2023 Edition

Background

The Taino - indigenous inhabitants of Hispaniola prior to the arrival of 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

2,980 sq km (2018)

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

25.92% (male 1,422,186/female 1,374,991)

15-64 years

67.09% (male 3,675,934/female 3,563,597)

65 years and over

6.99% (2023 est.) (male 355,069/female 398,967)

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

17.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15

9.4%

women married by age 18

31.5% (2019 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

62.8% (2019)

Current health expenditure

4.9% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

52.1% (2023 est.)

Death rate

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

11.6

potential support ratio

8.6 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

53.8

youth dependency ratio

42.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 91.7% of population

improved: total

total: 97.2% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.3% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 8.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 2.8% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.7% of population

Education expenditures

4.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

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

Gross reproduction rate

1.05 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

19.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male

25.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

22.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 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

73.5 years

male

70.3 years

total population

71.9 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

95.3% (2021)

male

95.1%

total population

95.2%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever

Major urban areas - population

3.524 million SANTO DOMINGO (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

107 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

29 years

male

28.7 years

total

28.9 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.9 years (2013 est.)

note

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

Nationality

adjective

Dominican

noun

Dominican(s)

Net migration rate

-2.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

27.6% (2016)

Physicians density

1.45 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

10,790,744 (2023 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

0.73% (2023 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: 91.3% of population

improved: total

total: 96.3% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.4% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 8.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 3.7% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.6% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2017)

male

13 years

total

14 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.03 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 (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

6.5% (2020 est.)

male

14.6% (2020 est.)

total

10.6% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.13 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

84.4% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

27.9%

male

16.6%

total

20.6% (2021 est.)

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)

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 (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Alexander TITOLO

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 GUZMÁN DE HERNÁNDEZ (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, 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); 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 in 26 constituencies to simple majority vote 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 1; composition - men 28, women 4, percent of women 12.5%House 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; composition - men 137, women 53, percent of women 27.9%; note - total National Congress percent of women 25.7%

elections

Senate - last held on 5 July 2020 (next to be held in 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 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); 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 [Luis ABINADER]National Progressive Front or FNP [Vinicio CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]People's Force or FP [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Federico Augusto "Quique" ANTUN Batile]

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

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

3.8% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

26.8% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$14.511 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$12.804 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BB- (2016)

Moody's rating

Ba3 (2017)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BB- (2015)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$1.188 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$1.337 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$2.689 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$21.198 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$23.094 billion (2019 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 2017

47.534 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

49.51 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

51.295 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

56.525 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

57.221 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$20.509 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$14.889 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$20.509 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

gold, medical instruments, cigars, low-voltage protection equipment, iron alloys, clothing (2021)

Exports - partners

United States 51%, Haiti 7%, Switzerland 7%, India 5%, Netherlands 3% (2021)

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 2020

39.6 (2020 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

37.4% (2013 est.)

lowest 10%

1.9%

Imports

Imports 2019

$24.526 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$20.302 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$28.541 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, natural gas, jewelry, vaccines and cultures (2021)

Imports - partners

United States 42%, China 19%, Spain 3%, Brazil 3%, Mexico 3% (2021)

Industrial production growth rate

15.89% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

1.81% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

3.78% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

8.24% (2021 est.)

Labor force

5.027 million (2021 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) 2019

$197.735 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$184.447 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$207.082 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

5.05% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-6.72% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

12.27% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$18,200 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$16,800 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$18,600 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$8.871 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$10.845 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$13.125 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

12.39% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

6.36% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

6.13% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

8.5% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

27.9%

male

16.6%

total

20.6% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

4.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

3.144 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

18.951 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

26.808 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

1.791 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

2.359 million metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

16,330,980,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

5.674 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

2.576 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

94.8% (2021)

electrification - total population

98.1% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

98.7% (2021)

population without electricity

(2020) less than 1 million

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

93.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

1.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

3.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

39.016 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

1,602,759,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

28.657 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

imports

1,586,449,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

24,900 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

148,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 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

10 (2020 est.)

total

1,031,858 (2020 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 (2019)

Internet country code

.do

Internet users

percent of population

85% (2021 est.)

total

9.35 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line teledensity is about 10 per 100 persons; mobile cellular subscriptions 88 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

the Dominican Republic’s telecom sector continued its solid form throughout 2020 and into 2021, shrugging off the economic turmoil unleashed by the Covid-19 pandemic to maintain a decade-long run of low but positive growth across all areas of the market; the Dominican Republic remains behind most of its counterparts in the Latin American region, especially in terms of fixed-line network coverage; mobile subscriptions are on par with the regional average, but at subscription levels of around 88% there is still ample opportunity for growth; in terms of growth, the standout winner was once again the mobile broadband segment; the market is expected to see close to 8% growth in 2021, building further on the gains it already made in 2020 when lock downs and work-from-home rules encouraged many people to find ways to upgrade their internet access and performance; the limited coverage of fixed-line broadband networks makes mobile the first, if not only, choice for most people in the country (2021)

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

10 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

1,154,670 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

88 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

9,735,351 (2021 est.)

