The Dominican Republic has many resort towns such as Puerto Plata, Boca Chica and La Romana
with great beaches, reefs to explore and the sunken galleons offshore. The locals love a party,
which is apparent by the many festivals, parties and carnivals that can be found throughout the
Dominican Republic. Santo Domingo has two Carnivals complete with parades, floats, live music and
dancing in the streets. Dental work is one of the best values in the Dominican Republic.
CLIMATE, FLORA & FAUNA
The country's topography is generally rugged and mountainous, dominated by four parallel
mountain ranges extending in a northwesterly direction. Most of its eastern region is
characterized by steep valleys and lowland plains.
Though many of the nation's numerous rivers are too shallow for navigation, they are an
important source of water and hydroelectric power.
The Dominican Republic has two rainy seasons, one in the late spring and one in the fall,
with the heavy's precipitation in the northern and eastern parts of the country.
The fertile Dominican soil is appropriate for cultivating any grain. According to the Climate
Classification System the predominant climate is that of humid tropical savanna, The average annual
temperature fluctuates between 18 C/65 and 27?C/ 81?F. There is only one season - Summer.
There are 16 national parks, nine natural monuments and six scientific reserves in the Dominican Republic.
The total number of protected areas is 67.
The Dominican Republic is becoming a popular bird watching destination. The national bird is the parrot,
which is green, very talkative and a popular pet. It is protected.
EDUCATION & POPULATION
In 1505 was founded the Convent of the Friars of the Order of St. Francis, where the first
rudimentary schools were established and later housed in the Monastery of Saint Francis built
in 1512. There, the cacique Guarocuya was educated and baptized into the Christian faith with
the name of Enriquillo.
The missionaries of the Order of Saint Dominic settled in 1510, headed by Fray Pedro de Cordoba.
The Order requested the Pope to confer the rank of University to the center for studies that they
directed. The Pontiff granted their request by Papal Bull "In Postulates Culminate", creating on
October 28, 1538, the first university in America, named Saint Thomas Aquinas - today the
Autonomous University of Santo Domingo - center of great intellectual activity that gave the
city of Santo Domingo the by name Athens of the New World.
Based on heritage, many prominent citizens felt a concern for the need to make education
accessible to all people, until leaving established in the Constitution the State's duty
to provide primary education to all children from 6 to 12 years of age, and basic education
to all nationals that, for diverse reasons, had not benefited from this right previously.
The State's public education coverage extends to secondary education. It subsidizes
secondary education in private schools, sustains public higher education in the Universidad Autonoma
de Santo Domingo, and subsidizes other private universities.
Actually, public education at the basic and secondary levels is provided to more that 1.7 million
students in the nation.
The Dominican Republic has three major metropolitan areas. Santo Domingo, on the southern coast,
is the capital, with a population of two million people. On the northern coast is Puerto Plata,
one of the country's main tourist resorts with some 60,000 year-round residents. Santiago,
located in the central highlands, is the country's leading industrial center, with a population
of well over quarter a million inhabitants.
The rest of the nation's six million plus population lives in or around a dozen or so smaller
towns and villages. If you have the opportunity of traveling through the countryside you will
notice that for a country with an area of 19,000 square miles the Dominican Republic is sparsely
populated, particularly its eastern region.
The island of Hispaniola was originally inhabited by an estimated one million Indians; they were
annihilated in less than a century by the Spanish conquerors. Today, 70 percent of the Dominican
Republic's population is mulattoes, the result of extensive intermingling between white European
settlers and African slaves. The remaining 30 percent are white, black and Asians.
HISTORY
In 1492 Christopher Columbus discovers the islands that he names Hispaniola. In 1697 Spain
recognizes the French claim to western Hispaniola and the island is divided into French
Saint-Domingue and Spanish Santo Domingo. In 1795 Spain has to cede Santo Domingo to France,
although a Spanish administration continues until 1801 and Santo Domingo is reverted to Spain
in 1808. From 1809 on separatist claim the independence of Santo Domingo. They control the
island until 1814 but Spanish rule is restored in 1814.
