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List of
Banks in the Caribbean
List of Banks in Dominican Republic
Asoc. La Nacional de Ahorro y Prestamos
Address: I La Catolica 171
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 688-6631
Fax: (1-809) 566-3866
Asociacion Popular de Ahorros y Prestamos
Address: Av. Maximo Gomez, Esq. Av.27 de febrero
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 689-0171
Fax: (1-809) 686-9882
B N V. Banco Nacional de la Vivienda
Address: Av. Tiradentes No. 53
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 565-6621
Fax: (1-809) 565-8543
Banco Agricola de la Republica Dominicana
Address: Av. Duarte esq.Estado de Israel
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 682-8510
Fax: (1-809) 682-4218
Banco B H D
Address: Plaza B H D,Av.27 de febrero Esq.W Churchill
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 243-3232
Fax: (1-809) 565-8912
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya
Address: Av. 27 de febrero 233
Phone: (1-809) 567-5500
Fax: (1-809) 547-1495
Banco Comercial Santiago
Address: Av. Estrella Sadhala No.44 Plaza Madera
City: Santiago
Departement: Santiago
Phone: (1-809) 582-0505
Fax: (1-809) 583-0333
Banco Continental de Desarrollo S.A
Address: P Hquez Ureña 126
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 472-2228
Fax: (1-809) 472-3027
Banco De Desarrollo Agropecuario S A
Address: F Falcon 57.
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 686-0984
Fax: (1-809) 687-0825
Banco de Desarrollo de Exportacion S.A
Address: F Falcon #57, Plaza Criscar I,Local 201
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 566-8441
Fax: (1-809) 565-1769
Banco de Desarrollo Industrial S.A
Address: Av. Sarasota No. 27
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 535-8586
Fax: (1-809) 535-6069
Banco de la Pequeña Empresa S.A
Address: Av. Bolivar 233
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 534-8383
Fax: (1-809) 534-8385
Banco Fiduciario
Address: Av. 27 de febrero # 50
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 473-9400
Fax: (1-809) 473-2514
Banco Global S.A
Address: Av. Romulo Betancourt No.1
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 532-3000
Fax: (1-809) 535-7070
Banco Intercontinental, S.A
Address: Av. 27 de febrero Esq. W Churchill
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 545-8000
Fax: (1-809) 545-5338
Banco Lopez de Haro
Address: Av. Sarasota No. 20
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 535-8994
Fax: (1-809) 534-6836
Banco Metropolitano S.A
Address: Av. L de Vega
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 562-2442
Fax: (1-809) 685-4223
Banco Osaka
Address: Av. 27 de febrero No. 208, El Vergel
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 472-1626
Fax: (1-809) 472-1664
Banco Profesional de Desarrollo S A
Address: M de Jesus Troncoso 3
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 549-5015
Fax: (1-809) 549-5107
Banco Santa Cruz
Address: Av.27 de febrero
City: Santiago
Departement: Santiago
Phone: (1-809) 724-2222
Fax: (1-809) 581-9670
BanCredito
Address: Av. J F Kennedy Esq. Tiradentes
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 540-4441
Fax: (1-809) 566-6331
Bank Of Nova Scotia-ScotiaBank
Address: Av. J F Kennedy
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 544-1700
Fax: (1-809) 542-6302
Econnect Caribbean, S.A
Address: Av. 27 de febrero, Plaza Merengue
City: Santo Domingo
Departement: Distrito Nacional
Phone: (1-809) 732-5911
Fax: (1-809) 565-6919
The Dominican Republic (Spanish: República
Dominicana, pronounced [reˈpuβlika ðominiˈkana]) is a nation on the
island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the
Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the
nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are
shared by two countries. Both by area and population, the Dominican
Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation (after Cuba), with
48,442 square kilometres (18,704 sq mi) and an estimated 10 million
people.
Inhabited by Taínos since the 7th century, the territory of the
Dominican Republic was reached by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and
became the site of the first permanent European settlement in the
Americas, namely Santo Domingo, the country's capital and Spain's first
capital in the New World. In Santo Domingo stand, among other firsts in
the Americas, the first university, cathedral, and castle, the latter
two in the Ciudad Colonial area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After three centuries of Spanish rule, with French and Haitian
interludes, the country became independent in 1821 but was quickly taken
over by Haiti. Victorious in the Dominican War of Independence in 1844,
Dominicans experienced mostly internal strife, and also a brief return
to Spanish rule, over the next 72 years. The United States occupation of
1916–1924, and a subsequent, calm and prosperous six-year period under
Horacio Vásquez Lajara, were followed by the dictatorship of Rafael
Leonidas Trujillo Molina until 1961. The civil war of 1965, the
country's last, was ended by a U.S.-led intervention, and was followed
by the authoritarian rule of Joaquín Balaguer, 1966–1978. Since then,
the Dominican Republic has moved toward representative democracy, and
has been led by Leonel Fernández for most of the time after 1996.
The Dominican Republic has the second largest economy in the Caribbean
and Central American region. Though long known for sugar production, the
economy is now dominated by services.The country's economic progress is
exemplified by its advanced telecommunication system. Nevertheless,
unemployment, government corruption, and inconsistent electric service
remain major Dominican problems. The country also has "marked income
inequality".
International migration greatly affects the country, as it receives and
sends large flows of migrants. Haitian immigration and the integration
of Dominicans of Haitian descent are major issues; the total population
of Haitian origin is estimated to be 800,000. A large Dominican
diaspora exists, most of it in the United States, where it comprises 1.3
million.They aid national development as they send billions of dollars
to their families, accounting for one-tenth of the Dominican GDP.
The Dominican Republic has become the Caribbean's largest tourist
destination; the country's year-round golf courses are among the top
attractions.In this mountainous land is located the Caribbean's highest
mountain, Pico Duarte, as is Lake Enriquillo, the Caribbean's largest
lake and lowest elevation.Quisqueya, as Dominicans often call their
country, has an average temperature of 26 °C (78.8 °F) and great
biological diversity.
Music and sport are of the highest importance in Dominican culture, with
merengue as the national dance and song and baseball the favorite sport.
History
Main articles: History of the Dominican Republic and Colony of Santo
Domingo
The Taínos
The Arawakan-speaking Taínos moved into Hispaniola, displacing earlier
inhabitants, circa A.D. 650. They engaged in farming and fishing, and
hunting and gathering. The fierce Caribs drove the Taínos to the
northeastern Caribbean during much of the 15th century. The estimates of
Hispaniola's population in 1492 vary widely, including one hundred
thousand, three hundred thousand, and four hundred thousand to two
million. By 1492 the island was divided into five Taíno chiefdoms.
The Spanish arrived in 1492. After initially friendly relations, the
Taínos resisted the conquest, led by the female Chief Anacaona of
Xaragua and her husband Chief Caonabo of Maguana, as well as Chiefs
Guacanagarix, Guamá, Hatuey, and Enriquillo. The latter's successes
gained his people an autonomous enclave for a time on the island.
Nevertheless, within a few years after 1492 the population of Taínos had
declined drastically, due to smallpox and other diseases that arrived
with the Europeans, and from other causes discussed below. The
decline continued, and by 1711 the Taíno numbered just 21,000. The
last record of pure Taínos in the country was from 1864. Due to
intermarriage over the centuries, many Dominicans have Taíno ancestry.
Remnants of the Taino culture include their cave paintings, as well
as pottery designs which are still used in the small artisan village of
Higüerito, Moca.
Spanish rule
Christopher Columbus arrived on Hispaniola on December 5, 1492, during
the first of his four voyages to America. He claimed the island for
Spain and named it La Española. In 1496 Bartholomew Columbus,
Christopher's brother, built the city of Santo Domingo, Europe's first
permanent settlement in the "New World". The Spaniards created a
plantation economy on the island. The colony was the springboard for
the further Spanish conquest of America and for decades the headquarters
of Spanish power in the hemisphere. Christopher was buried in Santo
Domingo upon his death in 1506.