Airports

36 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

16

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

20

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HI

Heliports

1 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

container ship 1, general cargo 2, oil tanker 1, other 34

total

38 (2022)

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

container port(s) (TEUs)

Caucedo (1,265,459); Haina (495,243)

cruise port(s)

La Romana

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 (2014) 0.762-m gauge

standard gauge

354 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

total

496 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

9,872 km (2002)

total

19,705 km (2002)

unpaved

9,833 km (2002)

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; the Army in recent years, for example, has assigned 3 of its 6 infantry brigades and some 10-12,000 troops to assist with security along the Haitian border; these forces complement the approximately 700 troops 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 (2023)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic: Army of the Dominican Republic (Ejercito de la Republica Dominicana, ERD), Navy (Armada de República Dominicana or ARD; includes naval infantry), Dominican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana, FAD) (2023)

note

note 1: in addition to the military, the Ministry of Armed Forces directs the Airport Security Authority and Civil Aviation (CESAC), Port Security Authority (CESEP), the Tourist Security Corps (CESTUR), and Border Security Corps (CESFRONT); these specialized corps are made up of military and civilian personnel and assist the National Police, which is 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 (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military is lightly armed with an inventory consisting mostly of older US equipment  (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

0.7% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

0.7% of GDP (2019 est.)

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 service age and obligation

16-23 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (ages vary slightly according to military service; under 18 admitted with permission of parents); recruits must have completed primary school and be Dominican Republic citizens (2023)

note

note: as of 2022, women made up approximately 22% of the active duty military

Disputes - international

Dominican Republic-Haiti: unauthorized migration and smuggling from impoverished and unstable Haiti has led to occasional border tensions and increased security by the Dominican Republic, including the construction of a fence and the deployment of military troops

Illicit drugs

major transshipment point for cocaine shipments to the United States and Europe in the Caribbean; some drugs are consumed locally.    

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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

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; more traffickers were convicted, two police officers were investigated for trafficking crimes, and cooperation with international law enforcement increased; officials identified more victims and implemented new protections for vulnerable domestic workers; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared with the previous reporting period, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; the government systemically and persistently failed to screen vulnerable migrant or undocumented populations, failed to refer victims to services, and did not provide these groups with justice in trafficking crimes; officials investigated and prosecuted fewer traffickers, did not adequately investigate labor trafficking cases involving migrants and children, and did not identify victims; the government did not adopt draft amendments to improve anti-trafficking laws, did not adequately fund or provide resources to anti-trafficking efforts, and did not complete a new National Action Plan; therefore, the Dominican Republic was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List (2023)

trafficking profile

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in the Dominican Republic, and victims from the Dominican Republic are exploited abroad; Dominican women and children, particularly from impoverished areas, were victims of sex trafficking throughout the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean, South and Central America, Europe, the Middle East, and the US; a 2022 study found family networks, social media recruiting, domestic servitude, inequality, gender-based violence, lack of information and education, and corruption were the primary causes of trafficking of Dominican women and girls in Costa Rica, Spain, and Switzerland; foreign victims, especially from Colombia, Haiti, Venezuela, other parts of the Caribbean and Latin America, and Asia, were trafficked in the Dominican Republic; the Dominican Republic is a destination for sex tourists – primarily from North America and Europe – for child sex trafficking; traffickers increased recruiting of Colombian and Venezuelan women to dance in strip clubs and later coerce them into sex trafficking; children are forced into domestic service, street vending, begging, agricultural work, construction, robbery gangs, and movement of illicit narcotics; traffickers reportedly operate along the Haitian-Dominican border, sometimes with assistance of corrupt government officials who accept bribes to allow undocumented crossings; LGBTQI+ individuals face high levels of violence, which may increase vulnerability to trafficking (2023)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

25.26 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

8.1 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

7.59 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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 lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

Lago de Enriquillo - 500 sq km

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

23.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

7.56 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

660 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

860 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

84.4% of total population (2023)

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.)