Independence Year : 1844
Population : 8495000
Life Expectancy : 73.2
Capital : 587
GNP : 15846.00
GNP Old : 15076.00
Local Name : República Dominicana
Government Form : Republic
Location : Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, east of Haiti, between Cuba and Puerto Rico. the north of Caribbean Sea to south of the North Atlantic Ocean.
Terrain : Highlands and mountains with fertile valleys.
Climate : Maritime semitropical, with an average yearly temperature of 26°C (78°F).
Ethnic Group : European 16%, African origin 11%, mixed 73%.
Religions : Roman Catholic 95%.
Official Website :
www.godominicanrepublic.com/
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General Information - Dominican Republic
Background
The Dominican Republic forms the eastern two-thirds, and Haiti the remainder of the Hispaniola island, formerly known as Santo Domingo.
In pre-columbian times the island was inhabited by Tainos, an Arawak-speaking people. In 1492 C. Columbus discovered the island and claimed it immediately for the Spanish Crown. It was then occupied by the usual ruling forces of that time, the Spanish and the French. The not so friendly colonizers reduced the Taino population from about 1 million to about 500 within 50 years.
Today Dominican Republic is inhabited mostly by people of mixed European and African origins. The African heritage is reflected most noticeably in the music, the merengue. The country is a main tourist destination of the region.
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