Columbia Encyclopedia World Factbook American Heritage Coll. West Indies, on the eastern two thirds of the island of Hispaniola . The capital and largest city is Santo Domingo . The land ranges from mountainous to gently rolling, with fertile river valleys. It has a moderate subtropical climate, ample rainfall, and fertile soils.
Periodic hurricanes can cause extensive damage.
The country is administratively divided into 29 provinces and one district. The majority of the population is of mixed African and European descent. Spanish is the official language and Roman Catholicism the state religion. Population growth is a continuing problem in the Dominican Republic, and emigration to the United States, particularly to New York City, has been high. However, sugar production has sharply declined in recent years.