Dominican Republic
in Caribbean
North America

National active POI Bordering countries
Location Summary
Currency and Currency Code:
Peso - DOP
Spoken languages:
Spanish
Local electricity:
120 V - 60 Hz (plugs: A, B, C)
Mobile phone / cellular frequencies (MHz):
850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz, 3G, 4G
ISO 2-Letter code:
DO
Internet top level domain:
.do
Country phone prefix:
+1-809 and +1-82
Local Time (capital):
Timezone:
UTC/GMT offset: hours
Current travel safety evaluation for Dominican Republic in Caribbean

Safety Score: 3,0 of 5.0 based on data from 9 authorites. Meaning we advice caution when travelling to Dominican Republic.

Travel warnings are updated daily. Source: Travel Warning Dominican Republic. Last Update: 2024-08-13 08:21:03

Explore Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic with its capital Santo Domingo is located in North America (Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola). It covers some 48,671 square kilometers (slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey) with 10,734,200 citizens. Spanish is the language commonly spoken used by the people in Dominican Republic. Interesting info Haiti is the only bordering country.

The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean country; not to be confused with the Caribbean island country of Dominica. The island lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and is subject to severe storms from June to October. Citizens of most countries can purchase a tourist card on arrival. Guaguas are the traditional means of transport in the Dominican Republic. Guaguas will be filled to the brink with people and luggage; expect to squeeze to fit more people who will be picked up en route :D. Taxi services are available but potentially dangerous when dealing with unlicensed drivers. In all cases, it's a good idea to go with a licensed driver and negotiate a price for your destination before you leave. Do not drink tap water! Locals, even in the most rural areas, will either boil their water or purchase bottled water. Eating salads or other food that may be washed in tap water is not advisable. Dominicans are kind and peaceful people and the Dominican Republic is generally a safe country. Still a third world country, poverty is still rampant so you should take common sense precautions. Attempts at speaking Spanish are a good sign of respect for the local people.

Popular Destinations in Dominican Republic

 

Santo Domingo
 

Santiago de los Caballeros
 

Puerto Plata
 

La Romana
 

Concepción de La Vega
 

Santo Domingo Este

Administrative regions of Dominican Republic

About the country

Official logo of Dominican Republic tourism

Website: Dominican Republic Tourism

The landscape is rugged highlands and mountains interspersed with fertile valleys. The average density of population is about 221 per km². The climate in Dominican Republic can be described as tropical maritimelittle seasonal temperature variation, seasonal variation in rainfall. Potential threats by nature are lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October, occasional flooding and periodic droughts.

To reach someone Dominican Republic dial +1-809 and +1-82 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".do". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 120 V - 60 Hz (plugs: A, B, C). The sign for the locally used currency Peso is DOP.

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.

Flag of Dominican Republic

The Taino - indigenous inhabitants of Hispaniola prior to the arrival of the 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. In 2012, Danilo MEDINA Sanchez became president; he was reelected in 2016.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 132) 48,670sq km
Land (World Rank: 129) 48,320sq km
Water (World Rank: 125) 350sq km
Forest (World Rank: 73) 24.80%
Comparative slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey
Coastline
1288
Landborder
376
Elevation
Lowest point (World Rank: 59) -46m
Highest point (World Rank: 62) 3,098m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 66) 51.50%
Arable (World Rank: 70) 16.60%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 31) 10.10%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 73) 24.80%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 68) 3,070sq km
Map reference
Central America and the Caribbean
Environment
Issues
  • - deforestation
  • - soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs
  • - water shortages
Agreement party
  • - Biodiversity
  • - Climate Change
  • - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
  • - Desertification
  • - Endangered Species
  • - Hazardous Wastes
  • - Marine Dumping
  • - Marine Life Conservation
  • - Ozone Layer Protection
  • - Ship Pollution
  • - Wetlands
Agreement signed Law of the Sea
Hazzards
  • - lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October
  • - occasional flooding
  • - periodic droughts
Location
Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Climate
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Terrain
rugged highlands and mountains interspersed with fertile valleys

People

Population
Total (World Rank: 86) 10,734,200
Deathrate (World Rank: 198) 0.47%
Birthrate (World Rank: 91) 1.84%
Growthrate (World Rank: 94) 1.18%
Migration rate (World Rank: 124) -0.19%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 91) 2.29%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 132) 27.90
Female (World Rank: 136) 28.30
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 85) 1,454,530
0 14 female (World Rank: 84) 1,404,540
15 24 male (World Rank: 83) 993,642
15 24 female (World Rank: 82) 957,466
25 54 male (World Rank: 79) 2,178,480
25 54 female (World Rank: 82) 2,078,370
55 64 male (World Rank: 79) 426,810
55 64 female (World Rank: 81) 421,727
65 x male (World Rank: 75) 378,226
65 x female (World Rank: 79) 440,463
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 92) 1.75%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 59) 78years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 66) 81years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 56) 76years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 95) 1.49
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 119) 1.70
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 112) 84.00%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 37) 27.60%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 153) 84.70%

Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 84) 15,530,000,000kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 82) 13,250,000,000kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 87) 80.80%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 97) 16.10%
Source renew (World Rank: 89) 5.70%
Crude oil
Imports (World Rank: 61) 27,440bbl / day
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 87) 27,060bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 75) 114,000bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 61) 84,370bbl / day
Natural gas
Consumption (World Rank: 87) 1,895,000,000m³
Import (World Rank: 59) 0m³
Carbon footprint
22000000

Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 163) 2% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 136) 1% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 158) 4% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 106) -3% of GDP
National symbol
palmchat
National colours
white
Adjective
Dominican
Noun
Dominican(s)
Background
The Taino - indigenous inhabitants of Hispaniola prior to the arrival of the 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. In 2012, Danilo MEDINA Sanchez became president; he was reelected in 2016.
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

Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 73) 161,900,000,000USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 20) 6.60%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 103) 16,100USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 123) 5.50%
Source industry (World Rank: 54) 33.40%
Source service (World Rank: 113) 61.10%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 86) 4,639,000
In poverty (World Rank: 58) 30.50%
Products
Industries
  • - cement
  • - electrical components
  • - gold mining
  • - medical devices
  • - sugar processing
  • - textiles
  • - tobacco
  • - tourism
Agriculture
  • - bananas
  • - beans
  • - beef
  • - cattle
  • - cocoa
  • - coffee
  • - corn
  • - cotton
  • - dairy products
  • - eggs
  • - pigs
  • - potatoes
  • - rice
  • - sugarcane
  • - tobacco
Exports
  • - cocoa
  • - coffee
  • - consumer goods
  • - gold
  • - meats
  • - silver
  • - sugar
  • - tobacco
Imports
  • - chemicals
  • - cotton
  • - fabrics
  • - foodstuffs
  • - petroleum
  • - pharmaceuticals

Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 67) 1,345,090
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 125) 13.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 162) 82.00
Assessment 0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 65) 6,505,000
Population (World Rank: 91) 61.30%

Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 92) 16.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 107) 20.00
Heliports (World Rank: 93) 1.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 115) 496
Road
Total length (World Rank: 111) 19,705
Paved length (World Rank: 75) 9,872
Unpaved length (World Rank: 88) 9,833
Popular places in this country

This is a list of famous places in this country in alphabetical order.