Dominican Republic

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

24 (2000)

Internet country code

.do

Internet users

186,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios

1.44 million (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave radio relay network international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

709,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

130,149 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

25 (1997)

Televisions

770,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $2.9 billion expenditures: $3.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

Currency

Dominican peso (DOP)

Currency code

DOP

Debt - external

$5.4 billion (2001 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

47 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$239.6 million (1995) (1995)

Economy - overview

The Dominican economy experienced dramatic growth over the last decade, even though the economy was hit hard by Hurricane Georges in 1998. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoy 40% of national income. A US $500 million foreign bond issue in September 2001 will contribute to increased public investment spending.

Electricity - consumption

8,812.029 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production

9.475 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 87% hydro: 13% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

Dominican pesos per US dollar - 17.310 (January 2002), 16.952 (2001), 16.415 (2000), 16.033 (1999), 15.267 (1998), 14.265 (1997)

Exports

$5.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 87.3%, Netherlands 1.1%, Canada 0.7%, France 0.7% (2000 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $50 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 11% industry: 34% services: 55% (2000) (2000)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.5% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 40% (1989) (1989)

Imports

$8.7 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners

US 60.5%, Japan 10.4%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3% (2000 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2001 est.)

Industries

tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5% (2001 est.)

Labor force

2.3 million - 2.6 million

Labor force - by occupation

services and government 59%, industry 24%, agriculture 17% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

25%

Unemployment rate

15% (2001 est.)

Area

total: 48,730 sq km land: 48,380 sq km water: 350 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

Climate

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

Coastline

1,288 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

19 00 N, 70 40 W

Geography - note

shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)

Irrigated land

2,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 360 km border countries: Haiti 360 km

Land use

arable land: 21.08% permanent crops: 9.92% other: 69% (1998 est.)

Location

Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 6 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Natural hazards

lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts

Natural resources

nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Terrain

rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

Administrative divisions

29 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde

Capital

Santo Domingo

Constitution

28 November 1966

Country name

conventional long form: Dominican Republic conventional short form: none local long form: Republica Dominicana local short form: none

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500 telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171 FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo GUILIANI Cury consulate(s): Mobile and Ponce (Puerto Rico) consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Jacksonville, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280 chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Executive branch

chief of state: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2004) election results: Raphael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez elected president; percent of vote - Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (PRD) 49.87%, Danilo MEDINA (PLD) 24.95%, Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 24.6%

Flag description

a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms is at the center of the cross

Government type

representative democracy

Independence

27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

International organization participation

ACP, Caricom (observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are elected by a Council made up of members of the legislative and executive branches with the president presiding)

Legal system

based on French civil codes

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (149 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 24, PLD 3, PRSC 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Political parties and leaders

Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hatuey DE CAMPS]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Collective of Popular Organizations or COP

Suffrage

18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote

Background

Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola 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. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of its subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin BALAGUER became president. He 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. The Dominican economy has had one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere.

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$180 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.1% (FY98)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,323,088 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,455,887 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 87,404 (2002 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 33.7% (male 1,503,344; female 1,439,157) 15-64 years: 61.3% (male 2,720,308; female 2,621,539) 65 years and over: 5% (male 206,556; female 230,690) (2002 est.)

Birth rate

24.4 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate

4.68 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups

white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

2.8% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

4,900 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

130,000 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

33.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages

Spanish

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.68 years female: 75.91 years (2002 est.) male: 71.57 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.1% male: 82% female: 82.2% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Net migration rate

-3.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population

8,721,594 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate

1.61% (2002 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.94 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions

Airports

29 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Highways

total: 12,600 km paved: 6,224 km unpaved: 6,376 km (1996)

Merchant marine

total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km

Ports and harbors

Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo

Railways

total: 757 km standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad) miscellaneous gauge: 240 km operated by sugar companies in various gauges (0.558-m, 0.762-m, 1.067-m gauges) (2000 est.) narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominican Republic Government Railway)

Waterways

none