Dominican Republic (2002) | Gibraltar (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 29 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Age structure | 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.) |
0-14 years:
18.73% (male 2,652; female 2,528) 15-64 years: 66.33% (male 9,473; female 8,866) 65 years and over: 14.94% (male 1,733; female 2,397) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs | none |
Airports | 29 (2001) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | 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) |
total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 17
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 10 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 48,730 sq km
land: 48,380 sq km water: 350 sq km |
total:
6.5 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire | about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a 1967 referendum, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. |
Birth rate | 24.4 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 11.25 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $2.9 billion
expenditures: $3.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (2001 est.) |
revenues:
$307 million expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.) |
Capital | Santo Domingo | Gibraltar |
Climate | tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall | Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers |
Coastline | 1,288 km | 12 km |
Constitution | 28 November 1966 | 30 May 1969 |
Country name | conventional long form: Dominican Republic
conventional short form: none local long form: Republica Dominicana local short form: none |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Gibraltar |
Currency | Dominican peso (DOP) | Gibraltar pound (GIP) |
Death rate | 4.68 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $5.4 billion (2001 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | 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) |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | source of friction between Spain and the UK |
Economic aid - recipient | $239.6 million (1995) (1995) | $NA |
Economy - overview | 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. | Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 11% to the local economy. The financial sector accounts for 20% of GDP; tourism (almost 6 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment. |
Electricity - consumption | 8,812.029 million kWh (2000) | 88.4 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 9.475 billion kWh (2000) | 95 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 87%
hydro: 13% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m |
lowest point:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m |
Environment - current issues | water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage | limited natural freshwater resources; large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater |
Environment - international 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 | white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73% | Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese |
Exchange rates | Dominican pesos per US dollar - 17.310 (January 2002), 16.952 (2001), 16.415 (2000), 16.033 (1999), 15.267 (1998), 14.265 (1997) | Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996); note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound |
Executive branch | 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% |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief David DURIE (since 5 April 2000); note - DURIE was appointed in February 2000 but took office in April 2000 head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister; note - there is also a Gibraltar Council that advises the governor elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor |
Exports | $5.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | $81.1 million (f.o.b., 1997) |
Exports - commodities | ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods | (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8% |
Exports - partners | US 87.3%, Netherlands 1.1%, Canada 0.7%, France 0.7% (2000 est.) | UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, Germany |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | 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 | two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $50 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $500 million (1997 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 11%
industry: 34% services: 55% (2000) (2000) |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.5% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 19 00 N, 70 40 W | 36 11 N, 5 22 W |
Geography - note | shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti) | strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea |
Highways | total: 12,600 km
paved: 6,224 km unpaved: 6,376 km (1996) |
total:
46.25 km paved: 46.25 km unpaved: 0 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 40% (1989) (1989) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | 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 | $8.7 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | $492 million (c.i.f., 1997) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals | fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | US 60.5%, Japan 10.4%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3% (2000 est.) | UK, Spain, Japan, Netherlands |
Independence | 27 February 1844 (from Haiti) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Industries | tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco | tourism, banking and finance, ship-building and repairing; support to large UK naval and air bases; tobacco, mineral water, beer, canned fish |
Infant mortality rate | 33.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 5.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5% (2001 est.) | 1.5% (1998) |
International organization participation | 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 | Interpol (subbureau) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 24 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 2,590 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | 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) | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 2.3 million - 2.6 million | 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) |
Labor force - by occupation | services and government 59%, industry 24%, agriculture 17% (1998 est.) | services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL% |
Land boundaries | total: 360 km
border countries: Haiti 360 km |
total:
1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km |
Land use | arable land: 21.08%
permanent crops: 9.92% other: 69% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Spanish | English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian |
Legal system | based on French civil codes | English law |
Legislative branch | 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 |
unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 73.68 years
male: 71.57 years female: 75.91 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
79.09 years male: 76.23 years female: 82.1 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.1% male: 82% female: 82.2% (1995 est.) |
definition:
NA total population: above 80% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti | Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 6 NM |
territorial sea:
3 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.) |
total:
49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 669,056 GRT/1,003,809 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 15, chemical tanker 6, container 7, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police | British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $180 million (FY98) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 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, 27 February (1844) | Commonwealth Day, second Monday of March |
Nationality | noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican |
noun:
Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar |
Natural hazards | lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts | NA |
Natural resources | nickel, bauxite, gold, silver | NEGL |
Net migration rate | -3.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km | 0 km |
Political parties and leaders | 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] | Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Collective of Popular Organizations or COP | Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Housewives Association |
Population | 8,721,594 (July 2002 est.) | 27,649 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 25% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.61% (2002 est.) | 0.24% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo | Gibraltar |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 1.44 million (1997) | 37,000 (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.) |
total:
NA km; 1.000-m gauge system in dockyard area only |
Religions | Roman Catholic 95% | Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%, Jewish 2.3%, none or other 7% (1991) |
Sex ratio | 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.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age
note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote |
18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more |
Telephone system | 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) |
general assessment:
adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 709,000 (1997) | 19,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 130,149 (1997) | 1,620 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 25 (1997) | 1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed | a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar |
Total fertility rate | 2.94 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.64 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 15% (2001 est.) | 13.5% (1996) |
Waterways | none | none |