In 1821 Santo Domingo regains independence as the Independent State of the Spanish Part of
Haiti in Colombia, but in 1822 it is incorporated into Haiti. In 1844 Santo Domingo, lead
by Juan Pablo Duarte, secedes from Haiti as the Dominican Republic. Through the 19th century
the republic was ruled by a series of strongmen. The Dominicans voluntarily return to Spain,
but the independence of the republic is restored in 1865. After 1902 there are provisional
governments, and the conservative elected president Carlos Felipe Morales Languasco flees
the country in 1905.
The political instability leads to an American occupation and military government between
1916 and 1924. After the occupation the Dominican Republic becomes a presidential democracy.
This democratic intermezzo ends in 1930 when Rafael Trujillo as a dictator establishes
absolute political control. He - and his Partied Dominicano (Dominican Party, PD) -
rules for 31 years, but in 1961 he is assassinated.
At that time Joaquin Antonio Beleaguer Ricardo of the Movimiento Popular Dominicano
(Dominican Popular Movement, MPD) is the formal president. In 1962 the democracy is
restored and Juan Bosch Gavi?o of the social-Revolutionary Democratic Party is elected
president, but after nine months the army seizes power. A period of chaos starts,
resulting in a renewed American occupation in 1965 after a second coup. The United
States forces subsequently establish order.
From that time the republic is formally a presidential democracy, but until
1978 the opposition doesn't have fair chances at elections. Balaguer, who formed
the Partido Reformista (Reformist Party, PR), is president again between 1966 and 1978.
He is succeeded in 1982 by his co-partisan Salvador Jorge Blanco. Balaguer returns the
presidency after the elections of 1986, confirmed in 1990. The elections of 1994 are
marred by charges of fraud. As a compromise Balaguer assumes office for an abbreviated
term. In 1996 Leonel Fernandez Reyna of the Partido de la Liberation Dominicana
(Dominican Liberation Party, PLD) is elected president. In Aug. 2000 the
center-left Hip?lito Mej?a was elected president amid popular discontent over power
outages in the recently privatized electric industry but in May 2004 presidential
elections he was defeated by former president Leonel Fern?ndez (1996-2000).
Fern?ndez instituted austerity measures to rescue the country from its economic
crisis, and in the first half of 2006, the economy grew 11.7%.
CULTURE
In the Dominican Republic, freedom of worship is established in the Constitution.
At present, it is difficult to obtain the exact percentage of religious affiliation
because the question was eliminated from the 1970 census questionnaire. According
to the latest census results, the predominant religion group is Roman Catholic with 95% of the population.
Spanish is the official language of the country and street signs and restaurant
menus are written in the mother tongue. Even though the people linked to the
tourist trade generally speak English, knowing some Spanish is a great advantage.
This unequaled form of expression has been a source of inspiration for renowned
native and foreign writers. The time when this up-country language style began to
be used in literary writings is not yet determined; but, we do know that a prize was
awarded to a rustic poem written by Tirso de Molina between 1616 and 1618, during his
stay at the Convent of Las Mercedes in the colonial zone of Santo Domingo.
ATTRACTIONS
The beaches of the Dominican Republic. A special place where nature's treasures remain unspoiled
and the simple joys of easy living are still easy to find.
Here, in the heard of the Caribbean, you will discover more than 1,288 km of Coast line
with the most beautiful beaches of the Caribbean in all different styles. Find white sandy
beaches, diving attractions and unspoiled nature all around the island.
Discover our regions world class resorts and explore the beauty of nature or the
excitement of festivals and events.
Challenge yourself with championship golf along the north coast of Playa Grande
or just relax and enjoy the simple pleasures of the Island.
Try one of the hundreds of water sports activities our Island has to offer:
