2021 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 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 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 later reelected to a second consecutive term. Following the two-term presidency of Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (2012-2020), Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona was elected president in July 2020.

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

3,070 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Haiti 376 km

total

376 km

Land use

agricultural land

51.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 16.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 10.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 24.8% (2018 est.)

forest

40.8% (2018 est.)

other

7.7% (2018 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

note

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

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

Age structure

0-14 years

26.85% (male 1,433,166/female 1,385,987)

15-24 years

18.15% (male 968,391/female 937,227)

25-54 years

40.54% (male 2,168,122/female 2,088,926)

55-64 years

8.17% (male 429,042/female 428,508)

65 years and over

6.29% (male 310,262/female 350,076) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

18.24 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

4% (2013)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

69.5% (2014)

Current Health Expenditure

5.7% (2018)

Death rate

6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

11.6

potential support ratio

8.6 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

53.8

youth dependency ratio

42.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 92% of population

improved: total

total: 96.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.3% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 3.3% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.7% of population

Education expenditures

4% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

mixed 70.4% (Mestizo/Indio 58%, Mulatto 12.4%), Black 15.8%, White 13.5%, other 0.3% (2014 est.)

note

note: respondents self-identified their race; the term "indio" in the Dominican Republic is not associated with people of indigenous ancestry but people of mixed ancestry or skin color between light and dark

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.9% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,900 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

72,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

19.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

24.08 deaths/1,000 live births

total

21.68 deaths/1,000 live births

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

74.06 years (2021 est.)

male

70.57 years

total population

72.28 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

93.8% (2016)

male

93.8%

total population

93.8%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever

Major urban areas - population

3.389 million SANTO DOMINGO (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

95 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

28.1 years (2020 est.)

male

27.8 years

total

27.9 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.9 years (2013 est.)

note

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Dominican

noun

Dominican(s)

Net migration rate

-2.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

27.6% (2016)

Physicians density

1.53 physicians/1,000 population (2011)

Population

10,597,348 (July 2021 est.)

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)

Population growth rate

0.92% (2021 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 44.3%, Evangelical 13%, Protestant 7.9%, Adventist 1.4%, other 1.8%, atheist 0.2%, none 29.4%, unspecified 2% (2018 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 89.5% of population

improved: total

total: 95% of population

improved: urban

urban: 96.3% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 3.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 5% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 13.8% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2017)

male

14 years

total

14 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.04 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.89 male(s)/female

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.23 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

20.7% (2020 est.)

male

11.6%

total

14.9%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

83.2% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

10 regions (regiones, singular - region); Cibao Nordeste, Cibao Noroeste, Cibao Norte, Cibao Sur, El Valle, Enriquillo, Higuamo, Ozama, Valdesia, Yuma

Capital

etymology

named after Saint Dominic de Guzman (1170-1221), founder of the Dominican Order

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

amendments

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 country name derives from the capital city of Santo Domingo (Saint Dominic)

local long form

Republica Dominicana

local short form

La Dominicana

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Robert W. THOMAS (since 20 January 2021)

email address and website

SDOAmericans@state.govhttps://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 Sonia GUZMAN (since 18 January 2021)

consulate(s)

San Francisco

consulate(s) general

Boston, Chicago, Glendale (CA), Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

email address and website

embassy@drembassyusa.orghttp://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); Vice President Raquel PENA de Antuna (since 16 August 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

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 FERNANDEZ Reyna (FP) 8.9% other 1.1%2016: Danilo MEDINA Sanchez reelected president; percent of vote - Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (PLD) 61.7%, Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (PRM) 35%, other 3.3%; Margarita CEDENO DE FERNANDEZ (PLD) reelected vice president

elections/appointments

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); election last held on 5 July 2020 (next to be held in 2024); note - the 2020 election was rescheduled from 17 May to 5 July 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic

head of government

President Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020); Vice President Raquel PENA de Antuna (since 16 August 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

Flag description

a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are ultramarine blue (hoist side) and vermilion red, and the bottom ones are vermilion red (hoist side) and ultramarine 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

presidential 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), 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, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts

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); note - the Constitutional Court was established in 2010 by constitutional amendment

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary comprised 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

description

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of:Senate or Senado (32 seats; 26 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, and 6 members indirectly elected based upon province-wide party plurality votes for its candidates to the Chamber of Deputies; all members serve 4-year terms; note - in 2019, the Central Election Commission changed the electoral system for seats in26 constituencies to direct simple majority but retained indirect election for the remaining 6 constituencies; previously all 32 members were indirectly elected; the change had been challenged by the ruling and opposition parties)House of Representatives or Camara de Diputados (190 seats; 178 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method, 5 members in a nationwide constituency and 7 diaspora members directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRM 17, PLD 6, PRSC 6, BIS 1, DXC 1, FP 1House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRM 86, PLD 75,  PRSC 6, PRD 4, Broad Front 3, FP 3, AP 2, APD 2, BIS 2, DXC 2, other 5

elections

Senate - last held on 5 July 2020 (next to be held 2024)House of Representatives - last held on 5 July 2020 (next to be held in 2024); note - the 2020 election was rescheduled from 17 May to 5 July 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic

