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Compare Dominican Republic (2004) - Brazil (2005)

Compare Dominican Republic (2004) z Brazil (2005)

 Dominican Republic (2004)Brazil (2005)
 Dominican RepublicBrazil
Administrative divisions 31 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 Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde 26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins
Age structure 0-14 years: 33.3% (male 1,502,062; female 1,435,135)


15-64 years: 61.4% (male 2,767,880; female 2,658,861)


65 years and over: 5.3% (male 219,230; female 250,466) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 26.1% (male 24,789,495/female 23,842,715)


15-64 years: 67.9% (male 62,669,392/female 63,719,631)


65 years and over: 6% (male 4,549,552/female 6,542,009) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef
Airports 31 (2003 est.) 4,136 (2004 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 (2004 est.)
total: 698


over 3,047 m: 7


2,438 to 3,047 m: 23


1,524 to 2,437 m: 158


914 to 1,523 m: 461


under 914 m: 49 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 18


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 5


under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
total: 3,438


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 78


914 to 1,523 m: 1,579


under 914 m: 1,780 (2004 est.)
Area total: 48,730 sq km


land: 48,380 sq km


water: 350 sq km
total: 8,511,965 sq km


land: 8,456,510 sq km


water: 55,455 sq km


note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo
Area - comparative slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire slightly smaller than the US
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. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule 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 over the past decade. Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem.
Birth rate 23.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 16.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.601 billion


expenditures: $3.353 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (2003 est.)
revenues: $140.6 billion


expenditures: $172.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004)
Capital Santo Domingo Brasilia
Climate tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall mostly tropical, but temperate in south
Coastline 1,288 km 7,491 km
Constitution 28 November 1966, amended 25 July 2002 5 October 1988
Country name conventional long form: Dominican Republic


conventional short form: The Dominican


local long form: Republica Dominicana


local short form: La Dominicana
conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil


conventional short form: Brazil


local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil


local short form: Brasil
Currency Dominican peso (DOP) -
Death rate 7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 6.15 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $6.567 billion (2003 est.) $219.8 billion (2004 est.)
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
chief of mission: Ambassador John DANILOVICH


embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia


mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030


telephone: [55] (61) 312-7000


FAX: [55] (61) 225-9136


consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo


consulate(s): Recife
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Flavio Dario Espinal JACOBO


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


telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280


FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057


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


consulate(s): Mobile
chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto ABDENUR


chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700


FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco
Disputes - international despite efforts to control illegal migration, destitute Haitians fleeing poverty and violence continue to cross into the Dominican Republic; illegal migration of Dominicans and other nationals across the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico has increased in the last year unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested dispute with Uruguay over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada boundary streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina; in 2004 Brazil submitted its claims to UNCLOS to extend its maritime continental margin
Economic aid - recipient $239.6 million (1995) $30 billion (2002)
Economy - overview The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy which enjoyed GDP growth of more than 7% in 1998-2000. Growth subsequently plummeted as part of the global economic slowdown. 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% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. Growth turned negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in the US economy, the source of 87% of export revenues. Resumption of a badly needed IMF loan was slowed due to government repurchase of electrical power plants. Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence in world markets. From 2001-03 real wages fell and Brazil's economy grew, on average, only 2.2% per year, as the country absorbed a series of domestic and international economic shocks. That Brazil absorbed these shocks without financial collapse is a tribute to the resiliency of the Brazilian economy and the economic program put in place by former President CARDOSO and strengthened by President LULA DA SILVA. In 2004, Brazil enjoyed more robust growth that yielded increases in employment and real wages. The three pillars of the economic program are a floating exchange rate, an inflation-targeting regime, and tight fiscal policy, all reinforced by a series of IMF programs. The currency depreciated sharply in 2001 and 2002, which contributed to a dramatic current account adjustment: in 2003 and 2004, Brazil ran record trade surpluses and recorded its first current account surpluses since 1992. Productivity gains - particularly in agriculture - also contributed to the surge in exports, and Brazil in 2004 surpassed the previous year's record export level and again posted a current account surplus. While economic management has been good, there remain important economic vulnerabilities. The most significant are debt-related: the government's largely domestic debt increased steadily from 1994 to 2003 - straining government finances - before falling as a percentage of GDP in 2004, while Brazil's foreign debt (a mix of private and public debt) is large in relation to Brazil's small (but growing) export base. Another challenge is maintaining economic growth over a period of time to generate employment and make the government debt burden more manageable.
Electricity - consumption 8.543 billion kWh (2001) 351.9 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 7 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 36.58 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2002)
Electricity - production 9.186 billion kWh (2001) 339 billion kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m


highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m
Environment - current issues water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73% white 53.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black 6.2%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2000 census)
Exchange rates Dominican pesos per US dollar - 30.8307 (2003), 18.6098 (2002), 16.9516 (2001), 16.415 (2000), 16.0331 (1999) reals per US dollar - 2.9251 (2004), 3.0771 (2003), 2.9208 (2002), 2.3577 (2001), 1.8301 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004); 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 2004 (next to be held in May 2008)


election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (PRD) 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA (PRSC) 8.7%
chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 6 October 2002 (next to be held 1 October 2006, with a runoff on 29 October 2006 if necessary); runoff election held 27 October 2002


election results: in runoff election 27 October 2002, Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (PT) elected with 61.3% of the vote; Jose SERRA (PSDB) 38.7%
Exports NA (2001) NA
Exports - commodities ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos
Exports - partners US 83.8%, Canada 1.5%, Haiti 1.5% (2003) US 20.8%, Argentina 7.5%, Netherlands 6.1%, China 5.6%, Germany 4.1%, Mexico 4% (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
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 featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)
GDP purchasing power parity - $52.71 billion (2003 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 10.7%


industry: 31.5%


services: 57.8% (2003)
agriculture: 10.1%


industry: 38.6%


services: 51.3% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,100 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -0.7% (2003 est.) 5.1% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 19 00 N, 70 40 W 10 00 S, 55 00 W
Geography - note shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador
Heliports - 417 (2004 est.)
Highways total: 12,600 km


paved: 6,224 km


unpaved: 6,376 km (1999)
total: 1,724,929 km


paved: 94,871 km


unpaved: 1,630,058 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.1%


highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)
lowest 10%: 0.7%


highest 10%: 48% (1998)
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 illicit producer of cannabis; minor coca cultivation in the Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian, and Peruvian cocaine headed for Europe and the US; also used by traffickers as a way station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics proceeds earned in Brazil are often laundered through the financial system; significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area
Imports NA (2001) NA
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products, oil
Imports - partners US 52.1%, Venezuela 11.9%, Mexico 4.7%, Colombia 4.2% (2003) US 18.3%, Argentina 8.9%, Germany 8.1%, China 5.9%, Nigeria 5.6%, Japan 4.6% (2004)
Independence 27 February 1844 (from Haiti) 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
Industrial production growth rate 2% (2001 est.) 6% (2004 est.)
Industries tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment
Infant mortality rate total: 33.28 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 35.75 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 30.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 29.61 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 33.37 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 25.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 27.5% (2003 est.) 7.6% (2004 est.)
International organization participation ACP, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO AfDB, BIS, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land 2,590 sq km (1998 est.) 26,560 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by a the National Judicial Council comprised of the President, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the President of the Supreme Court, and an opposition or non-governing party member) Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers are appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life); note - though appointed "for life," judges, like all federal employees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70
Labor force 2.3 million - 2.6 million (2000 est.) 89 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 17%, industry 24.3%, services and government 58.7% (1998 est.) agriculture 20%, industry 14%, services 66% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries total: 360 km


border countries: Haiti 360 km
total: 14,691 km


border countries: Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia 1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km, Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km
Land use arable land: 22.65%


permanent crops: 10.33%


other: 67.02% (2001)
arable land: 6.96%


permanent crops: 0.9%


other: 92.15% (2001)
Languages Spanish Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
Legal system based on French civil codes; undergoing modification in 2004 towards an accusatory system based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (150 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 29, PLD 2, PRSC 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 73, PLD 41, PRSC 36
bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three members from each state and federal district elected according to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after a four-year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year period) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)


elections: Federal Senate - last held 6 October 2002 for two-thirds of the Senate (next to be held October 2006 for one-third of the Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 October 2002 (next to be held October 2006)