The Taínos nearly disappeared, above all, from European infectious
diseases to which they had no immunity. Other causes were abuse,
suicide, the breakup of family, starvation, enslavement, forced labor,
torture, war with the Spaniards, changes in lifestyle, and even
miscegenation. Laws passed for the Indians' protection (beginning with
the Laws of Burgos, 1512–1513) were never truly enforced. Yet as
stated above, the Taínos did survive. Some scholars believe that las
Casas exaggerated the Indian population decline in an effort to
persuade King Carlos to intervene, and that encomenderos also
exaggerated it, in order to receive permission to import more African
slaves. Moreover, censuses of the time omitted the Indians who fled into
remote communities, where they often joined with runaway Africans
(cimarrones), producing Zambos. Also, Mestizos who were culturally
Spanish were counted as Spaniards, some Zambos as black, and some
Indians as Mulattos.
After her conquest of the Aztecs and Incas, Spain neglected her
Caribbean holdings. French buccaneers settled in western Hispaniola, and
by the 1697 Treaty of Ryswick, Spain ceded the area to France. France
created the wealthy colony Saint-Domingue there, with a population 90%
slave, and overall four times as populous (500,000 to 125,000) as the
Spanish area at the end of the 18th century.
French rule
France came to own the whole island in 1795, when by the Peace of Basel
Spain ceded Santo Domingo as a consequence of the French Revolutionary
Wars. At the time, Saint-Domingue's slaves, led by Toussaint Louverture,
were in revolt against France. In 1801 they captured Santo Domingo, thus
controlling the entire island; but in 1802 an army sent by Napoleon
captured Toussaint Louverture and sent him to France as prisoner.
However, Toussaint Louverture's lieutenants, and yellow fever, succeeded
in expelling the French again from Saint-Domingue, which in 1804 the
rebels made independent as the Republic of Haiti. Eastwards, France
continued to rule Spanish Santo Domingo.
In 1808, following Napoleon's invasion of Spain, the criollos of Santo
Domingo revolted against French rule and, with the aid of Great Britain
(Spain's ally) and Haiti, returned Santo Domingo to Spanish
control.
The Ephemeral Independence and Haitian occupation
Juan Pablo Duarte is widely considered the architect of the Dominican
Republic and its independence from Haitian rule in 1844.After a dozen
years of discontent and failed independence plots by various groups,
Santo Domingo's former Lieutenant-Governor (top administrator), José
Núñez de Cáceres, declared the colony's independence, on November 30,
1821. He requested the new state's admission to Simón Bolívar's republic
of Gran Colombia, but Haitian forces, led by Jean-Pierre Boyer, invaded
just nine weeks later, in February 1822.
As Toussaint Louverture had done two decades earlier, the Haitians
abolished slavery. But they also nationalized most private property,
including all the property of landowners who had left in the wake of the
invasion; much Church property; as well as all property belonging to the
former rulers, the Spanish Crown. Boyer also placed more emphasis on
cash crops grown on large plantations, reformed the tax system, and
allowed foreign trade. But the new system was widely opposed by
Dominican farmers, although it produced a boom in sugar and coffee
production. All levels of education collapsed; the university was shut
down, as it was starved both of resources and students, since young
Dominican men from 16 to 25-years-old were drafted into the Haitian army.
Boyer's occupation troops, who were largely Dominicans, were unpaid, and
had to "forage and sack" from Dominican civilians. Haiti imposed a "heavy
tribute" on the Dominican people.:page number needed Many whites
fled Santo Domingo for Puerto Rico and Cuba (both still under Spanish
rule), Venezuela, and elsewhere. In the end the economy faltered and
taxation became more onerous. Rebellions occurred even by Dominican
freedmen, while Dominicans and Haitians worked together to oust Boyer
from power. Anti-Haitian movements of several kinds — pro-independence,
pro-Spanish, pro-French, pro-British, pro-United States — gathered force
following the overthrow of Boyer in 1843.:page number needed
Independence
See also: Dominican War of Independence
Flag of the Trinitaria from 1844 to 1849In 1838 Juan Pablo Duarte
founded a secret society called La Trinitaria, which sought the complete
independence of Santo Domingo without any foreign intervention.:p147–149
Ramón Matías Mella and Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, despite not being
among the founding members of La Trinitaria, were decisive in the fight
for independence. Duarte and they are the three Founding Fathers of the
Dominican Republic. On February 27, 1844, the
Trinitarios (the members of La Trinitaria), declared the independence
from Haiti. They were backed by Pedro Santana, a wealthy cattle rancher
from El Seibo, who became general of the army of the nascent Republic.
The Dominican Republic's first Constitution was adopted on November 6,
1844, and was modeled after the United States Constitution.
The decades that followed were filled with tyranny, factionalism,
economic difficulties, rapid changes of government, and exile for
political opponents. Threatening the nation's independence were renewed
Haitian invasions occurring in 1844, 1845–49, 1849–55, and 1855–56.:page
number needed
Meanwhile, archrivals Santana and Buenaventura Báez held power most of
the time, both ruling arbitrarily. They promoted competing plans to
annex the new nation to another power: Santana favored Spain, and Báez
the United States.
The voluntary colony and the Restoration republic
See also: Dominican Restoration War
General Gregorio Luperón, Restoration hero and later President of the
RepublicIn 1861, after imprisoning, silencing, exiling, and executing
many of his opponents and due to political and economic reasons, Santana
signed a pact with the Spanish Crown and reverted the Dominican nation
to colonial status, the only Latin American country to do so. His
ostensible aim was to protect the nation from another Haitian annexation.
But opponents launched the War of the Restoration in 1863, led by
Santiago Rodríguez, Benito Monción, and Gregorio Luperón, among others.
Haiti, fearful of the re-establishment of Spain as colonial power on its
border, gave refuge and supplies to the revolutionaries. The United
States, then fighting its own Civil War, vigorously protested the
Spanish action. After two years of fighting, Spain abandoned the island
in 1865.
Political strife again prevailed in the following years; warlords ruled,
military revolts were extremely common, and the nation amassed debt. It
was now Báez's turn to act on his plan of annexing the country to the
United States, where two successive presidents were supportive.
U.S. President Grant desired a naval base at Samaná and also a place for
resettling newly freed Blacks. The treaty, which included U.S.
payment of $1.5 million for Dominican debt repayment, was defeated in
the United States Senate in 1870 on a vote of 28–28, two-thirds
being required.
Ulises 'Lilís' Heureaux, President of the Republic 1882–84, 1886–99Báez
was toppled in 1874, returned, and was toppled for good in 1878. A new
generation was thence in charge, with the passing of Santana (he died in
1864) and Báez from the scene. Relative peace came to the country in the
1880s, which saw the coming to power of General Ulises Heureaux.
"Lilís", as the new president was nicknamed, enjoyed a period of
popularity. He was, however, "a consummate dissembler", who put the
nation deep into debt while using much of the proceeds for his personal
use and to maintain his police state. Heureaux became rampantly despotic
and unpopular. In 1899 he was assassinated. However, the
relative calm over which he presided allowed improvement in the
Dominican economy. The sugar industry was modernized,:p10 and the
country attracted foreign workers and immigrants, both from the Old
World and the New.
