Dominican Republic

The Dominican republic is the second largest country in the Caribbean in terms of land area, after Cuba. It encompasses the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. It shares Hispaniola with Haiti. Coastal areas of the Dominican Republic are generally more developed, especially in the southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley, where population density is highest.

A geographically diverse state, the Dominican Republic is home to both the Caribbean's tallest mountain peak, Pico Duarte (3 098 m), and the Caribbean's largest lake and point of lowest elevation, Lake Enriquillo. Besides 1 288 km of coastline, the country’s landscape consists of rugged highlands and mountains interspersed with fertile valleys. This island state is the site of the first cathedral, castle and monastery built in the Americas, located in Santo Domingo's Colonial Zone, a World Heritage Site.

There is more climate variation over short distances in the Dominican Republic than in any other Caribbean state. The coastal and lowland areas are characterized by a tropical rainforest climate, the Cibao region dwells in the tropical savanna, while snowfall can sometimes cover the summit of Pico Duarte. The annual average temperature at higher elevations is 18 °C, while near sea level it is 28 °C.

Tropical cyclones strike the Dominican Republic every couple of years, mainly impacting the southern coast. Hurricanes occur most often between June and October. The country can suffer from heavy flooding. Some areas - mainly in the west - also witness periodic droughts and consequent water shortages. Soil erosion is frequent on the island, damaging coral reefs. Deforestation is a serious concern, as well. The Dominican Republic is highly vulnerable to climate change since climate variations tend to accelerate natural disaster incidences.

Historically, the Dominican Republic’s economy was dominated by agriculture, and the country was known for its exports of sugar, cocoa, coffee and tobacco. Over the last three decades, the economy has made an effective move to a diversified mix of services, manufacturing, agriculture, mining and trade. The Dominican Republic is the site of one of the largest gold mines in the world, the Pueblo Viejo mine.

In 2019, the service sector accounted for 63 per cent of GDP, while manufacturing accounted for a further 31 per cent. From 2010 to 2019, real GDP increased on average by 5.3 per cent annually, indicating steady, robust growth. Its most important trade partner is the United States of America, the destination of about half of the Dominican Republic’s exports in 2019. -—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—-. The country is classified as upper middle income economy -—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—-

In 2019, 71 per cent of employed people worked in the services sector, 20 per cent in industry and 9 per cent in agriculture -—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—-. The shift towards services is mainly due to the growth in tourism and free trade zones. Although the Dominican Republic has in recent years been the most popular inbound tourism destination in the Caribbean – hosting more foreign visitors than any other state in the region – the contribution of inbound tourism expenditure to GDP has remained between 8 and 9 per cent since 2013 -—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—-. This reveals that the country is less dependent on tourism than many Caribbean states. Income inequalities persist and remittances remain an important source of subsistence -—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—-.

The Dominican Republic is a culturally diverse society, blending influences from European (mainly Spanish), native Taino and African heritage. This rich culture is present in visual arts, literature and architecture. The share of urban population stood at 83 per cent in 2020 -—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—--—
– ‒
- –
—-. Baseball is the most popular sport in the Dominican Republic, which features a league of six teams.

Local cuisine is rather characteristic of the Caribbean islands. Meals tend to favour meats and starches over dairy products and vegetables. Many dishes are made with sofrito, which is a mix of local herbs used as a wet rub for meats. In the south-central region, bulgur is a main ingredient in quipes or tipili (bulgur salad). Other favorite foods include chicharrón, yuca, pastelitos (empanadas), batata, and yam.

Music is an inseparable part of the lifestyle in the Dominican Republic, and the country is known for the creation of many musical styles. Popular merengue and bachata music and dances originated from the Dominican Republic. Palo is an Afro-Dominican sacred music that can be found throughout the island. Carnivals, Latino and traditional music festivals are very popular, organized throughout the year, featuring vibrant music and dances, colorful costumes, and traditional food stands, hosting presentations, tastings and more.