

Topic: Photos of Dominican Republic

Topic: Introduction
Background: The Taino - indigenous inhabitants of Hispaniola prior to the arrival of Europeans - divided the island into five chiefdoms and territories. Christopher COLUMBUS explored and claimed the island on his first voyage in 1492; it 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 followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930 to 1961. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962 but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the US led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in the presidential election. BALAGUER 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. Former President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (first term 1996-2000) won election to a new term in 2004 following a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve more than one term, and was later reelected to a second consecutive term. Following the two-term presidency of Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (2012-2020), Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona was elected president in July 2020.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 70 40 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 48,670 sq km

land: 48,320 sq km

water: 350 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries: total: 376 km

border countries (1): Haiti 376 km
Coastline: 1,288 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains interspersed with fertile valleys
Elevation: highest point: Pico Duarte 3,098 m

lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m

mean elevation: 424 m
Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 51.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 16.6% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 10.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 24.8% (2018 est.)

forest: 40.8% (2018 est.)

other: 7.7% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 3,070 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): Salt water lake(s): Lago de Enriquillo - 500 sq km
Population distribution: coastal development is significant, especially in the southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley, where population density is highest; smaller population clusters exist in the interior mountains (Cordillera Central)
Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts
Geography - note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds makes up the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti); the second largest country in the Antilles (after Cuba); geographically diverse with the Caribbean's tallest mountain, Pico Duarte, and lowest elevation and largest lake, Lago Enriquillo
Map description: Dominican Republic map shows the country’s border with Haiti and its position in the Caribbean Sea.Dominican Republic map shows the country’s border with Haiti and its position in the Caribbean Sea.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 10,694,700 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Dominican(s)

adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups: mixed 70.4% (Mestizo/Indio 58%, Mulatto 12.4%), Black 15.8%, White 13.5%, other 0.3% (2014 est.)

note: respondents self-identified their race; the term "indio" in the Dominican Republic is not associated with people of indigenous ancestry but people of mixed ancestry or skin color between light and dark
Languages: Spanish (official)

major-language sample(s): 
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Roman Catholic 44.3%, Evangelical 13%, Protestant 7.9%, Adventist 1.4%, other 1.8%, atheist 0.2%, none 29.4%, unspecified 2% (2018 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.85% (male 1,433,166/female 1,385,987)

15-24 years: 18.15% (male 968,391/female 937,227)

25-54 years: 40.54% (male 2,168,122/female 2,088,926)

55-64 years: 8.17% (male 429,042/female 428,508)

65 years and over: 6.29% (2020 est.) (male 310,262/female 350,076)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 53.8

youth dependency ratio: 42.2

elderly dependency ratio: 11.6

potential support ratio: 8.6 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 27.9 years

male: 27.8 years

female: 28.1 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.91% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 18.03 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: coastal development is significant, especially in the southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley, where population density is highest; smaller population clusters exist in the interior mountains (Cordillera Central)
Urbanization: urban population: 83.8% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 3.458 million SANTO DOMINGO (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 20.9 years (2013 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49
Maternal mortality ratio: 95 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 21.18 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 23.51 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.56 years

male: 70.86 years

female: 74.33 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.21 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 69.5% (2014)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 98.3% of population

rural: 91.7% of population

total: 97.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 1.7% of population

rural: 8.3% of population

total: 2.8% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 5.9% (2019)
Physicians density: 1.45 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
Hospital bed density: 1.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 97.4% of population

rural: 91.3% of population

total: 96.3% of population

unimproved: urban: 2.6% of population

rural: 8.7% of population

total: 3.7% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.9% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 72,000 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,900 (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 27.6% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 10.6% (2020 est.)

male: 14.6% (2020 est.)

female: 6.5% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 4% (2013)
Education expenditures: 4% of GDP (2019 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.8%

male: 93.8%

female: 93.8% (2016)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2017)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 14.9%

male: 11.6%

female: 20.7% (2020 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 12.95 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 25.26 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 8.1 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Land use: agricultural land: 51.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 16.6% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 10.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 24.8% (2018 est.)

forest: 40.8% (2018 est.)

other: 7.7% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 83.8% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 4,063,910 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 333,241 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 8.2% (2015 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km): Salt water lake(s): Lago de Enriquillo - 500 sq km
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 855 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 659.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 7.563 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 23.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Dominican Republic

conventional short form: The Dominican

local long form: Republica Dominicana

local short form: La Dominicana

former: Santo Domingo (the capital city's name formerly applied to the entire country)

etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Santo Domingo (Saint Dominic)
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Santo Domingo

geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: named after Saint Dominic de Guzman (1170-1221), founder of the Dominican Order
Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regiones, singular - region); Cibao Nordeste, Cibao Noroeste, Cibao Norte, Cibao Sur, El Valle, Enriquillo, Higuamo, Ozama, Valdesia, Yuma
Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution: history: many previous (38 total); latest proclaimed 13 June 2015

amendments: proposed by a special session of the National Congress called the National Revisory Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority approval by at least one half of those present in both houses of the Assembly; passage of amendments to constitutional articles, such as fundamental rights and guarantees, territorial composition, nationality, or the procedures for constitutional reform, also requires approval in a referendum
Legal system: civil law system based on the French civil code; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Dominican Republic

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age can vote; note - members of the armed forces and national police by law cannot vote
Executive branch: chief of state: President Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020); Vice President Raquel PENA de Antuna (since 16 August 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020); Vice President Raquel PENA de Antuna (since 16 August 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president

elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a maximum of two consecutive terms); election last held on 5 July 2020 (next to be held in 2024); note - the 2020 election was rescheduled from 17 May to 5 July 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic

election results: 
2020: Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona elected president in first round; percent of vote - Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (PRM) 52.5%, Gonzalo CASTILLO Terrero (PLD) 37.5%, Leonel Antonio FERNANDEZ Reyna (FP) 8.9% other 1.1%

2016: Danilo MEDINA Sanchez reelected president; percent of vote - Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (PLD) 61.7%, Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (PRM) 35%, other 3.3%; Margarita CEDENO DE FERNANDEZ (PLD) reelected vice president
Legislative branch: description: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of:
Senate or Senado (32 seats; 26 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, and 6 members indirectly elected based upon province-wide party plurality votes for its candidates to the Chamber of Deputies; all members serve 4-year terms; note - in 2019, the Central Election Commission changed the electoral system for seats in26 constituencies to direct simple majority but retained indirect election for the remaining 6 constituencies; previously all 32 members were indirectly elected; the change had been challenged by the ruling and opposition parties)

House of Representatives or Camara de Diputados (190 seats; 178 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method, 5 members in a nationwide constituency and 7 diaspora members directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: 
Senate - last held on 5 July 2020 (next to be held 2024)
House of Representatives - last held on 5 July 2020 (next to be held in 2024); note - the 2020 election was rescheduled from 17 May to 5 July 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic

election results: 
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRM 17, PLD 6, PRSC 6, BIS 1, DXC 1, FP 1; composition - men 28, women 4, percent of women 12.5%
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRM 86, PLD 75,  PRSC 6, PRD 4, Broad Front 3, FP 3, AP 2, APD 2, BIS 2, DXC 2, other 5; composition - men 137, women 53, percent of women 27.9%; note - total National Congress percent of women 25.7%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia (consists of a minimum of 16 magistrates); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 13 judges); note - the Constitutional Court was established in 2010 by constitutional amendment