From 1902 on, short-lived governments were again the norm, with their
power usurped by caudillos in parts of the country. Furthermore, the
national government was bankrupt and, unable to pay Heureaux's debts,
faced the threat of military intervention by France and other European
creditor powers.[42]
U.S. interventions and occupation
See also: 1916 United States occupation of the Dominican Republic
U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt sought to prevent European
intervention, largely to protect the routes to the future Panama Canal,
as the canal was already under construction. He made a small military
intervention to ward off the European powers, proclaimed his famous
Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, and in 1905 obtained
Dominican agreement for U.S. administration of Dominican customs, then
the chief source of income for the Dominican government. A 1906
agreement provided for the arrangement to last 50 years. The United
States agreed to use part of the customs proceeds to reduce the immense
foreign debt of the Dominican Republic, and assumed responsibility for
said debt.[42]
After six years in power, President Ramón Cáceres (who had himself
assassinated Heureaux) was assassinated in 1911. The result was
several years of great political instability and civil war. U.S.
mediation by the William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson administrations
achieved only a short respite each time. A political deadlock in 1914
was broken after an ultimatum by Wilson telling Dominicans to choose a
president or see the U.S. impose one. A provisional president was
chosen, and later the same year relatively free elections put former
president (1899–1902) Juan Isidro Jimenes Pereyra back in power. In
order to achieve a more broadly supported government, Jimenes named
opposition individuals to his Cabinet. But this brought no peace and,
with his former Secretary of War Desiderio Arias maneuvering to depose
him and despite a U.S. offer of military aid against Arias, Jimenes
resigned on May 7, 1916.[43]
The 1916 occupation by U.S. MarinesWilson thus ordered the U.S.
occupation of the Dominican Republic. U.S. Marines landed on May 16,
1916, and had control of the country two months later. The military
government established by the U.S., led by Rear Admiral Harry Shepard
Knapp, was widely repudiated by Dominicans. Some Cabinet posts had to be
filled by U.S. naval officers, as Dominicans refused to serve in the
administration. Censorship and limits on public speech were imposed. The
guerrilla war against the U.S. forces was met with a vigorous, "often
brutal" response.[43]
But the occupation regime, which kept most Dominican laws and
institutions, largely pacified the country, revived the economy, reduced
the Dominican debt, built a road network that at last interconnected all
regions of the country, and created a professional National Guard to
replace the warring partisan units.[43]
Opposition to the occupation continued, however, and after World War I
it increased in the U.S. as well. There, President Warren G. Harding
(1921–23), Wilson's successor, worked to end the occupation, as he had
promised to do during his campaign. U.S. government ended in October
1922, and elections were held in March 1924.[43]
The victor was former president (1902–03) Horacio Vásquez Lajara, who
had cooperated with the U.S. He was inaugurated on July 13, and the last
U.S. forces left in September. Vásquez gave the country six years of
good government, in which political and civil rights were respected and
the economy grew strongly, in a peaceful atmosphere.[43][44]
The Trujillo Era
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 to
1961.When Vásquez attempted to win another term, opponents rebelled in
February, 1930, in secret alliance with the commander of the National
Army (the former National Guard), General Rafael Leonidas Trujillo
Molina, by which the latter remained 'neutral' in face of the rebellion.
Vásquez resigned. Trujillo then stood for election himself, and in May
was elected president virtually unopposed, after a violent campaign
against his opponents.[44]
There was considerable economic growth during Trujillo's long and
iron-fisted regime, although a great deal of the wealth was taken by the
dictator and other regime elements. There was progress in healthcare,
education, and transportation, with the building of hospitals and
clinics, schools, and roads and harbors. Trujillo also carried out an
important housing construction program and instituted a pension plan. He
finally negotiated an undisputed border with Haiti in 1935, and achieved
the end of the 50-year customs agreement in 1941, instead of 1956. He
made the country debt-free in 1947, a proud achievement for Dominicans
for decades to come.
This was accompanied by absolute repression and the copious use of
murder, torture, and terrorist methods against the opposition. Moreover,
Trujillo's megalomania was on display in his renaming after himself the
capital city Santo Domingo to "Ciudad Trujillo" (Trujillo City), the
nation's—and the Caribbean's—highest mountain Pico Duarte (Duarte Peak)
to "Pico Trujillo", and many towns and a province. Some other places he
renamed after members of his family. By the end of his first term in
1934 he was the country's wealthiest person,:p360 one of the
wealthiest in the world by the early 1950s,[45] and near the end of his
regime his fortune was an estimated $800 million.:p111
In 1937 Trujillo (who was himself one-quarter Haitian),[46] in an event
known as the Parsley Massacre or, in the Dominican Republic, as El Corte
(The Cutting),[47] ordered the Army to kill Haitians living on the
Dominican side of the border. The Army killed an estimated 17,000 to
35,000 Haitians over six days, from the night of October 2, 1937 through
October 8, 1937. To avoid leaving evidence of the Army's involvement,
the soldiers used machetes rather than bullets.[46][48] The soldiers
of Trujillo were said to have interrogated anyone with dark skin, using
the shibboleth perejil (parsley) to tell Haitians from Dominicans when
necessary; the 'r' of perejil was of difficult pronunciation for
Haitians.[47] As a result of the massacre, the Dominican Republic agreed
to pay Haiti US$750,000, later reduced to US$525,000.[44]
On November 25, 1960 Trujillo killed three of the four Mirabal sisters,
nicknamed Las Mariposas (The Butterflies). The victims were Patria
Mercedes Mirabal (born on February 27, 1924), Argentina Minerva Mirabal
(born on March 12, 1926), and Antonia María Teresa Mirabal (born on
October 15, 1935). Minerva was an aspiring lawyer who was extremely
opposed to Trujillo's dictatorship since Trujillo had begun to make rude
sexual advances towards her. The sisters have received many honors
posthumously, and have many memorials in various cities in the Dominican
Republic. Salcedo, their home province, changed its name to Hermanas
Mirabal Province (Mirabal Sisters Province). The International Day for
the Elimination of Violence against Women is observed on the anniversary
of their deaths.
For a long time, the US supported the Trujillo government, as did the
Catholic Church and the Dominican elite. This support persisted despite
the assassinations of political opposition, the massacre of Haitians,
and Trujillo's plots against other countries. The US believed Trujillo
was the lesser of two or more evils.[47] The U.S. finally broke with
Trujillo in 1960, after Trujillo's agents attempted to assassinate the
Venezuelan president, Rómulo Betancourt, a fierce critic of
Trujillo.[44][49] Trujillo was assassinated on May 30, 1961.[44]
Post-Trujillo
A democratically elected government under leftist Juan Bosch took office
in February, 1963, but was overthrown in September. After nineteen
months of military rule, a pro-Bosch revolt broke out in April, 1965.
U.S. president Lyndon Johnson, concerned over the possible takeover of
the revolt by communists who might create a "second Cuba", sent the
Marines days later, followed immediately by the Army's 82d Airborne
Division and other elements of the XVIIIth Airborne Corps in Operation
Powerpack. "We don't propose to sit here in a rocking chair with our
hands folded and let the Communist set up any government in the western
hemisphere", Johnson said.[50] The forces were soon joined by
comparatively small contingents from the Organization of American
States. All these remained in the country for over a year and left after
supervising elections in 1966 won by Joaquín Balaguer, who had been
Trujillo's last puppet-president.[51]
Balaguer remained in power as president for 12 years. His tenure was a
period of repression of human rights and civil liberties, ostensibly to
keep pro-Castro or pro-communist parties out of power. His rule was
further criticized for a growing disparity between rich and poor. It
was, however, praised for an ambitious infrastructure program, which
included large housing projects, sports complexes, theaters, museums,
aqueducts, roads, highways, and the massive Columbus Lighthouse,
completed in a subsequent tenure in 1992.
1978 to present
In 1978, Balaguer was succeeded in the presidency by opposition
candidate Antonio Guzmán Fernández, of the Dominican Revolutionary Party
(PRD). Another PRD win in 1982 followed, under Salvador Jorge Blanco.
