Dominican Republic (2002) | Virgin Islands (2008) | |
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 (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas |
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: 21.8% (male 11,897/female 11,696)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 34,204/female 37,911) 65 years and over: 11.7% (male 5,642/female 7,098) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs | fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle |
Airports | 29 (2001) | 2 (2007) |
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: 2
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 17
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 10 (2002) |
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Area | total: 48,730 sq km
land: 48,380 sq km water: 350 sq km |
total: 1,910 sq km
land: 346 sq km water: 1,564 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire | twice the size of 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. | During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848. |
Birth rate | 24.4 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 13.68 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $2.9 billion
expenditures: $3.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (2001 est.) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
Capital | Santo Domingo | name: Charlotte Amalie
geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall | subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November |
Coastline | 1,288 km | 188 km |
Constitution | 28 November 1966 | Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 |
Country name | conventional long form: Dominican Republic
conventional short form: none local long form: Republica Dominicana local short form: none |
conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies abbreviation: USVI |
Currency | Dominican peso (DOP) | - |
Death rate | 4.68 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 6.59 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $5.4 billion (2001 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior |
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 (territory of the US) |
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 (territory of the US) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
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. | Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands hosted 2.6 million visitors in 2005. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are small but growing components of the economy. The islands are vulnerable to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, to support construction projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment. |
Electricity - consumption | 8,812.029 million kWh (2000) | 926.4 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 9.475 billion kWh (2000) | 996.1 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 87%
hydro: 13% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m |
Environment - current issues | water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage | lack of natural freshwater resources |
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 |
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Ethnic groups | white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73% | black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census) |
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) | the US dollar is used |
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: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor John DeJONGH (since 1 January 2007) cabinet: NA elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 and 21 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010) election results: John DeJONGH elected governor; percent of vote - John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7% |
Exports | $5.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | 397,400 bbl/day (2004) |
Exports - commodities | ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods | refined petroleum products |
Exports - partners | US 87.3%, Netherlands 1.1%, Canada 0.7%, France 0.7% (2000 est.) | US, Puerto Rico (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 October - 30 September |
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 | white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $50 billion (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 11%
industry: 34% services: 55% (2000) (2000) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.5% (2001 est.) | 2% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 19 00 N, 70 40 W | 18 20 N, 64 50 W |
Geography - note | shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti) | important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean |
Highways | total: 12,600 km
paved: 6,224 km unpaved: 6,376 km (1996) |
- |
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.) | 493,000 bbl/day (2004) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals | crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials |
Imports - partners | US 60.5%, Japan 10.4%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3% (2000 est.) | US, Puerto Rico (2006) |
Independence | 27 February 1844 (from Haiti) | none (territory of the US) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Industries | tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco | tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics |
Infant mortality rate | 33.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 7.69 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5% (2001 est.) | 2.2% (2003) |
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 | IOC, UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 24 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 2,590 sq km (1998 est.) | NA |
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) | US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms) |
Labor force | 2.3 million - 2.6 million | 43,980 (2004 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | services and government 59%, industry 24%, agriculture 17% (1998 est.) | agriculture: 1%
industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 360 km
border countries: Haiti 360 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 21.08%
permanent crops: 9.92% other: 69% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 2.86% other: 91.43% (2005) |
Languages | Spanish | English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census) |
Legal system | based on French civil codes | based on US laws |
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 Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 8, ICM 4, independent 3 note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 73.68 years
male: 71.57 years female: 75.91 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 79.2 years
male: 75.4 years female: 83.22 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.1% male: 82% female: 82.2% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90-95% est. male: NA% female: NA% (2005 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 6 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 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.) |
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Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the US |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police | - |
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) | Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) |
Nationality | noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican |
noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Virgin Islander |
Natural hazards | lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts | several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes |
Natural resources | nickel, bauxite, gold, silver | sun, sand, sea, surf |
Net migration rate | -3.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -8.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 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] | Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Collective of Popular Organizations or COP | NA |
Population | 8,721,594 (July 2002 est.) | 108,448 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 25% | 28.9% (2002) |
Population growth rate | 1.61% (2002 est.) | -0.171% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2005) |
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.) |
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Religions | Roman Catholic 95% | Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% |
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: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.017 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.902 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.795 male(s)/female total population: 0.912 male(s)/female (2007 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; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
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: modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
domestic: full range of services available international: country code - 1-340; submarine cable connections to US, the Caribbean, Central and South America; satellite earth stations - NA |
Telephones - main lines in use | 709,000 (1997) | 71,700 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 130,149 (1997) | 80,300 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 25 (1997) | 5 (2006) |
Terrain | rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed | mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land |
Total fertility rate | 2.94 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.16 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 15% (2001 est.) | 6.2% (2004) |
Waterways | none | - |