since 19 November 2025)
- email address and website
- SDOAmericans@state.gov https://do.usembassy.gov/
- embassy
- Av. Republica de Colombia #57, Santo Domingo
- mailing address
- 3470 Santo Domingo Place, Washington DC 20521-3470
- telephone
- (809) 567-7775
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chancery
- 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- chief of mission
- Ambassador María Isabel CASTILLO BÁEZ (since 11 June 2025)
- consulate(s) general
- Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angelos, Miami, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia
- email address and website
- embassy@drembassyusa.org http://drembassyusa.org/
- FAX
- [1] (202) 265-8057
- telephone
- [1] (202) 332-6280
Executive branch
- cabinet
- Cabinet nominated by the president
- chief of state
- President Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020)
- election results
- 2024: Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona reelected president; percent of vote - Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (PRM) 57.5%, Leonel Antonio FERNÁNDEZ Reyna (FP) 28.8%, Abel MARTÍNEZ (PLD) 10.4%, other 3.3% 2020: Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona elected president in first round; percent of vote - Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (PRM) 52.5%, Gonzalo CASTILLO Terrero (PLD) 37.5%, Leonel Antonio FERNÁNDEZ Reyna (FP) 8.9%, other 1.1%
- election/appointment process
- president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a maximum of two consecutive terms)
- expected date of next election
- 21 May 2028
- head of government
- President Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020)
- most recent election date
- 19 May 2024
Flag
description: a centered white cross extends to the edges and divides the flag into four rectangles; the top ones are ultramarine blue (left side) and vermilion red, and the bottom ones are vermilion red (left side) and ultramarine blue; a small coat of arms with a shield supported by a laurel branch and a palm branch is at the center of the cross; above the shield, a blue ribbon displays the motto DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty); below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA is on a red ribbon; on the shield, a Bible is opened to a verse that reads "Y la verdad nos hara libre" (And the truth shall set you free) meaning: blue stands for liberty, white for salvation, and red for the blood of heroes
Government type
presidential republic
Independence
27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
ACP, ACS, AOSIS, BCIE, Caricom (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA (associated member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch
- highest court(s)
- Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia (consists of a minimum of 16 magistrates); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 13 judges)
- judge selection and term of office
- Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary composed 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
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
- legislative structure
- bicameral
- legislature name
- National Congress of the Republic (Congreso Nacional de la República)
Legislative branch - lower chamber
- chamber name
- Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)
- electoral system
- proportional representation
- expected date of next election
- May 2028
- most recent election date
- 5/19/2024
- number of seats
- 190 (all directly elected)
- parties elected and seats per party
- Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and its allies (146); People’s Force (FP) and its allies (28); Other (16)
- percentage of women in chamber
- 37.4%
- scope of elections
- full renewal
- term in office
- 4 years
Legislative branch - upper chamber
- chamber name
- Senate (Senado)
- electoral system
- proportional representation
- expected date of next election
- May 2028
- most recent election date
- 5/19/2024
- number of seats
- 32 (all directly elected)
- parties elected and seats per party
- Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and its allies (24); People’s Force (FP) and its allies (3); Other (5)
- percentage of women in chamber
- 12.5%
- scope of elections
- full renewal
- term in office
- 4 years
National anthem(s)
- history
- adopted 1934; also known as "Quisqueyanos valientes" (Valiant Sons of Quisqueye); the anthem refers to the Dominican people as Quisqueyanos, which comes from the ethnic name for the island
- lyrics/music
- Emilio PRUD'HOMME/Jose REYES
- title
- "Himno Nacional" (National Anthem)
National color(s)
red, white, blue
National heritage
- selected World Heritage Site locales
- Colonial City of Santo Domingo
- total World Heritage Sites
- 1 (cultural)
National holiday
Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
National symbol(s)
palmchat (bird)
Political parties
Alliance for Democracy or APD Broad Front (Frente Amplio) Country Alliance or AP Dominican Liberation Party or PLD Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD Dominicans For Change or DXC Independent Revolutionary Party or PRI Institutional Social Democratic Bloc or BIS Liberal Reformist Party or PRL (formerly the Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or PLRD) Modern Revolutionary Party or PRM National Progressive Front or FNP People's First Party or PPG People's Force or FP Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory; married persons can vote, regardless of age
Economy
Agricultural products
sugarcane, bananas, papayas, plantains, avocados, rice, milk, watermelons, vegetables, pineapples (2023)
Average household expenditures
- on alcohol and tobacco
- 3.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- on food
- 28.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Budget
- expenditures
- $24.348 billion (2023 est.)
- revenues
- $20.418 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance
- Current account balance 2022
- -$6.549 billion (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- -$4.418 billion (2023 est.)
- Current account balance 2024
- -$4.167 billion (2024 est.)
Debt - external
- Debt - external 2023
- $35.044 billion (2023 est.)
Economic overview
surging middle-income tourism, construction, mining, and telecommunications OECS economy; major foreign US direct investment and free-trade zones; developing local financial markets; improving debt management; declining poverty
Exchange rates
- Currency
- Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 56.525 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 57.221 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 55.141 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 56.158 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 59.565 (2024 est.)
Exports
- Exports 2022
- $25.169 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $25.79 billion (2023 est.)
- Exports 2024
- $28.563 billion (2024 est.)
Exports - commodities
medical instruments, tobacco, gold, garments, power equipment (2023)
Exports - partners
USA 52%, Switzerland 7%, Haiti 6%, China 5%, India 3% (2023)
GDP - composition, by end use
- exports of goods and services
- 22.8% (2024 est.)
- government consumption
- 11.5% (2024 est.)
- household consumption
- 67.7% (2024 est.)
- imports of goods and services
- -29% (2024 est.)