Under the PRD presidents, the Dominican Republic experienced a period of
relative freedom and basic human rights. Balaguer regained the
presidency in 1986, and was re-elected in 1990 and 1994, this last time
just defeating PRD candidate José Francisco Peña Gómez, a former mayor
of Santo Domingo. The 1994 elections were flawed, bringing on
international pressure, to which Balaguer responded by scheduling
another presidential contest in 1996. This time Leonel Fernández
achieved the first-ever win for the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD),
which Bosch founded in 1973 after leaving the PRD (also founded by
Bosch). Fernández oversaw a fast-growing economy, averaging 7.7% per
year, with a drop in unemployment and stable exchange and inflation
rates.[52]
In 2000 the PRD's Hipólito Mejía won the election. This was a time of
economic troubles,[52] and Mejía was defeated in his re-election effort
four years later by Fernández, who won re-election in 2008. Fernández
and the PLD are credited with initiatives that have moved the country
forward technologically, such as the construction of the Metro Railway
("El Metro"). On the other hand, his administrations have also been
accused of corruption.[52]
Geography
Main article: Geography of the Dominican Republic
See also: Hydroelectricity and dams in the Dominican Republic
Map of the Dominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic is situated on the
eastern part of the second-largest island in the Greater Antilles,
Hispaniola. It shares the island roughly at a 2:1 ratio with Haiti. The
country's area is reported variously as 48,442 km² (by the embassy in
the United States) and 48,730 km² (by the U.S. CIA), ) making it the
second largest country in the Antilles, after Cuba. The country's
capital and greatest metropolitan area, Santo Domingo, is located on the
southern coast.
There are many small offshore islands and cays that are part of the
Dominican territory. The two largest islands near shore are Saona, in
the southeast, and Beata, in the southwest. To the north, at distances
of 100–200 kilometres (62–124 mi), are three extensive, largely
submerged banks, which geographically are a southeast continuation of
the Bahamas: Navidad Bank, Silver Bank, and Mouchoir Bank. Navidad Bank
and Silver Bank have been officially claimed by the Dominican Republic.
The country's mainland has four important mountain ranges. The most
northerly is the Cordillera Septentrional ("Northern Mountain Range"),
which extends from the northwestern coastal town of Monte Cristi, near
the Haitian border, to the Samaná Peninsula in the east, running
parallel to the Atlantic coast. The highest range in the Dominican
Republic — indeed, in the whole of the West Indies — is the Cordillera
Central ("Central Mountain Range"). It gradually bends southwards and
finishes near the town of Azua, on the Caribbean coast. In the
Cordillera Central are found the four highest peaks in the Caribbean:
Pico Duarte (3,098 metres / 10,164 feet) above sea level), La Pelona
(3,094 metres / 10,151 feet), La Rucilla (3,049 metres / 10,003 feet)
and Pico Yaque (2,760 metres / 9,055 feet).
Bust of Duarte on top of Pico Duarte, with La Pelona in the backgroundIn
the southwest corner of the country, south of the Cordillera Central,
there are two other ranges. The more northerly of the two is the Sierra
de Neiba, while in the south the Sierra de Bahoruco is a continuation of
the Massif de la Selle in Haiti. There are other, minor mountain ranges,
such as the Cordillera Oriental ("Eastern Mountain Range"), Sierra
Martín García, Sierra de Yamasá and Sierra de Samaná.
Between the Central and Northern mountain ranges lies the rich and
fertile Cibao valley. This major valley is home to the city of Santiago
and most of the farming areas in the nation. Rather less productive is
the semi-arid San Juan Valley, south of the Central Cordillera. Still
more arid is the Neiba Valley, tucked between the Sierra de Neiba and
the Sierra de Bahoruco. Much of the land in the Enriquillo Basin is
below sea level, with a hot, arid, desert-like environment. There are
other smaller valleys in the mountains, such as the Constanza,
Jarabacoa, Villa Altagracia, and Bonao valleys.
Cayo Levantado in Samana Bay is one of the many cays in the D.R.The
Llano Costero del Caribe ("Caribbean Coastal Plain") is the largest of
the plains in the Dominican Republic. Stretching north and east of Santo
Domingo, it contains many sugar plantations in the savannahs that are
common there. West of Santo Domingo its width is reduced to 10
kilometres (6.2 mi) as it hugs the coast, finishing at the mouth of the
Ocoa River. Another large plain is the Plena de Azua ("Azua Plain"), a
very dry region in Azua Province.
A few other small coastal plains are in the northern coast and in the
Pedernales Peninsula.
South shore of Lake Enriquillo, looking northward to the Sierra de
NeibaFour major rivers drain the numerous mountains of the Dominican
Republic. The Yaque del Norte is the longest and most important
Dominican river. It carries excess water down from the Cibao Valley and
empties into Monte Cristi Bay, in the northwest. Likewise, the Yuna
River serves the Vega Real and empties into Samaná Bay, in the
northeast. Drainage of the San Juan Valley is provided by the San Juan
River, tributary of the Yaque del Sur, which empties into the Caribbean,
in the south. The Artibonito is the longest river of Hispaniola and
flows westward into Haiti.
There are many lakes and coastal lagoons. The largest lake is
Enriquillo, a salt lake at 40 metres (131 ft) below sea level, the
lowest point in the Caribbean. Other important lakes are Laguna de
Rincón or Cabral, with freshwater, and Laguna de Oviedo, a lagoon with
brackish water.
Climate
Main article: Climate of the Dominican Republic
The climate of the Dominican Republic is mostly tropical. The annual
average temperature is 25 °C (77 °F). At higher elevations, the
temperature averages 18 °C (64.4 °F) while near sea level the average
temperature is 28 °C (82.4 °F). Low temperatures of 0 °C (32 °F) are
possible in the mountains while high temperatures of 40 °C (104 °F) are
possible in protected valleys. January and February are the coolest
months of the year, while August is the hottest month. Some snowflakes
can fall in rare occasions on the top of the Pico Duarte.[53]
The wet season along the northern coast lasts from November through
January. Elsewhere, the wet season stretches from May through November,
with May being the wettest month. Average annual rainfall is 1,500
millimetres (59.1 in) countrywide, with individual locations in the
Valle de Neiba seeing averages as low as 350 millimetres (13.8 in) while
the Cordillera Oriental averages 2,740 millimetres (107.9 in). The
driest part of the country lies in the west. Tropical cyclones strike
the country every couple of years, with 65 percent of the impacts along
the southern coast. Hurricanes are most likely between August and
October.[53] The last time a category 5 hurricane struck the country was
Hurricane David in 1979.[54]
Environmental issues
Bajos de Haina, 12 miles (19 km) west of Santo Domingo, was included on
the Blacksmith Institute's list of the world's 10 most polluted places,
released in October 2006, due to lead poisoning by a battery recycling
smelter closed in 1999. Cleanup of the site began in 2008, but children
continue to be born with high lead levels, causing learning
disabilities, impaired physical growth and kidney failure.[55][56]
Provinces and municipalities
Main articles: Provinces of the Dominican Republic and Municipalities of
the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is divided into 31 provinces. Santo Domingo, the
capital, is designated Distrito Nacional (National District). The
provinces are divided into municipalities (municipios; singular
municipio). They are the second-level political and administrative
subdivisions of the country.
Symbols and country's names
Some of the important symbols include the flag, the coat of arms, and
the national anthem, titled Himno Nacional. The flag has a large white
cross that divides it into four quarters. Two quarters are red and two
are blue. Red represents the blood shed by the liberators. Blue
expresses God's protection over the nation. The white cross symbolizes
the struggle of the liberators to bequeath future generations a free
nation. An alternate interpretation is that blue represents the ideals
of progress and liberty, whereas white symbolizes peace and unity
amongst Dominicans.[57] In the center of the cross is the Dominican coat
of arms, in the same colors as the national flag. The coat of arms
pictures a red, white and blue flag-draped shield with a Bible and
cross; the shield is surrounded by an olive branch (on the left) and a
palm branch (on the right). A blue ribbon above the shield reads, "Dios,
Patria, Libertad" (meaning "God, Fatherland, Liberty"). A red ribbon
under the shield reads, "República Dominicana" (meaning "Dominican
Republic"). Out of all the flags in the world, the depiction of a Bible
is unique to the Dominican flag.
