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Compare Bahamas, The (2005) - Dominican Republic (2002)

Compare Bahamas, The (2005) z Dominican Republic (2002)

 Bahamas, The (2005)Dominican Republic (2002)
 Bahamas, TheDominican Republic
Administrative divisions 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay 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
Age structure 0-14 years: 27.9% (male 42,142/female 42,096)


15-64 years: 65.9% (male 97,865/female 101,047)


65 years and over: 6.2% (male 7,616/female 11,024) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 33.7% (male 1,503,344; female 1,439,157)


15-64 years: 61.3% (male 2,720,308; female 2,621,539)


65 years and over: 5% (male 206,556; female 230,690) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products citrus, vegetables; poultry sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs
Airports 63 (2004 est.) 29 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 29


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 14


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 13


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 34


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
total: 17


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 10 (2002)
Area total: 13,940 sq km


land: 10,070 sq km


water: 3,870 sq km
total: 48,730 sq km


land: 48,380 sq km


water: 350 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Connecticut slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Background Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US. Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of its subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin BALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has had one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere.
Birth rate 17.87 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 24.4 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $1 billion


expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $106.7 million (FY03/04)
revenues: $2.9 billion


expenditures: $3.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (2001 est.)
Capital Nassau Santo Domingo
Climate tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Coastline 3,542 km 1,288 km
Constitution 10 July 1973 28 November 1966
Country name conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas


conventional short form: The Bahamas
conventional long form: Dominican Republic


conventional short form: none


local long form: Republica Dominicana


local short form: none
Currency - Dominican peso (DOP)
Death rate 8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 4.68 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $308.5 million (2002) $5.4 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ROOD


embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau


mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370


telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)


FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222
chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL


embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo


mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500


telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171


FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS


chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660


FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668


consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo GUILIANI Cury


chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280


FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Jacksonville, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)


consulate(s): Mobile and Ponce (Puerto Rico)
Disputes - international have not been able to agree on the alignment of a maritime boundary with the US; continues to monitor and interdict Haitian refugees fleeing economic privation and political instability none
Economic aid - recipient $9.8 million (1995) $239.6 million (1995) (1995)
Economy - overview The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the US economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in these sectors in 2001-03. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors. In addition to tourism and banking, the government supports the development of a "third pillar," e-commerce. The Dominican economy experienced dramatic growth over the last decade, even though the economy was hit hard by Hurricane Georges in 1998. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoy 40% of national income. A US $500 million foreign bond issue in September 2001 will contribute to increased public investment spending.
Electricity - consumption 1.596 billion kWh (2002) 8,812.029 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 1.716 billion kWh (2002) 9.475 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 87%


hydro: 13%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m


highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
Environment - current issues coral reef decay; solid waste disposal water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3% white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%
Exchange rates Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000) Dominican pesos per US dollar - 17.310 (January 2002), 16.952 (2001), 16.415 (2000), 16.033 (1999), 15.267 (1998), 14.265 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002) and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
chief of state: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2004)


election results: Raphael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez elected president; percent of vote - Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (PRD) 49.87%, Danilo MEDINA (PLD) 24.95%, Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 24.6%
Exports transhipments of 29,000 bbl/day (2003) $5.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals; fruit and vegetables ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods
Exports - partners US 40.2%, Poland 13.3%, Spain 11.6%, Germany 5.9%, France 4.3% (2004) US 87.3%, Netherlands 1.1%, Canada 0.7%, France 0.7% (2000 est.)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms is at the center of the cross
GDP - purchasing power parity - $50 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3%


industry: 7%


services: 90% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 11%


industry: 34%


services: 55% (2000) (2000)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3% (2004 est.) 1.5% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 15 N, 76 00 W 19 00 N, 70 40 W
Geography - note strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)
Heliports 1 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 2,693 km