election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PMBD 19, PFL 19, PT 14, PSDB 11, PDT 5, PSB 4, PL 3, PTB 3, PPS 1, PSD 1, PP 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PT 91, PFL 84, PMDB 74, PSDB 71, PP 49, PL 26, PTB 26, PSB 22, PDT 21, PPS 15, PCdoB 12, PRONA 6, PV 5, other 11; note - many congressmen have changed party affiliation since the most recent election
Life expectancy at birth total population: 67.63 years


male: 65.98 years


female: 69.35 years (2004 est.)
total population: 71.69 years


male: 67.74 years


female: 75.85 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 84.7%


male: 84.6%


female: 84.8% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 86.4%


male: 86.1%


female: 86.6% (2003 est.)
Location Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean
Map references Central America and the Caribbean South America
Maritime claims territorial sea: 6 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,230 GRT/17,011 DWT


by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2


foreign-owned: Pakistan 1, Singapore 1


registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 150 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,961,431 GRT/4,725,267 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 28, cargo 25, chemical tanker 7, combination ore/oil 2, container 7, liquefied gas 12, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 48, roll on/roll off 9


foreign-owned: 17 (Chile 2, Germany 7, Norway 1, Spain 7)


registered in other countries: 8 (2005)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Brazilian Air Force (FAB)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $180 million (1998) $11 billion (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.1% (1998) 1.8% (2004)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 2,354,800 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 1,474,978 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 90,434 (2004 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 27 February (1844) Independence Day, 7 September (1822)
Nationality noun: Dominican(s)


adjective: Dominican
noun: Brazilian(s)


adjective: Brazilian
Natural hazards lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south
Natural resources nickel, bauxite, gold, silver bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber
Net migration rate -3.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines - condensate/gas 244 km; gas 10,739 km; liquid petroleum gas 341 km; oil 5,212 km; refined products 4,755 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Vicente Sanchez BARET]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ATUN] Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy Michel TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Federal Deputy Roberto JEFFERSON]; Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Eduardo AZAREDO]; Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Federal Deputy Miguel ARRAES]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Renato RABELO]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos LUPI]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Pedro Miguel SANTANA LOPES]; Green Party or PV [Jose Luiz de Franca PENNA]; Liberal Front Party or PFL [Senator Jorge BORNHAUSEN]; Liberal Party or PL [Federal Deputy Valdemar COSTA Neto]; National Order Reconstruction Party or PRONA [Federal Deputy Dr. Eneas CARNEIRO]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Federal Deputy Roberto FREIRE]; Progressive Party or PP [Federal Deputy Pedro CORREA]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Vitor Jorge ABDALA NOSSEIS]; Worker's Party or PT [Jose GENOINO]
Political pressure groups and leaders Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Foundation for Institution-Building (FINJUS) Landless Worker's Movement; labor unions and federations; large farmers' associations; religious groups including evangelical christian churches and the Catholic Church
Population 8,833,634 (July 2004 est.) 186,112,794


note: Brazil took a count in August 2000, which reported a population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; 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.)
Population below poverty line 25% 22% (1998 est.)
Population growth rate 1.33% (2004 est.) 1.06% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo Gebig, Itaqui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, San Sebasttiao, Santos, Sepetiba Terminal, Tubarao, Vitoria
Radio broadcast stations AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM stations) (1999)
Railways total: 1,743 km


standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge


note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m, 0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2003)
total: 29,412 km (1,567 km electrified)


broad gauge: 4,907 km 1.600-m gauge (908 km electrified)


standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge


narrow gauge: 23,915 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified)


dual gauge: 396 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km electrified) (2004)
Religions Roman Catholic 95% Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spriritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4% (2000 census)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age


note: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote
voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military conscripts do not vote
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave radio relay network


international: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: good working system


domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations


international: country code - 55; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station
Telephones - main lines in use 901,800 (2003) 38.81 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 2,120,400 (2003) 46,373,300 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 25 (2003) 138 (1997)
Terrain rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt
Total fertility rate 2.89 children born/woman (2004 est.) 1.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 16.5% (2003 est.) 11.5% (2004 est.)
Waterways - 50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2004)
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