The national flower is that of the West Indian Mahogany (Swietenia
mahagoni).[58] The national bird is the Cigua Palmera or Palmchat (Dulus
dominicus).[59]
For most of its history (up to independence) the colony was known as
Santo Domingo, the name of its present capital, and its patron
saint, Saint Dominic. The residents were called "Dominicanos"
(Dominicans), the adjective form of "Domingo", and the revolutionaries
named their newly independent country "La República Dominicana". At
present, the Dominican Republic is one of two nations worldwide (along
with the Central African Republic) with only a demonym-based name.[
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of the Dominican Republic
Population
The population of the Dominican Republic in 2007 was estimated by the
United Nations at 9,760,000,[61] which placed it number 82 in population
among the 193 nations of the world. In that year approximately 5% of the
population was over 65 years of age, while 35% of the population was
under 15 years of age. There were 103 males for every 100 females in the
country in 2007. According to the UN, the annual population growth rate
for 2006–2007 is 1.5%, with the projected population for the year 2015
at 10,121,000.
It was estimated by the Dominican government that the population density
in 2007 was 192 per km² (498 per sq mi), and 63% of the population lived
in urban areas. The southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley are
the most densely populated areas of the country. The capital city, Santo
Domingo, had a population of 3,014,000 in 2007. Other important cities
are Santiago de los Caballeros (pop. 756,098), La Romana (pop. 250,000),
San Pedro de Macorís, San Francisco de Macorís, Puerto Plata, and La
Vega. Per the United Nations, the urban population growth rate for
2000–2005 was 2.3%.[62]
Largest cities of the Dominican Republic by population[63] Rank City
Name Province Pop. Rank City Name Province Pop. view • talk • edit
Santo Domingo
Santiago
1 Santo Domingo Distrito Nacional 2,987,013 12 Los Alcarrizos Santo
Domingo 199,611
2 Santiago de los Caballeros Santiago 1,329,091 13 Higüey La Altagracia
141,751
3 Santo Domingo Oeste Santo Domingo 701,847 14 Moca Espaillat 131,733
4 Santo Domingo Este Santo Domingo 624,704 15 San Juan de la Maguana San
Juan 129,224
5 Santo Domingo Norte Santo Domingo 286,912 16 Bonao Monseñor Nouel
115,743
6 Puerto Plata Puerto Plata 277,981 17 Baní Peravia 107,926
7 La Romana La Romana 268,987 18 Boca Chica Santo Domingo 99,508
8 San Cristóbal San Cristóbal 220,767 19 Azua Azua 87,024
9 La Vega La Vega 220,279 20 Mao Valverde 81,845
10 San Pedro de Macorís San Pedro de Macorís 217,141 21 Barahona
Barahona 79,460
11 San Francisco de Macorís Duarte 198,068 22 Cotuí Sánchez Ramírez
78,149
Ethnicity
The ethnic composition of the Dominican population is 73% multiracial,
16% white, and 11% black. The multiracial population is primarily a
mixture of European and African, but there is as well a significant
Taíno element in the population; recent research has shown that at
least 15% of Dominicans have Taíno ancestry.[64] The country's
population also includes a large Haitian minority. Other ethnic groups
in the country include West Asians—mostly Lebanese, Syrians and
Palestinians.[65] A significant presence of East Asians, primarily
ethnic Chinese and Japanese, can also be found.[65] Europeans are
represented mostly by Spanish, German Jews, Italians, Portuguese,
British, Dutch, Danes, and Hungarians.[65][66][67] There are also tens
of thousands of US citizens.[68]
A system of racial stratification was imposed on Santo Domingo by Spain,
as elsewhere in the Spanish Empire. Its effects have
persisted, reaching their culmination in the antihaitianismo of the
Trujillo regime, as the dictator used racial persecution and
nationalistic fervor against Haitians.[47][69] A U.N. envoy in October
2007 found racism against blacks in general, and Haitians in particular,
to be rampant in every segment of Dominican society.[70] According to a
study by the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute, about 90% of the
contemporary Dominican population has West African ancestry to varying
degrees.[71] However, most Dominicans do not self-identify as black, in
contrast to people of West African ancestry in other countries. A
variety of terms are used to represent a range of skin tones, such as
moreno/a (brown), canelo/a (red/brown) ["cinnamon"], indio/a (Indian),
blanco/a oscuro/a (dark white), and trigueño/a (literally "wheat
colored", or olive skin).[72]
Ramona Hernández, director of the Dominican Studies Institute at City
College of New York asserts that the terms were originally a defense
against racism: "During the Trujillo regime, people who were dark
skinned were rejected, so they created their own mechanism to fight it."
She went on to explain, "When you ask, 'What are you?' they don't give
you the answer you want ... saying we don't want to deal with our
blackness is simply what you want to hear."[73]
Religion
Main article: Religion in the Dominican Republic
A typical painting of oil on canvas made in Dominican RepublicThe
Dominican Republic is 95.2% Christian, including 88.6% Roman Catholic
and 4.2% Protestant. Recent immigration, as well as proselytizing, has
brought other religions, with the following shares of the population:
Spiritist: 2.2%,[74] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
1.1%,[75] Buddhist: 0.10%, Bahá'í: 0.1%,[74] Islam: 0.02%, Judaism:
0.01%, Chinese Folk Religion: 0.1%.[74] There is an unknown number of
voodoo practitioners.
The nation has two patroness saints: Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia
(Our Lady Of High Grace) is the patroness of the Dominican people, and
Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes (Our Lady Of Mercy) is the patroness of
the Dominican Republic.
The Catholic Church began to lose popularity in the late 19th century.
This was due to a lack of funding, of priests, and of support programs.
During the same time, the Protestant evangelical movement began to gain
support. Religious tension between Catholics and Protestants in the
country has been rare.
There has always been religious freedom throughout the entire country.
Not until the 1950s were restrictions placed upon churches by Trujillo.
Letters of protest were sent against the mass arrests of government
adversaries. Trujillo began a campaign against the church and planned to
arrest priests and bishops who preached against the government. This
campaign ended before it was even put into place, with his
assassination.
Judaism appeared in the Dominican Republic in the late 1930s. During
World War II, a group of Jews escaping Nazi Germany fled to the
Dominican Republic and founded the city of Sosúa. It has remained the
center of the Jewish population since.[76]
Languages
Main article: Dominican Spanish
The Dominican Republic is almost entirely Spanish speaking. Due to
long-standing and ongoing immigration from Haiti, Haitian Creole is
spoken by several hundred thousand Haitian immigrants and their
descendants. There is a community of about 8,000 speakers of Samaná
English in the Samaná Peninsula. They are the descendants of formerly
enslaved African Americans who arrived in the 19th century.[77] Tourism,
American pop culture, the influence of Dominican Americans, and the
country's economic ties with the United States motivate other Dominicans
to learn English. French is also spoken by a good portion of the
population.
Education
Primary education is officially free and compulsory for children between
the ages of 5 and 14, although those who live in isolated areas have
limited access to schooling. Primary schooling is followed by a two-year
intermediate school and a four-year secondary course, after which a
diploma called the bachillerato (high school diploma) is awarded.
Relatively few lower-income students succeed in reaching this level, due
to financial hardships and limitation due to location. Most of the
wealthier students attend private schools, which are frequently
sponsored by religious institutions. Some public and private vocational
schools are available, particularly in the field of agriculture, but
this too reaches only a tiny percentage of the population.[78]
Health
In 2007 the Dominican Republic had a birth rate of 22.91 per 1000, and a
death rate of 5.32 per 1000.
The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the Dominican Republic in 2003 stood at an
estimated 1.7 percent, with an estimated 88,000 HIV/AIDS-positive
Dominicans.[79] A mission based in the United States is helping to
combat AIDS in the Dominican Republic.[80] Dengue is endemic to the
country, and there are cases of malaria.[81]
The practice of abortion is illegal in all cases in the Dominican
Republic, a ban that includes conceptions following rape, incest, and in
situations where the health of the mother is in danger. This ban was
reiterated by the Dominican government in a September 2009 provision of
a constitutional reform bill.[82]
Crime
The Dominican Republic has become a trans-shipment point for Colombian
drugs destined to Europe as well as the United States and Canada.[83]
Money laundering via the Dominican Republic is favored by Colombian drug
cartels for the ease of illicit financial transactions. In 2004 it was
estimated that 8% of all cocaine smuggled into the United States had
come through the Dominican Republic.[84] The Dominican Republic
responded with increased efforts to seize drug shipments, arrest and
extradite those involved, and combat money-laundering.
