207
Dominican Republic
NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA
FACTFILE
Dominican Republic
DATE OF FORMATION: 1865
CAPITAL: Santo Domingo
POPULATION: 10.1 million
TOTAL AREA: 18,679 sq. miles
(48,380 sq. km)
DENSITY: 540 people per sq. mile
LANGUAGES: Spanish*, French Creole
RELIGIONS: Roman Catholic 92%, other
and nonreligious 8%
ETHNIC MIX: Mixed race 75%, White 15%,
Black 10%
GOVERNMENT: Presidential system
CURRENCY: Dominican Republic peso
= 100 centavos
The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two-
thirds of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. Spanish-
speaking, it seeks closer ties to the anglophone West Indies.
GEOGRAPHY
Highlands and rainforested
mountains – including the highest peak in
the Caribbean, Pico Duarte – interspersed
with fertile valleys. Extensive coastal
plain in the east.
CLIMATE
Hot and humid close to sea level,
cooler at altitude. Heavy rainfall,
especially in the northeast.
PEOPLE & SOCIETY
White landowners – especially
those descended from the original
Spanish settlers – form the wealthy
elite. Mixed-race majority controls
commerce and forms the bulk of the
professional middle classes. White and
mixed-race women are entering the
professions. Great disparities of wealth
exist; the black and Haitian-immigrant
populations occupy the bottom of
the social ladder.
THE ECONOMY
Mining (nickel and gold), sugar,
and textiles. Tourism, remittances, and
exports all rely heavily on US market.
Hidden economy based on trans-
shipment of narcotics to the US.
INSIGHT: Santo Domingo is the oldest
city in the Americas. It was founded in
1496 by the brother of Christopher Columbus
0 50 km
0 50 miles
2000m/6562ft
1000m/3281ft
500m/1640ft
200m/656ft
Sea Level
HAITI
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
Caribbean
Sea
Co
rdil
lera
Central
u
Lago
Enriquillo
Pico Duarte
10, 417ft (3175m)
San Francisco
de Macorís
Santiago
La Vega
San Pedro
de Macorís
La Romana
Monte Cristi
Puerto Plata
San Juan El Seibo
San Cristóbal
Barahona
Mao
SANTO
DOMINGO