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and a non-governing party congressional representative; Supreme Court judges appointed for 7-year terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed for 9-year terms

subordinate courts: courts of appeal; courts of first instance; justices of the peace; special courts for juvenile, labor, and land cases; Contentious Administrative Court for cases filed against the government
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy or APD
Broad Front (Frente Amplio) [Fidel SANTANA]
Country Alliance or AP [Guillermo Antonio MORENO Garcia]
Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Danilo MEDINA Sánchez]
Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Miguel VARGAS Maldonado]
Dominicans For Change or DXC [Manuel OVIEDO Estrada]
Institutional Social Democratic Bloc or BIS
Liberal Reformist Party or PRL (formerly the Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or PLRD)
Modern Revolutionary Party or PRM [Luis ABINADER]
National Progressive Front or FNP [Vinicio CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]
People's Force or FP [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]
Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Federico Augusto "Quique" ANTUN Batile]
International organization participation: ACP, AOSIS, BCIE, Caricom (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA (associated member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia GUZMAN (since 18 January 2021)

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

telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280

FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057

email address and website: 
embassy@drembassyusa.org

http://drembassyusa.org/

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

consulate(s): San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Robert W. THOMAS (since 20 January 2021)

embassy: Av. Republica de Colombia #57, Santo Domingo

mailing address: 3470 Santo Domingo Place, Washington DC  20521-3470

telephone: (809) 567-7775

email address and website: 
SDOAmericans@state.gov

https://do.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are ultramarine blue (hoist side) and vermilion red, and the bottom ones are vermilion red (hoist side) and ultramarine blue; a small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by a laurel 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; in the shield a bible is opened to a verse that reads "Y la verdad nos hara libre" (And the truth shall set you free); blue stands for liberty, white for salvation, and red for the blood of heroes
National symbol(s): palmchat (bird); national colors: red, white, blue
National anthem: name: "Himno Nacional" (National Anthem)

lyrics/music: Emilio PRUD'HOMME/Jose REYES

note: adopted 1934; also known as "Quisqueyanos valientes" (Valient Sons of Quisqueye); the anthem never refers to the people as Dominican but rather calls them "Quisqueyanos," a reference to the indigenous name of the island
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Colonial City of Santo Domingo

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: The Dominican Republic was for most of its history primarily an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, but over the last three decades the economy has become more diversified as the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in construction, tourism, and free trade zones. The mining sector has also played a greater role in the export market since late 2012 with the commencement of the extraction phase of the Pueblo Viejo Gold and Silver mine, one of the largest gold mines in the world.   For the last 20 years, the Dominican Republic has been one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America. The economy rebounded from the global recession in 2010-16, and the fiscal situation is improving. A tax reform package passed in November 2012, a reduction in government spending, and lower energy costs helped to narrow the central government budget deficit from 6.6% of GDP in 2012 to 2.6% in 2016, and public debt is declining. Marked income inequality, high unemployment, and underemployment remain important long-term challenges; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GDP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of GDP.   The economy is highly dependent upon the US, the destination for approximately half of exports and the source of 40% of imports. Remittances from the US amount to about 7% of GDP, equivalent to about a third of exports and two-thirds of tourism receipts. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement came into force in March 2007, boosting investment and manufacturing exports.The Dominican Republic was for most of its history primarily an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, but over the last three decades the economy has become more diversified as the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in construction, tourism, and free trade zones. The mining sector has also played a greater role in the export market since late 2012 with the commencement of the extraction phase of the Pueblo Viejo Gold and Silver mine, one of the largest gold mines in the world. For the last 20 years, the Dominican Republic has been one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America. The economy rebounded from the global recession in 2010-16, and the fiscal situation is improving. A tax reform package passed in November 2012, a reduction in government spending, and lower energy costs helped to narrow the central government budget deficit from 6.6% of GDP in 2012 to 2.6% in 2016, and public debt is declining. Marked income inequality, high unemployment, and underemployment remain important long-term challenges; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GDP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of GDP. The economy is highly dependent upon the US, the destination for approximately half of exports and the source of 40% of imports. Remittances from the US amount to about 7% of GDP, equivalent to about a third of exports and two-thirds of tourism receipts. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement came into force in March 2007, boosting investment and manufacturing exports.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $184.45 billion (2020 est.)