Immigration
Main article: Japanese settlement in the Dominican Republic
Main article: History of the Jews in the Dominican Republic
In the 20th century, many Arabs (primarily from Lebanon and Syria),
Japanese, and, to a lesser degree, Koreans settled in the country as
agricultural laborers and merchants. The Chinese, who were fleeing the
Chinese Communist People's Liberation Army (PLA), found work in mines
and building railroads. The current Chinese Dominican population totals
50,000. The Arab community is rising at an increasing
rate. Estimates are at 3,400. Japanese immigrants, who
mostly work in the business districts and markets, are at an estimate of
1,900 living in the country. The Korean presence is
minor but evident, at a population of 500.
In addition, there are descendants of immigrants who came from other
Caribbean islands, including St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, Antigua, St.
Vincent, Montserrat, Tortola, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Martinique, and
Guadeloupe. They worked on sugarcane plantations and docks and settled
mainly in the cities of San Pedro de Macoris and Puerto Plata. They are
believed to number 28,000. Before and during World War II 800 Jewish
refugees moved to the Dominican Republic.[85]
Illegal Haitian immigration
A border watch tower to control illegal immigration from Haiti, located
in the Cordillera Central, Dominican RepublicHaiti is much poorer than
the Dominican Republic. In 2003, 80% of all Haitians were poor (54% in
abject poverty) and 47.1% were illiterate. The country of nine million
people has a fast-growing population, but over two-thirds of the labor
force lack formal jobs. Haiti's per capita GDP (PPP) was $1,300 in 2008,
or less than one-sixth of the Dominican figure.[86] As a result,
hundreds of thousands of Haitians have migrated to the Dominican
Republic, with some estimates of 800,000 Haitians in the country,
while others put the Haitian-born population as high as one million.[87]
They usually work at low-paying and unskilled jobs in building
construction, household cleaning, and in sugar plantations.[88]
Children of illegal Haitian immigrants are often stateless and denied
services, as their parents are denied Dominican nationality because they
are deemed to be transient residents, due to their illegal or
undocumented status, and the children, though often eligible for Haitian
nationality,[89] are denied it by Haiti because of a lack of proper
documents or witnesses.[90][91][92][93]
A large number of Haitian women, often arriving with several health
problems, cross the border to Dominican soil during their last weeks of
pregnancy to obtain much-needed medical attention for childbirth, since
Dominican public hospitals do not refuse medical services based on
nationality or legal status. Statistics from a hospital in Santo Domingo
report that over 22% of childbirths are by Haitian mothers.[94]
In 2005 Dominican President Leonel Fernández criticized collective
expulsions of Haitians as having taken place "in an abusive and inhuman
way".[95] After a UN delegation issued a preliminary report stating that
it found a profound problem of racism and discrimination against people
of Haitian origins, Dominican Foreign Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso
issued a formal statement denouncing it and asserting that "Our border
with Haiti has its problems, this is our reality and it must be
understood. It is important not to confuse national sovereignty with
indifference, and not to confuse security with xenophobia".[96]
Emigration
Main article: Dominican American
Main article: Dominican immigration to Puerto Rico
The first of three, late-20th century emigration waves began in 1961,
after the assassination of dictator Trujillo,[97] due to fear of
retaliation by Trujillo's allies, and political uncertainty in general.
In 1965, the United States began a military occupation of the Dominican
Republic to end a civil war. Upon this, the U.S. eased travel
restrictions, making it easier for Dominicans to obtain U.S. visas.[98]
From 1966 to 1978, the exodus continued, fueled by high unemployment and
political repression. Communities established by the first wave of
immigrants to the U.S. created a network that assisted subsequent
arrivals. In the early 1980s, underemployment, inflation, and the rise
in value of the dollar all contributed to a third wave of emigration
from the island nation. Today, emigration from the Dominican Republic
remains high.[99] In 2006, there were approximately 1.3 million people
of Dominican descent in the US, counting both native- and
foreign-born.
Culture
Carnaval of La Vega, one of the most famous carnivals in the countryMain
article: Culture of the Dominican Republic
The culture and people of the Dominican Republic, like its Spanish
Caribbean neighbors, is a blend of the cultures of the Spanish
colonists, African slaves, and Taíno natives. European, African and
Taíno cultural elements are most prominent in food, family structure,
religion and music. Many Arawak/Taíno names and words are used in daily
conversation and for many foods native to the Dominican Republic.
Cuisine
Main article: Cuisine of the Dominican Republic
Dominican cuisine is predominantly Spanish, Taíno, and African. The
typical cuisine is quite similar to what can be found in other Latin
American countries, but many of the names of dishes are different. One
breakfast dish consists of eggs and mangú (mashed, boiled plantain), a
dish that the Dominican Republic shares with Cuba and Puerto Rico. For
heartier versions, mangú is accompanied by deep-fried meat (Dominican
salami, typically) and/or cheese. Similarly to Spain, lunch is generally
the largest and most important meal of the day. Lunch usually consists
of rice, meat (such as chicken, beef, pork, or fish), beans, and a side
portion of salad. "La Bandera" (literally "The Flag") is the most
popular lunch dish; it consists of meat and red beans on white rice.
Sancocho is a stew often made with seven varieties of meat.
Meals tend to favor starches and meats over dairy products and
vegetables. Many dishes are made with sofrito, which is a mix of local
herbs and spices sautéed to bring out all of the dish's flavors.
Throughout the south-central coast, bulgur, or whole wheat, is a main
ingredient in quipes or tipili (bulgur salad). Other favorite Dominican
foods are chicharrón, yuca, casabe, pastelitos (empanadas), batata, yam,
pasteles en hoja, chimichurris, tostones. Some treats Dominicans enjoy
are arroz con dulce (or arroz con leche), bizcocho dominicano (lit.
Dominican cake), habichuelas con dulce, flan, frío frío (snow cones),
dulce de leche, and caña (sugarcane). The beverages Dominicans enjoy
include Morir Soñando, rum, beer, Mama Juana, batida (smoothie), jugos
naturales (freshly squeezed fruit juices), mabí, coffee, and chaca (also
called maiz con dulce and maiz con leche), the last item being only
found in the southern provinces of the country such as San Juan.
Music
Main article: Music of the Dominican Republic
Musically, the Dominican Republic is known for the creation of the
musical style called merengue,[100]:376–7 a type of lively, fast-paced
rhythm and dance music consisting of a tempo of about 120 to 160 beats
per minute (though it varies) based on musical elements like drums,
brass, chorded instruments, and accordion, as well as some elements
unique to the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, such as the tambora and güira.
Its syncopated beats use Latin percussion, brass instruments, bass, and
piano or keyboard. Between 1937 and 1950 merengue music was promoted
internationally by Dominicans groups like Billo's Caracas Boys,
Chapuseaux and Damiron "Los Reyes del Merengue", Joseito Mateo, and
others. Radio, television, and international media popularized it
further. Some well-known merengue performers include Johnny Ventura,
singer/songwriter Juan Luis Guerra, Fernando Villalona, Eddy Herrera,
Sergio Vargas, Toño Rosario, Milly Quezada, and Chichí Peralta. Merengue
became popular in the United States, mostly on the East Coast, during
the 1980s and 90s,[100]:375 when many Dominican artists, among them
Victor Roque y La Gran Manzana, Henry Hierro, Zacarias Ferreira,
Aventura, Milly, and Jocelyn Y Los Vecinos, residing in the U.S.
(particularly New York) started performing in the Latin club scene and
gained radio airplay. The emergence of bachata, along with an increase
in the number of Dominicans living among other Latino groups in New
York, New Jersey, and Florida have contributed to Dominican music's
overall growth in popularity.[100]:378
Dominican singer Juan Luis Guerra in concert, 2005Bachata, a form of
music and dance that originated in the countryside and rural marginal
neighborhoods of the Dominican Republic, has become quite popular in
recent years. Its subjects are often romantic; especially prevalent are
tales of heartbreak and sadness. In fact, the original name for the
genre was amargue ("bitterness", or "bitter music", or blues music),
until the rather ambiguous (and mood-neutral) term bachata became
popular. Bachata grew out of, and is still closely related to, the
pan-Latin American romantic style called bolero. Over time, it has been
influenced by merengue and by a variety of Latin American guitar styles.