National anthem

lyrics/music

Emilio PRUD'HOMME/Jose REYES

name

"Himno Nacional" (National Anthem)

note

note: 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

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

National symbol(s)

palmchat (bird); national colors: red, white, blue

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Democracy or APDBroad Front (Frente Amplio) [Fidel SANTANA]Country Alliance or AP [Guillermo Antonio MORENO Garcia]Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Danilo MEDINA Sánchez]Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Miguel VARGAS Maldonado]Dominicans For Change or DXC [Manuel OVIEDO Estrada]Institutional Social Democratic Bloc or BISLiberal Reformist Party or PRL (formerly the Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or PLRD)Modern Revolutionary Party or PRM [Jose Ignacio PALIZA]National Progressive Front or FNP [Vinicio CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]People's Force or FP [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Federico ANTUN]

Suffrage

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

Agricultural products

sugar cane, bananas, papayas, rice, plantains, milk, avocados, fruit, pineapples, coconuts

Budget

expenditures

13.62 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

11.33 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BB- (2016)

Moody's rating

Ba3 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating

BB- (2015)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$815 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$165 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$21.198 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$23.094 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

The Dominican Republic was for most of its history primarily an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, but over the last three decades the economy has become more diversified as the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in construction, tourism, and free trade zones. The mining sector has also played a greater role in the export market since late 2012 with the commencement of the extraction phase of the Pueblo Viejo Gold and Silver mine, one of the largest gold mines in the world.For the last 20 years, the Dominican Republic has been one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America. The economy rebounded from the global recession in 2010-16, and the fiscal situation is improving. A tax reform package passed in November 2012, a reduction in government spending, and lower energy costs helped to narrow the central government budget deficit from 6.6% of GDP in 2012 to 2.6% in 2016, and public debt is declining. Marked income inequality, high unemployment, and underemployment remain important long-term challenges; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GDP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of GDP.The economy is highly dependent upon the US, the destination for approximately half of exports and the source of 40% of imports. Remittances from the US amount to about 7% of GDP, equivalent to about a third of exports and two-thirds of tourism receipts. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement came into force in March 2007, boosting investment and manufacturing exports.

Exchange rates

currency

Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

43.556 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

45.052 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

46.078 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

46.078 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

47.42 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$20.05 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$20.51 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$14.44 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

gold, medical instruments, cigars, low-voltage protection equipment, bananas (2019)

Exports - partners

United States 54%, Switzerland 8%, Canada 5%, India 5%, China 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

24.8% (2017 est.)

government consumption

12.2% (2017 est.)

household consumption

69.3% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-28.1% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

21.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.1% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

5.6% (2017 est.)

industry

33% (2017 est.)

services

61.4% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$88.956 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2012

45.7 (2012 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

43.7 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

37.4% (2013 est.)

lowest 10%

1.9%

Imports

Imports 2018

$24.11 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$24.53 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$20.19 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, jewelry, natural gas, broadcasting equipment (2019)

Imports - partners

United States 50%, China 13% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

3.1% (2017 est.)

Industries

tourism, sugar processing, gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco, electrical components, medical devices

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

3.2% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

3.5% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

1.8% (2019 est.)

Labor force

4.732 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

14.4%

industry

20.8% (2014)

services

64.7% (2014 est.)

Population below poverty line

21% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

34.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

37.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$188.23 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$197.74 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$184.45 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

7% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

6.6% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

4.6% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$17,700 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$18,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$17,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$6.134 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$6.873 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2016

5.5% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate 2017

5.1% (2017 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

20.7% (2020 est.)

male

11.6%

total

14.9%

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

16,980 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

15.64 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

77% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

16% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

3.839 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

18.03 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

1.161 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1.161 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

134,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

108,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

16,060 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

9.51 (2020 est.)

total

1,031,858 (2020)

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 (2019)

Internet country code

.do

Internet users

percent of population

67.57% (2019 est.)

total

8.16 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line teledensity is about 11 per 100 persons; multiple providers of mobile-cellular service with a subscribership of 83 per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

the Dominican Republic’s fixed-line tele-density is well below the Latin American average due to lack of infrastructure; distribution of telephony services is proportionate to income inequalities; small, localized operators provide services; telecom and mobile broadband growing with LTE available to most of the population; government program aims for universal access to broadband services, and development of a national backbone; 5G launch anticipated in 2021 (2020)

international

country code - 1-809; 1-829; 1-849; landing point for the ARCOS-1, Antillas 1, AMX-1, SAm-1, East-West, Deep Blue Cable 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) (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