$197.74 billion (2019 est.)

$188.23 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 4.6% (2017 est.)

6.6% (2016 est.)

7% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $17,000 (2020 est.)

$18,400 (2019 est.)

$17,700 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $88.956 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (2019 est.)

3.5% (2018 est.)

3.2% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: BB- (2016)

Moody's rating: Ba3 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating: BB- (2015)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 5.6% (2017 est.)

industry: 33% (2017 est.)

services: 61.4% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 69.3% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 12.2% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 21.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 24.8% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -28.1% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: sugar cane, bananas, papayas, rice, plantains, milk, avocados, fruit, pineapples, coconuts
Industries: tourism, sugar processing, gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco, electrical components, medical devices
Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 4.732 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 14.4%

industry: 20.8% (2014)

services: 64.7% (2014 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.1% (2017 est.)

5.5% (2016 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 14.9%

male: 11.6%

female: 20.7% (2020 est.)
Population below poverty line: 21% (2019 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 43.7 (2018 est.)

45.7 (2012 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9%

highest 10%: 37.4% (2013 est.)
Budget: revenues: 11.33 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 13.62 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 37.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

34.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 14.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$165 million (2017 est.)

-$815 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $14.44 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$20.51 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$20.05 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: United States 54%, Switzerland 8%, Canada 5%, India 5%, China 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: gold, medical instruments, cigars, low-voltage protection equipment, bananas (2019)
Imports: $20.19 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$24.53 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$24.11 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: United States 50%, China 13% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, cars, jewelry, natural gas, broadcasting equipment (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.873 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.134 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $23.094 billion (2019 est.)

$21.198 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar -

47.42 (2017 est.)

46.078 (2016 est.)

46.078 (2015 est.)

45.052 (2014 est.)

43.556 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 5.674 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 16,330,980,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 2.576 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 93.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 1.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 1.791 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 2.359 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 148,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 24,900 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 16,060 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 108,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption: 1,602,759,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports: 28.657 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

imports: 1,586,449,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 26.808 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 4.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 18.951 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 3.144 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 39.016 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 1,155,493 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 8,989,587 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 83 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: the Dominican Republic’s telecom sector continued its solid form throughout 2020 and into 2021, shrugging off the economic turmoil unleashed by the Covid-19 pandemic to maintain a decade-long run of low but positive growth across all areas of the market; the Dominican Republic remains behind most of its counterparts in the Latin American region, especially in terms of fixed-line network coverage; mobile subscriptions are on par with the regional average, but at subscription levels of around 88% there is still ample opportunity for growth; in terms of growth, the standout winner was once again the mobile broadband segment; the market is expected to see close to 8% growth in 2021, building further on the gains it already made in 2020 when lock downs and work-from-home rules encouraged many people to find ways to upgrade their internet access and performance; the limited coverage of fixed-line broadband networks makes mobile the first, if not only, choice for most people in the country. (2021)

domestic: fixed-line teledensity is about 11 per 100 persons; multiple providers of mobile-cellular service with a subscribership of nearly 83 per 100 persons (2020)

international: country code - 1-809; 1-829; 1-849; landing point for the ARCOS-1, Antillas 1, AMX-1, SAm-1, East-West, Deep Blue Cable and the Fibralink submarine cables that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: combination of state-owned and privately owned broadcast media; 1 state-owned TV network and a number of private TV networks; networks operate repeaters to extend signals throughout country; combination of state-owned and privately owned radio stations with more than 300 radio stations operating (2019)
Internet country code: .do
Internet users: total: 8,352,886 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 77% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 1,031,858 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: HI
Airports: total: 36 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 16