Dominican rock is also popular to some people. Many, if
not the majority, of its performers are based in Santo Domingo.
Particularly among the young, rap has been growing in popularity in
recent years. Also known as Rap del Patio ("yard rap"), Dominican rap is
created by Dominican crews and solo artists. Originating in the early
2000s with crews such as Charles Family, successful rappers such as
Lapiz Conciente, Vakero, Toxic Crow, and R-1 emerged. The youth have
embraced the music, sometimes over merengue, merengue típico, bachata,
as well as salsa, and, most recently, reggaeton. Dominican rap differs
from reggaeton in the fact that Dominican rap does not use the
traditional Dem Bow rhythm frequently used in reggaeton, instead using
more hip hop-influenced beats.
Sports
Main article: Sports in the Dominican Republic
Dominican native and Major League Baseball player Albert PujolsBaseball
is by far the most popular sport in the Dominican Republic.[100]:59 The
country has a baseball league of six teams.[101] Its season usually
begins in October and ends in January. After the United States, the
Dominican Republic has the second-highest number of Major League
Baseball (MLB) players. Ozzie Virgil, Sr. became the
first Dominican to play in the league.[when?] A few of the others born
in the Dominican Republic are: Julian Javier, Pedro Martinez, Manny
Ramirez, Hanley Ramirez, David Ortiz, Albert Pujols, Juan Marichal (a
Baseball Hall of Fame member[102]), and Sammy Sosa. Felipe Alou has also
enjoyed success as a manager, and Omar Minaya as a
general manager.
In boxing, the country has produced scores of world-class fighters and
several world champions.[103] Basketball also enjoys a relatively high
level of popularity. Al Horford, Felipe Lopez, and Francisco Garcia are
among the Dominican-born players currently or formerly in the National
Basketball Association (NBA). Olympic gold medalist and world champion
hurdler Félix Sánchez hails from the Dominican Republic, as does NFL
defensive end Luis Castillo.[104]
The Dominican Republic also regards football (soccer) as its third most
popular sport, after baseball and basketball.
Volleyball, which was introduced in 1916 by US marines, is controlled by
the Dominican Volleyball Federation. Other sports include Tae Kwon Do,
in which Gabriel Mercedes is an Olympic silver medalist; and Judo.[105]
Government and politics
National Palace in Santo DomingoMain article: Government of the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a representative democracy or democratic
republic, with three branches of power: executive, legislative, and
judicial. The President of the Dominican Republic heads the executive
branch and executes laws passed by the Congress, appoints the Cabinet,
and is commander in chief of the armed forces. The president and
vice-president run for office on the same ticket and are elected by
direct vote for 4-year terms. The national legislature is bicameral,
composed of a Senate, which has 32 members, and the Chamber of Deputies,
with 178 members. Judicial authority rests with the Supreme Court of
Justice's 16-members. They are appointed by a council composed of the
President, the leaders of both houses of Congress, the President of the
Supreme Court, and an opposition or non–governing-party member. The
Court "alone hears actions against the president, designated members of
his Cabinet, and members of Congress when the legislature is in
session."
The president appoints the governors of the thirty-one provinces. Mayors
and municipal councils administer the 124 municipal districts and the
National District (Santo Domingo). They are elected at the same time as
congressional representatives.
The Dominican Republic has a multi-party political system. Elections are
held every two years, alternating between the Presidential elections,
which are held in years evenly divisible by four, and the Congressional
and municipal elections, which are held in even-numbered years not
divisible by four. "International observers have found that presidential
and congressional elections since 1996 have been generally free and
fair." The Central Elections Board (JCE) of 9 members supervises
elections, and its decisions are unappealable.
There are many political parties and advocacy groups and, new on the
scene, civil organizations. The three major parties are the conservative
Social Christian Reformist Party (Spanish: Partido Reformista Social
Cristiano [PRSC]), in power 1966–78 and 1986–96; the social democratic
Dominican Revolutionary Party (Spanish: Partido Revolucionario
Dominicano [PRD]), in power in 1963, 1978–86, and 2000–04); and the
originally leftist, increasingly conservative Dominican Liberation Party
(Spanish: Partido de la Liberación Dominicana [PLD]), in power 1996–2000
and since 2004.
The presidential elections of 2008 were held on May 16, 2008, with
incumbent Leonel Fernández winning with 53% of the vote.[106] He
defeated Miguel Vargas Maldonado, of the PRD, who achieved a 40.48%
share of the vote. Amable Aristy, of the PRSC, achieved 4.59% of the
vote. Other minority candidates, which includes former Attorney General
Guillermo Moreno from the Movement for Independence, Unity and Change
(Movimiento Independencia, Unidad y Cambio [MIUCA]) and PRSC former
presidential candidate and defector Eduardo Estrella obtained less than
1% of the vote.
Economy
Santo Domingo, the capital of the Republic and its largest city.See
also: Economy of the Dominican Republic
See also: Dominican Peso
The Dominican Republic has the second largest economy (the largest,
according to the U.S. State Department) in Central America and the
Caribbean. It is an upper middle-income developing country,[107] with a
2007 GDP per capita of $9,208, in PPP terms, which is relatively high in
Latin America. In the trimester of January–March 2007 it experienced an
exceptional growth of 9.1% in its GDP, which was actually below the
previous year's 10.9% in the same period. Growth was led by imports,
followed by exports, with finance and foreign investment the next
largest factors.[108]
Santiago de los Caballeros, the second largest city in the countryThe
D.R. is primarily dependent on natural resources and government
services. Although the service sector has recently overtaken agriculture
as the leading employer of Dominicans (due principally to growth in
tourism and Free Trade Zones), agriculture remains the most important
sector in terms of domestic consumption and is in second place, behind
mining, in terms of export earnings. The service sector in general has
experienced growth in recent years, as has construction. Free Trade Zone
earnings and tourism are the fastest-growing export sectors. Real estate
tourism alone accounted for $1.5 billion in earnings for 2007.[109]
Remittances from Dominicans living abroad amounted to nearly $3.2
billion in 2007.
The Naco sector, in Santo Domingo, with a view of Tiradentes
AvenueEconomic growth takes place in spite of a chronic energy
shortage,[110] which causes frequent blackouts and very high prices.
Despite a widening merchandise trade deficit, tourism earnings and
remittances have helped build foreign exchange reserves. The Dominican
Republic is current on foreign private debt.
Following economic turmoil in the late 1980s and 1990, during which the
gross domestic product (GDP) fell by up to 5% and consumer price
inflation reached an unprecedented 100%, the Dominican Republic entered
a period of growth and declining inflation until 2002, after which the
economy entered a recession.
La Trinitaria in Santiago de Los Caballeros is an area of increasing
development.This recession followed the collapse of the second-largest
commercial bank in the country, Baninter, linked to a major incident of
fraud valued at $3.5 billion, during the administration of President
Hipólito Mejía (2000–2004). The Baninter fraud had a devastating effect
on the Dominican economy, with GDP dropping by 1% in 2003 while
inflation ballooned by over 27%. All defendants, including the star of
the trial, Ramon Baez Figueroa, were found guilty and convicted; one
subpoena failed to be delivered upon the United States denial of
extradition.
According to the 2005 Annual Report of the United Nations Subcommittee
on Human Development in the Dominican Republic, the country is ranked
#71 in the world for resource availability, #79 for human development,
and #14 in the world for resource mismanagement. These statistics
emphasize national government corruption, foreign economic interference
in the country, and the rift between the rich and poor.