paved: 1,546 km


unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)
total: 12,600 km


paved: 6,224 km


unpaved: 6,376 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: 27% (2000)
lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 40% (1989) (1989)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions
Imports NA $8.7 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners US 22.4%, South Korea 18.9%, Brazil 9.2%, Japan 7.9%, Italy 7.8%, Venezuela 6.6% (2004) US 60.5%, Japan 10.4%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3% (2000 est.)
Independence 10 July 1973 (from UK) 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
Industrial production growth rate NA 2% (2001 est.)
Industries tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco
Infant mortality rate total: 25.21 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 31.02 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 19.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
33.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.2% (year ending September 2004) 5% (2001 est.)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM, IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) ACP, Caricom (observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 24 (2000)
Irrigated land NA 2,590 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are elected by a Council made up of members of the legislative and executive branches with the president presiding)
Labor force 156,000 (1999) 2.3 million - 2.6 million
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (1999 est.) services and government 59%, industry 24%, agriculture 17% (1998 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 360 km


border countries: Haiti 360 km
Land use arable land: 0.8%


permanent crops: 0.4%


other: 98.8% (2001)
arable land: 21.08%


permanent crops: 9.92%


other: 69% (1998 est.)
Languages English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants) Spanish
Legal system based on English common law based on French civil codes
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time


elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%, independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (149 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 24, PLD 3, PRSC 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17
Life expectancy at birth total population: 65.54 years


male: 62.11 years


female: 69.04 years (2005 est.)
total population: 73.68 years


male: 71.57 years


female: 75.91 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 95.6%


male: 94.7%


female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 82.1%


male: 82%


female: 82.2% (1995 est.)
Location Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba 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 Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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
Merchant marine total: 1,119


by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 183, cargo 259, chemical tanker 54, combination ore/oil 17, container 74, liquefied gas 28, livestock carrier 2, passenger 116, passenger/cargo 40, petroleum tanker 168, refrigerated cargo 130, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 24


foreign-owned: 968 (Angola 4, Australia 4, Belgium 17, Canada 9, China 3, Croatia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 13, Denmark 18, Estonia 1, Finland 7, France 28, Germany 15, Greece 194, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 1, Italy 7, Japan 49, Jordan 2, Kenya 1, Latvia 1, Malaysia 12, Monaco 15, Netherlands 24, New Zealand 1, Nigeria 2, Norway 229, Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia 12, Serbia & Montenegro 2, Singapore 11, Slovenia 1, South Korea 1, Spain 6, Sweden 9, Switzerland 4, Thailand 1, Trinidad & Tobago 2, Turkey 7, UAE 12, United Kingdom 55, United States 154, Uruguay 2)


registered in other countries: 35 (2005)
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT


ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Royal Bahamaian Defense Force (naval forces) (2004) Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA $180 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 1.1% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 2,323,088 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,455,887 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 87,404 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 10 July (1973) Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Nationality noun: Bahamian(s)


adjective: Bahamian
noun: Dominican(s)


adjective: Dominican
Natural hazards hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts
Natural resources salt, aragonite, timber, arable land nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Net migration rate -2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -3.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km
Political parties and leaders Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE] Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hatuey DE CAMPS]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Collective of Popular Organizations or COP
Population 301,790


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)
8,721,594 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 25%
Population growth rate 0.67% (2005 est.) 1.61% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios - 1.44 million (1997)
Railways - total: 757 km


standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad)


narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominican Republic Government Railway)


miscellaneous gauge: 240 km operated by sugar companies in various gauges (0.558-m, 0.762-m, 1.067-m gauges) (2000 est.)
Religions Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census) Roman Catholic 95%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age


note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
Telephone system general assessment: modern facilities


domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed


international: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)
general assessment: NA


domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave radio relay network


international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 131,700 (2003) 709,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 121,800 (2002) 130,149 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 2 (2004) 25 (1997)
Terrain long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
Total fertility rate 2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.) 2.94 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 10.2% (2004 est.) 15% (2001 est.)
Waterways - none
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