*Dominican Republic, Geography Location: in the northern Caribbean Sea, about halfway between Cuba and Puerto Rico Map references: Central America and the Caribbean, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 48,730 km2 land area: 48,380 km2 comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire Land boundaries: total 275 km, Haiti 275 km Coastline: 1,288 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or the outer edge of continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 6 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver Land use: arable land: 23% permanent crops: 7% meadows and pastures: 43% forest and woodland: 13% other: 14% Irrigated land: 2,250 km2 (1989) Environment: subject to occasional hurricanes (July to October); deforestation Note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic) *Dominican Republic, People Population: 7,683,940 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.86% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 25.68 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 6.38 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 53.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.98 years male: 65.87 years female: 70.21 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.89 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican Ethnic divisions: mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11% Religions: Roman Catholic 95% Languages: Spanish Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 83% male: 85% female: 82% Labor force: 2,300,000 to 2,600,000 by occupation: agriculture 49%, services 33%, industry 18% (1986) *Dominican Republic, Government Names: conventional long form: Dominican Republic conventional short form: none local long form: Republica Dominicana local short form: none Digraph: DR Type: republic Capital: Santo Domingo 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 Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti) Constitution: 28 November 1966 Legal system: based on French civil codes National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844) Political parties and leaders: Major parties: Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo; Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Juan BOSCH Gavino; Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD), Jose Franciso PENA Gomez; Independent Revolutionary Party (PRI), Jacobo MAJLUTA Minor parties: National Veterans and Civilian Party (PNVC), Juan Rene BEAUCHAMPS Javier; Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic (PLRD), Andres Van Der HORST; Democratic Quisqueyan Party (PQD), Elias WESSIN Chavez; National Progressive Force (FNP), Marino VINICIO Castillo; Popular Christian Party (PPC), Rogelio DELGADO Bogaert; Dominican Communist Party (PCD), Narciso ISA Conde; Dominican Workers' Party (PTD), Ivan RODRIGUEZ; Anti-Imperialist Patriotic Union (UPA), Ignacio RODRIGUEZ Chiappini; Alliance for Democracy Party (APD), Maximilano Rabelais PUIG Miller, Nelsida MARMOLEJOS, Vicente BENGOA note: in 1983 several leftist parties, including the PCD, joined to form the Dominican Leftist Front (FID); however, they still retain individual party structures Other political or pressure groups: Collective of Popular Organzations (COP), leader NA Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory or married persons regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote *Dominican Republic, Government Elections: Chamber of Deputies: last held 16 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120 total) PLD 44, PRSC 41, PRD 33, PRI 2 President: last held 16 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994); results - Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 35.7%, Juan BOSCH Gavino (PLD) 34.4% Senate: last held 16 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (30 total) PRSC 16, PLD 12, PRD 2 Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados) Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema) Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo (since 16 August 1986, fifth elected term began 16 August 1990); Vice President Carlos A. MORALES Troncoso (since 16 August 1986) Member of: ACP, CARICOM (observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), LORCS, NAM (guest), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jose del Carmen ARIZA Gomez chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 332-6280 consulates general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulates: Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Minneapolis, Mobile, Ponce (Puerto Rico), and San Francisco US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert S. PASTORINO embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: APO AA 34041-0008 telephone: (809) 541-2171 and 541-8100 FAX: (809) 686-7437 Flag: a centered white cross that extends to the edges, divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms is at the center of the cross *Dominican Republic, Economy Overview: The economy is largely dependent on trade; imported components average 60% of the value of goods consumed in the domestic market. Rapid growth of free trade zones has established a significant expansion of manufacturing for export, especially wearing apparel. Over the past decade, tourism has also increased in importance and is a major earner of foreign exchange and a source of new jobs. Agriculture remains a key sector of the economy. The principal commercial crop is sugarcane, followed by coffee, cotton, cocoa, and tobacco. Domestic industry is based on the processing of agricultural products, oil refining, minerals, and chemicals. Unemployment is officially reported at about 30%, but there is considerable underemployment. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $8.4 billion (1992 est.) National product real growth rate: 5% (1992 est.) National product per capita: $1,120 (1992 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (1992 est.) Unemployment rate: 30% (1992 est.) Budget: revenues $1.4 billion; expenditures $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.) Exports: $600 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, coffee, cocoa partners: US 60%, EC 19%, Puerto Rico 8% (1990) Imports: $2 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals partners: US 50% External debt: $4.7 billion (1992 est.) Industrial production: growth rate -1.5% (1991); accounts for 20% of GDP Electricity: 2,283,000 kW capacity; 5,000 million kWh produced, 660 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco Agriculture: accounts for 15% of GDP and employs 49% of labor force; sugarcane is the most important commercial crop, followed by coffee, cotton, cocoa, and tobacco; food crops - rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; animal output - cattle, hogs, dairy products, meat, eggs; not self-sufficient in food Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-89), $575 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $655 million Currency: 1 Dominican peso (RD$) = 100 centavos *Dominican Republic, Economy Exchange rates: Dominican pesos (RD$) per US$1 - 12.7 (1992), 12.692 (1991), 8.525 (1990), 6.340 (1989), 6.113 (1988) Fiscal year: calendar year *Dominican Republic, Communications Railroads: 1,655 km total in numerous segments; 4 different gauges from 0.558 m to 1.435 m Highways: 12,000 km total; 5,800 km paved, 5,600 km gravel and improved earth, 600 km unimproved Pipelines: crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km Ports: Santo Domingo, Haina, San Pedro de Macoris, Puerto Plata Merchant marine: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT Airports: total: 36 usable: 30 with permanent-surface runways: 12 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 8 Telecommunications: relatively efficient domestic system based on islandwide microwave relay network; 190,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 120 AM, no FM, 18 TV, 6 shortwave; 1 coaxial submarine cable; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station *Dominican Republic, Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,064,244; fit for military service 1,302,644; reach military age (18) annually 80,991 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $110 million, 0.7% of GDP (1993 est.)