| Dominican Republic |
| Geography Area: 48,442 sq. km. (18,704 sq. mi.), about the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. Cities: Capital--Santo Domingo (pop. 2.4 million). Other city--Santiago de los Caballeros (500,000). Terrain: Mountainous. Climate: Maritime tropical. People Nationality: Noun and adjective--Dominican(s). Population (1995): 7.9 million. Annual growth rate: 2%. Ethnic groups: European 16%, African origin 11%, mixed 73%. Religion: Roman Catholic 95%. Language: Spanish. Education: Years compulsory--6. Attendance--70%. Literacy--83%. Health: Infant mortality rate--54/1,000. Life expectancy--65 years for men, 70 years for women. Workforce: Services and government--31% (includes parastatal corporations), Agriculture--28%, Industry--12%. Unemployment--approximately 16%. Government Type: Representative democracy. Independence: February 27, 1844. Constitution: November 28, 1966. Branches: Executive--president (chief of state and head of government, vice president, cabinet. Legislative--bicameral Congress (Senate and Chamber of Deputies). Judicial--Supreme Court of Justice. Subdivisions: 29 provinces and the National District of Santo Domingo. Political parties: Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD), Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), and several others. Suffrage: Universal and compulsory, over 18 or married. Economy (2001) GDP: $12.4 billion. Growth rate (1995): 7.3%. Per capita GDP: $1,650. Non-fuel minerals (3% of GDP): Nickel, gold, silver. Agriculture (13% of GDP): Products--sugar, coffee, cocoa, bananas, tobacco, rice, plantains, beef, flowers. Industry (24% of GDP): Types--sugar refining, pharmaceuticals, cement, light manufacturing, construction; services, including off-shore assembly operations (esp. textiles); and transportation--60% of GDP. Trade: Exports (excluding processing zones)--$561 million: sugar, coffee, gold, silver, ferronickel, cacao, tobacco, meats. Markets--U.S. (65%), Netherlands. Imports--$2.2 billion: foodstuffs, petroleum, industrial raw materials, capital goods. Suppliers--U.S. (65%), Japan, Germany, Venezuela, Mexico. Exchange rate: U.S. $1 = RD $16.55 PEOPLE About half of Dominicans live in rural areas; many are small landholders. Haitians form the largest foreign minority group. All religions are tolerated; the state religion is Roman Catholicism. |