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 20

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 18 (2021)
Heliports: 1 (2021)
Pipelines: 27 km gas, 103 km oil (2013)
Railways: total: 496 km (2014)

standard gauge: 354 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 142 km (2014) 0.762-m gauge
Roadways: total: 19,705 km (2002)

paved: 9,872 km (2002)

unpaved: 9,833 km (2002)
Merchant marine: total: 38

by type: container ship 1, general cargo 2, oil tanker 1, other 34 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Puerto Haina, Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo

oil terminal(s): Punta Nizao oil terminal

LNG terminal(s) (import): Andres LNG terminal (Boca Chica)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic: Army (Ejercito Nacional, EN), Navy (Marina de Guerra, MdG; includes naval infantry), Dominican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana, FAD) (2022)

note: in addition to the military, the Ministry of Armed Forces directs the Airport Security Authority and Civil Aviation, Port Security Authority, the Tourist Security Corps, and Border Security Corps; the National Police (Policia Nacional) are under the Ministry of Interior
Military expenditures: 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

0.7% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $1.43 billion)

0.7% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $1.33 billion)

0.6% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $1.2 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: information varies; approximately 60,000 active personnel (30,000 Army; 13,000 Navy; 17,000 Air Force); approximately 30,000 National Police (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military is lightly armed with an inventory consisting mostly of older US equipment with limited quantities of material from other countries (2022)
Military service age and obligation: 17-21 years of age for voluntary military service (men and women); recruits must have completed primary school and be Dominican Republic citizens (2022)

note: as of 2021, women made up approximately 20% of the active duty military
Military - note: the military's primary focuses are countering illegal immigration and refugees along its 350-kilometer-long border with Haiti and interdicting air and maritime narcotics trafficking, as well as disaster relief (2022)

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Haitian migrants cross the porous border into the Dominican Republic to find work; illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find better workHaitian migrants cross the porous border into the Dominican Republic to find work; illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find better work
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 115,283 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum or have received alternative legal stay) (2021)

stateless persons: 133,770 (2016); note - a September 2013 Constitutional Court ruling revoked the citizenship of those born after 1929 to immigrants without proper documentation, even though the constitution at the time automatically granted citizenship to children born in the Dominican Republic and the 2010 constitution provides that constitutional provisions cannot be applied retroactively; the decision overwhelmingly affected people of Haitian descent whose relatives had come to the Dominican Republic since the 1890s as a cheap source of labor for sugar plantations; a May 2014 law passed by the Dominican Congress regularizes the status of those with birth certificates but will require those without them to prove they were born in the Dominican Republic and to apply for naturalization; the government has issued documents to thousands of individuals who may claim citizenship under this law, but no official estimate has been released

note: revised estimate includes only individuals born to parents who were both born abroad; it does not include individuals born in the country to one Dominican-born and one foreign-born parent or subsequent generations of individuals of foreign descent; the estimate, as such, does not include all stateless persons (2015)
Trafficking in persons: current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in the Dominican Republic and Dominicans abroad; Dominican women and children are sex trafficked throughout the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean, South and Central America, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States; victims from Haiti and elsewhere in the Caribbean, Asia, and Latin America are trafficked in the Dominican Republic; Dominican women are lured to the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America to work in nightclubs but are then sex trafficked; domestically, children are forced into domestic servitude, street vending, begging, agricultural work, construction, and moving illicit narcotics, while adults are forced to work in construction, agriculture, and the services sector

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the Dominican Republic does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government has drafted a revised trafficking law that would be consistent with international law by removing the requirement for force, fraud, or coercion of sex trafficking of victims younger than 18; authorities increased investigations and prosecutions but convicted fewer traffickers and issued inadequate sentences; the country lacks a dedicated victim assistance budget and a full-time victim shelter; authorities did not effectively screen for trafficking indicators or refer all vulnerable individuals to care; the government has not allocated specific funds to implement its national anti-trafficking plan beyond the standard operating budget for the 14 institutions that are part of its Inter-Institutional Commission against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (2020)
Illicit drugs: a major transshipment point for cocaine transiting through the Caribbean