- investment in fixed capital
- 26.1% (2024 est.)
- investment in inventories
- 0.9% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
- agriculture
- 4.5% (2024 est.)
- industry
- 28.7% (2024 est.)
- services
- 59.8% (2024 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$124.282 billion (2024 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
- Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023
- 38.4 (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
- highest 10%
- 29.1% (2023 est.)
- lowest 10%
- 2.3% (2023 est.)
Imports
- Imports 2022
- $36.838 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $34.45 billion (2023 est.)
- Imports 2024
- $36.144 billion (2024 est.)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, cars, natural gas, plastic products, crude petroleum (2023)
Imports - partners
USA 40%, China 18%, Brazil 4%, Spain 4%, Mexico 3% (2023)
Industrial production growth rate
3% (2024 est.)
Industries
tourism, sugar processing, gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco, electrical components, medical devices
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 8.8% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 4.8% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 3.3% (2024 est.)
Labor force
5.413 million (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
23% (2023 est.)
Public debt
- Public debt 2016
- 34.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $258.16 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $263.82 billion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $276.884 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 5.2% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 2.2% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 5% (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $23,000 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $23,300 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $24,200 (2024 est.)
Remittances
- Remittances 2022
- 9.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 8.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Remittances 2024
- 9% of GDP (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $14.523 billion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $15.547 billion (2023 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
- $13.471 billion (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
14.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 5.6% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 5.6% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 5.5% (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
- female
- 15.5% (2024 est.)
- male
- 9.2% (2024 est.)
- total
- 11.7% (2024 est.)
Energy
Coal
- consumption
- 2.356 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- imports
- 2.356 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Electricity
- consumption
- 22.193 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- installed generating capacity
- 6.581 million kW (2023 est.)
- transmission/distribution losses
- 2.369 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
- electrification - rural areas
- 95%
- electrification - total population
- 98.1% (2022 est.)
- electrification - urban areas
- 98.8%
Electricity generation sources
- biomass and waste
- 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- fossil fuels
- 82.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- hydroelectricity
- 6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- solar
- 5.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- wind
- 4.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 39.329 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Natural gas
- consumption
- 2.277 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- exports
- 1.997 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
- imports
- 2.279 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- refined petroleum consumption
- 146,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 11 (2023 est.)
- total
- 1.26 million (2023 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; over 300 state-owned and privately owned radio stations (2019)
Internet country code
.do
Internet users
- percent of population
- 85% (2023 est.)
Telephones - fixed lines
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 10 (2024 est.)
- total subscriptions
- 1.15 million (2024 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 94 (2024 est.)
- total subscriptions
- 10.7 million (2024 est.)
Transportation
Airports
32 (2025)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
HI
Heliports
8 (2025)
Merchant marine
- by type
- container ship 1, general cargo 2, oil tanker 1, other 36
- total
- 40 (2023)
Ports
- key ports
- Andres (Andres Lng Terminal), Las Calderas, Puerto de Haina, Puerto Plata, Punta Nizao Oil Terminal, San Pedro de Macoris, Santa Barbara de Samana, Santa Cruz de Barahona, Santo Domingo
- large
- 0
- medium
- 2
- ports with oil terminals
- 7
- size unknown
- 2
- small
- 7
- total ports
- 17 (2024)
- very small
- 6
Railways
- narrow gauge
- 142 km (2014) 0.762-m gauge
- standard gauge
- 354 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
- total
- 496 km (2014)
Military and Security
Military - note
the military is responsible for defending the independence, integrity, and sovereignty of the Dominican Republic; it also has an internal security role, which includes assisting with airport, border, port, tourism, and urban security, supporting the police in maintaining or restoring public order, countering transnational crime, and providing disaster or emergency relief/management; a key area of focus is securing the country’s 217-mile (350-kilometer) long border with Haiti, where the Army in recent years has assigned thousands of troops to assist with security; these forces complement the personnel of the Border Security Corps permanently deployed along the border; the Air Force and Navy also provide support to the Haitian border mission; the Army has a brigade dedicated to managing and providing relief during natural disasters; the military also contributes personnel to the National Drug Control Directorate, and both the Air Force and Navy devote assets to detecting and interdicting narcotics trafficking; the Navy conducts regular bilateral maritime interdiction exercises with the US Navy (2025)
Military and security forces
Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic: Army of the Dominican Republic (Ejercito de la República Dominicana, ERD), Navy (Armada de República Dominicana or ARD; includes naval infantry), Dominican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de la República Dominicana, FARD) (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 55-60,000 Armed Forces; up to 35,000 National Police (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military's equipment inventory comes largely from the US, with smaller quantities from such suppliers as Brazil and Spain (2025)
Military expenditures
- Military Expenditures 2020
- 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)
- Military Expenditures 2021
- 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military Expenditures 2022
- 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military Expenditures 2023
- 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military Expenditures 2024
- 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military service age and obligation
17-early 20s for voluntary military service for men and women (ages vary depending on military service and position; under 18 admitted with permission of parents) (2025)
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs
- USG identification
- major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025)
Refugees and internally displaced persons
- IDPs
- 390 (2023 est.)
- refugees
- 1,004 (2024 est.)
Environment
Carbon dioxide emissions
- from coal and metallurgical coke
- 5.374 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from consumed natural gas
- 4.467 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids
- 19.872 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- total emissions
- 29.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environmental issues
soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation
International environmental agreements
- party to
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
- signed, but not ratified
- none of the selected agreements
Particulate matter emissions
8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
23.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
- agricultural
- 7.563 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- industrial
- 659.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- municipal
- 855 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually
- 4.064 million tons (2024 est.)
- percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 11.6% (2022 est.)