Dominican Republic

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $116 million, 1.4% of GDP (1994)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: 2,212,012 males fit for military service: 1,391,472 males reach military age (18) annually: 83,611 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 120, FM 0, shortwave 6

Radios

NA

Telephone system

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

Telephones

190,000 (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

18 (1987 est.)

Televisions

728,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Agriculture

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

Budget

revenues: $1.8 billion expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)

Currency

1 Dominican peso (RD$) = 100 centavos

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $21 million (1993)

Economic overview

Economic reforms launched in late 1994 contributed to exchange rate stabilization, reduced inflation, and relatively strong GDP growth in 1995. Output growth was concentrated in the tourism and free trade zone (ftz) sectors while sugar and non-ftz manufacturing declined last year. Drought in early 1995 hurt agricultural production but favorable world prices for export commodities helped mitigate the impact. Sugar refining was devastated by a disastrous harvest resulting from the drought and ongoing problems at the state-owned sugar company. Unreliable electric supplies continue to hamper expansion in manufacturing; small and medium-sized retail firms also suffer due to the dismal power situation. A presidential election scheduled for May 1996 could lead to increased government spending before and in the immediate aftermath of the vote, raising the potential for rising inflation and increased pressure on the Dominican peso.

Electricity

capacity: 1,450,000 kW production: 5.4 billion kWh consumption per capita: 651 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

Dominican pesos (RD$) per US$1 - 13.589 (December 1995), 13.617 (1995), 13.160 (1994), 12.676 (1993), 12.774 (1992), 12.692 (1991)

Exports

$837.7 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, coffee, cocoa partners: US 47.5%, EC 22%, Puerto Rico 8.4%, Asia 6.7% (1994)

External debt

$4.6 billion (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $26.8 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: 13% industry: 32% services: 55% (1995)

GDP per capita

$3,400 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

3.5% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

Imports

$2.867 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals partners: US 60% (1993)

Industrial production growth rate

6.3% (1995 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.5% (1995)

Labor force

2.3 million to 2.6 million by occupation: agriculture 50%, services and government 32%, industry 18% (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

30% (1995 est.)

Area

total area: 48,730 sq km land area: 48,380 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

Climate

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

Coastline

1,288 km

Environment

current issues: water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation natural hazards: occasional hurricanes (July to October) international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

19 00 N, 70 40 W

Geographic note

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

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

2,250 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries

total: 275 km border country: Haiti 275 km

Land use

arable land: 23% permanent crops: 7% meadows and pastures: 43% forest and woodland: 13% other: 14%

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

Natural resources

nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Terrain

rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

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

Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)

elections last held 16 May 1994 (next to be held NA May 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120 total) PLD 13, PRSC 50, PRD 57

Constitution

28 November 1966

Data code

DR

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jose del Carmen ARIZA Gomez chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo (since 16 August 1986, sixth elected term began 16 August 1994); Vice President Jacinto PEYNADO Garrigoza (since 16 August 1994); president is elected for a four-year term by direct vote; election last held 16 May 1994 (next to be held 16 May 1996); results - Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 42.6%, Juan BOSCH Gavino (PLD) 13.2%, Jose Francisco PENA Gomez (PRD) 41.9%, Jacobo MAJLUTA (PRI) 2.3% cabinet: Cabinet was nominated by the president

FAX

[1] (202) 265-8057 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulate(s): Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce (Puerto Rico)

FAX

[1] (809) 686-7437

Flag

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

Independence

27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

International organization participation

ACP, Caricom (observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (guest), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are elected by the Senate

Legal system

based on French civil codes

Legislative branch

bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

Name of country

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Other political or pressure groups

Collective of Popular Organizations (COP)

Political parties and leaders

major parties: Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo; Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Lidio CADET; Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD), Jose Franciso PENA Gomez; Independent Revolutionary Party (PRI), Jacobo MAJLUTA minor parties: National Veterans and Civilian Party (PNVC), Juan Rene BEAUCHAMPS Javier; Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic (PLRD), Andres Van Der HORST; Democratic Quisqueyan Party (PQD), Elias WESSIN Chavez; National Progressive Force (FNP), Marino VINICIO Castillo; Popular Christian Party (PPC), Rogelio DELGADO Bogaert; Dominican Communist Party (PCD), Narciso ISA Conde; Dominican Workers' Party (PTD), Ivan RODRIGUEZ; Anti-Imperialist Patriotic Union (UPA), Ignacio RODRIGUEZ Chiappini; Alliance for Democracy Party (APD), Maximilano Rabelais PUIG Miller, Nelsida MARMOLEJOS, Vicente BENGOA; Democratic Union (UD), Fernando ALVAREZ Bogaert note: in 1983 several leftist parties, including the PCD, joined to form the Dominican Leftist Front (FID); however, they still retain individual party structures

Senate (Senado)

elections last held 16 May 1994 (next to be held NA May 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (30 total) PRSC 15, PLD 1, PRD 14

Suffrage

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

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Donna Jean HRINAK embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041 telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171, 221-8100

Age structure

0-14 years: 34% (male 1,401,322; female 1,355,530) 15-64 years: 62% (male 2,541,356; female 2,460,509) 65 years and over: 4% (male 156,238; female 173,926) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

23.51 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.66 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

Infant mortality rate

47.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Spanish

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69.06 years male: 66.89 years female: 71.34 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Net migration rate

-0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

8,088,881 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.73% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female all ages: 1.03 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.66 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 31 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 2 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 6 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 14 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 4 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: 11,931 km paved: 5,766 km unpaved: 6,165 km (1987 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT (1995 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km

Ports

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

Railways

total: 757 km standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad) narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominica Government Railway); 240 km operated by sugar companies in various gauges (0.558-m, 0.762-m, 1.067-m gauges) (1995)