Currency
The Dominican peso (DOP, or RD$)[111] is the national currency, although
United States dollars (USD) and the euro (EUR) are also accepted at most
tourist sites. The U.S. dollar is implicated in almost all commercial
transactions of the Dominican Republic; such dollarization is common in
high inflation economies. The peso was worth the same as the USD until
the 1980s, but has depreciated. The exchange rate in 1993 was 14.00
pesos per USD and 16.00 pesos in 2000, but it jumped to 53.00 pesos per
USD in 2003. In 2004, the exchange rate was back down to around 31.00
pesos per USD. As of February 2009 the exchange rate was 1 DOP = 0.0281
USD, i.e. 35.65 DOP per USD; 1 DOP = 0.022 euro (EUR, or €); and 1 DOP =
2.74 Japanese yen (JPY, or ¥).[111]
Tourism
The green mountain hills of the Dominican Republic, ideal for biking and
bird-watching, are major tourist attractions.Tourism is fueling the
Dominican Republic's economic growth. For example, the contribution of
travel and tourism to employment is expected to rise from 550,000 jobs
in 2008—14.4% of total employment or 1 in every 7 jobs—to 743,000
jobs—14.2% of total employment or 1 in every 7.1 jobs by 2018.[112] With
the construction of projects like Cap Cana, San Souci Port in Santo
Domingo, and Moon Palace Resort in Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic
expects increased tourism activity in the upcoming year. Ecotourism has
been a topic increasingly important in the nation, with towns like
Jarabacoa and neighboring Constanza, and locations like the Pico Duarte,
Bahia de Las Aguilas and others becoming more significant in efforts to
increase direct benefits from tourism.
Services and transportation
Main articles: Transportation in the Dominican Republic and List of
airports in the Dominican Republic
Boeing 737-800 at Cibao International Airport in SantiagoCommunications
Main article: Communications in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has a well-developed telecommunications
infrastructure, with extensive mobile phone and landline services. Cable
Internet and DSL are available in most parts of the country, and many
Internet service providers offer 3G wireless internet service. The
reported speeds are from 256 kbit/s / 128 kbit/s for residential
services, up to 5 Mbit/s / 1 Mbit/s for residential service. For
commercial service there are speeds from 256 kbit/s up to 154 Mbit/s.
(Each set of numbers denotes downstream/upstream speed; i.e. to the
user/from the user.) Projects to extend Wi-Fi hot spots have been made
in Santo Domingo. The country's commercial radio stations and television
stations are in the process of transferring to the digital spectrum, via
HD Radio and HDTV. The telecommunications regulator in the country is
INDOTEL (Instituto Dominicano de Telecomunicaciones).
The largest telecommunications company is Claro Codetel, a provider of
wireless, landline, broadband, and IPTV services which is part of Carlos
Slim Helú's América Móvil.
Indotel reports that as of June 5, 2009 there are more than 8 million
phone line subscribers (land and cell users) in the D.R., representing
81% of the country's population and a fivefold increase since the year
2000, when there were 1.6 million. The communications sector generates
about 3.0% of the GDP.[113] Indotel reports 6,807,831 prepaid and just
under a million (994,027) post-pay (under-contract) cell user accounts.
For fixed phone lines (non-cell) it reports 678,901 dedicated lines in
use for residential services. For business lines it reports 266,341. For
public phones/services it reports 13,639. As of the second quarter of
2008, there are no more analog lines in the trunk services by local
providers. Indotel reports 2,439,997 Internet users in the country for
the end of March 2009.[114]
In November 2009, the Dominican Republic became the first Latin American
country to pledge to include a "gender perspective" in every information
and communications technology (ICT) initiative and policy developed by
the government.[115] The Dominican Republic is leading Latin American
governments’ thinking around gender and technology as part of the
regional eLAC2010 plan. The tool the Dominicans have chosen to design
and evaluate all the public policies is the APC Gender Evaluation
Methodology (GEM).
Electricity
Electric power service has been unreliable since the Trujillo era, and
as much as 75% of the equipment is that old. Sometimes the power goes
out every day. The country's antiquated power grid
causes transmission losses which account for a large share of billed
electricity from generators. The privatization of the sector started
under a previous administration of Leonel Fernández.[52] The recent
investment in a "Santo Domingo-Santiago Electrical Highway" to carry 345
KV power,[116] with reduced losses in transmission, is being heralded as
a major capital improvement to the national grid since the mid-1960s.
During the Trujillo regime, electrical service was introduced to many
cities; still, almost 95% of usage was not billed at all. Around half of
the Dominican Republic's 2.1 million houses have no meters and so most
do not pay or just pay a fixed monthly rate for their electric
service.[117]
Household and general electrical service is delivered at 110 volts
alternating at 60 Hz; electrically powered items from the United States
work with no modifications. The majority of the country has access to
electricity. Still, in 2007 some areas have outages lasting as long as
20 hours a day. Tourist areas tend to have more reliable power, as do
business, travel, healthcare, and vital infrastructure. The situation
improved in 2006, with 200 circuits (40% of the total) providing
permanent electricity, as 85% of electric demand overall was met and
blackouts were reduced from 6.3 hours per day to 3.7.
Concentrated efforts were announced to increase efficiency of delivery
to places where the collection rate reached 70%.[118] The electricity
sector is highly politicized. Some generating companies are
undercapitalized and at times unable to purchase adequate fuel supplies.
Transportation
Main article: Highways and Routes in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has five major highways, which take travelers to
every important town in the country. The three major highways are DR-1,
DR-2, and DR-3, which go to the northern, southwestern, and eastern
parts of the country, respectively. There is a new, 106-kilometer toll
road that connects Santo Domingo with the country's northeastern
peninsula. Travelers may now arrive in the Samaná Peninsula in less than
two hours. Most routes interconnecting small towns in the country are
unpaved, but improving.
The Santo Domingo Metro is the first mass transit system in the country,
and second in the Caribbean and Central American nations, after the Tren
Urbano in San Juan, Puerto Rico. On February 27, 2008 president Leonel
Fernández test rode the system for the first time and free service was
offered thereafter several times. Commercial service started on January
30, 2009. Several additional lines are currently being planned. The
Santiago light rail system is in planning stages.
There are two transportation services in the Dominican Republic: one
controlled by the government, through the Oficina Técnica de Transito
Terrestre (O.T.T.T.) and the Oficina Metropolitana de Servicios de
Autobuses (OMSA); and the other controlled by private business, among
them, Federación Nacional de Transporte La Nueva Opción (FENATRANO) and
the Confederacion Nacional de Transporte (CONATRA). The government
transportation system covers large routes in metropolitan areas, such as
Santo Domingo and Santiago.
Military
Main article: Military of the Dominican Republic
Congress authorizes a combined military force of 44,000 active duty
personnel. Actual active duty strength is approximately 32,000. However,
approximately 50% of those are used for non-military activities such as
security providers for government-owned non-military facilities, highway
toll stations, prisons, forestry work, state enterprises, and private
businesses. The Commander in Chief of the military is the President. The
principal missions are to defend the nation and protect the territorial
integrity of the country. The army, larger than the other services
combined with approximately 20,000 active duty personnel, consists of
six infantry brigades, a combat support brigade, and a combat service
support brigade. The air force operates two main bases, one in the
southern region near Santo Domingo and one in the northern region near
Puerto Plata. The navy operates two major naval bases, one in Santo
Domingo and one in Las Calderas on the southwestern coast, and maintains
12 operational vessels. In the Caribbean, only Cuba has a larger
military force.
The armed forces have organized a Specialized Airport Security Corps
(CESA) and a Specialized Port Security Corps (CESEP) to meet
international security needs in these areas. The Secretary of the Armed
Forces has also announced plans to form a specialized border corps
(CESEF). Additionally, the armed forces provide 75% of personnel to the
National Investigations Directorate (DNI) and the Counter-Drug
Directorate (DNCD).
The Dominican National Police force contains 32,000 agents. The police
are not part of the Dominican armed forces, but share some overlapping
security functions. Sixty-three percent of the force serve in areas
outside traditional police functions, similar to the situation of their
military counterparts.
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