10.65 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

1,155,493 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

82.87 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

8,989,587 (2020)

Airports

total

36 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

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 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

1

total

20

under 914 m

18 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HI

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

container ship 1, general cargo 2, oil tanker 1, other 34 (2021)

total

38

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

6

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Pipelines

27 km gas, 103 km oil (2013)

Ports and terminals

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Andres LNG terminal (Boca Chica)

major seaport(s)

Puerto Haina, Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo

oil terminal(s)

Punta Nizao oil terminal

Railways

narrow gauge

142 km 0.762-m gauge (2014)

standard gauge

354 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

total

496 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

9,872 km (2002)

total

19,705 km (2002)

unpaved

9,833 km (2002)

Military - note

the military's primary focuses are countering illegal immigration and refugees along its 350-kilometer-long border with Haiti and interdicting air and maritime narcotics trafficking, as well as disaster relief (2021)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic: Army (Ejercito Nacional, EN), Navy (Marina de Guerra, MdG, includes naval infantry), Dominican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana, FAD) (2021)

note

note(s) - in addition to the military, the Ministry of Armed Forces directs the Airport Security Authority and Civil Aviation, Port Security Authority, the Tourist Security Corps, and Border Security Corps; the National Police (Policia Nacional) are under the Ministry of Interior

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 60,000 active personnel (30,000 Army; 13,000 Navy; 17,000 Air Force); approximately 30,000 National Police (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military is lightly armed with an inventory consisting mostly of older US equipment with limited quantities of material from other countries; since 2010, Brazil and Israel are the leading suppliers of armaments to the Dominican Republic (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

0.7% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

0.7% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

0.7% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

0.7% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

17-21 years of age for voluntary military service; recruits must have completed primary school and be Dominican Republic citizens; women may volunteer (2021)

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

a major transshipment point for cocaine transiting through the Caribbean

Refugees and internally displaced persons

note

note: revised estimate includes only individuals born to parents who were both born abroad; it does not include individuals born in the country to one Dominican-born and one foreign-born parent or subsequent generations of individuals of foreign descent; the estimate, as such, does not include all stateless persons (2015)

refugees (country of origin)

115,283 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum or have received alternative legal stay) (2021)

stateless persons

133,770 (2016); note - a September 2013 Constitutional Court ruling revoked the citizenship of those born after 1929 to immigrants without proper documentation, even though the constitution at the time automatically granted citizenship to children born in the Dominican Republic and the 2010 constitution provides that constitutional provisions cannot be applied retroactively; the decision overwhelmingly affected people of Haitian descent whose relatives had come to the Dominican Republic since the 1890s as a cheap source of labor for sugar plantations; a May 2014 law passed by the Dominican Congress regularizes the status of those with birth certificates but will require those without them to prove they were born in the Dominican Republic and to apply for naturalization; the government has issued documents to thousands of individuals who may claim citizenship under this law, but no official estimate has been released

Trafficking in persons

current situation

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in the Dominican Republic and Dominicans abroad; Dominican women and children are sex trafficked throughout the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean, South and Central America, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States; victims from Haiti and elsewhere in the Caribbean, Asia, and Latin America are trafficked in the Dominican Republic; Dominican women are lured to the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America to work in nightclubs but are then sex trafficked; domestically, children are forced into domestic servitude, street vending, begging, agricultural work, construction, and moving illicit narcotics, while adults are forced to work in construction, agriculture, and the services sector

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — the Dominican Republic does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government has drafted a revised trafficking law that would be consistent with international law by removing the requirement for force, fraud, or coercion of sex trafficking of victims younger than 18; authorities increased investigations and prosecutions but convicted fewer traffickers and issued inadequate sentences; the country lacks a dedicated victim assistance budget and a full-time victim shelter; authorities did not effectively screen for trafficking indicators or refer all vulnerable individuals to care; the government has not allocated specific funds to implement its national anti-trafficking plan beyond the standard operating budget for the 14 institutions that are part of its Inter-Institutional Commission against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (2020)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

25.26 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

8.1 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

12.95 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international 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

Land use

agricultural land

51.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 16.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 10.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 24.8% (2018 est.)

forest

40.8% (2018 est.)

other

7.7% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever

Major lakes (area sq km)

Salt water lake(s)

Lago de Enriquillo - 500 sq km

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

23.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

7.563 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

659.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

855 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

83.2% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

4,063,910 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

333,241 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

8.2% (2015 est.)