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
Communists:
an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 members in several legal and illegal factions;
effectiveness limited by ideological differences, organizational
inadequacies, and severe funding shortages
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, LORCS, NAM (guest), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Jose del Carmen ARIZA Gomez; Chancery at 1715 22nd Street NW,
Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-6280; there are Dominican
Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico),
Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and
Consulates in Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit, Houston,
Jacksonville, Minneapolis, Mobile, Ponce (Puerto Rico), and San Francisco
US:
Ambassador Robert S. PASTORINO; Embassy at the corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas
Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo (mailing address is APO AA
34041-0008); telephone (809) 5412171
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, durable consumer goods, minerals, and chemicals. Unemployment is
officially reported at about 30%, but there is considerable underemployment.
A fiscal austerity program has brought inflation under control, but in 1991
the economy contracted for a second straight year.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $7 billion, per capita $950; real growth rate -2%
(1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
30% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues NA; expenditures $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(1992 est.)
Exports:
$775 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
sugar, coffee, cocoa, gold, ferronickel
partners:
US 60%, EC 19%, Puerto Rico 8% (1990)
Imports:
$1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
commodities:
foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
partners:
US 50%
External debt:
$4.7 billion (1991 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate NA; accounts for 20% of GDP
Electricity:
2,133,000 kW capacity; 4,410 million kWh produced, 597 kWh per capita (1991)
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
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-89), $575 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $655 million
Currency:
Dominican peso (plural - pesos); 1 Dominican peso (RD$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates:
Dominican pesos (RD$) per US$1 - 12.609 (January 1992), 12.692 (1991), 8.525
(1990), 6.340 (1989), 6.113 (1988), 3.845 (1987)
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
Civil air:
23 major transport aircraft
Airports:
36 total, 30 usable; 12 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
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 15-49, 2,013,294; 1,271,772 fit for military service; 80,117 reach
military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $70 million, 1% of GDP (1990)
:Ecuador Geography
Total area:
283,560 km2
Land area:
276,840 km2; includes Galapagos Islands
Comparative area:
slightly smaller than Nevada
Land boundaries:
2,010 km; Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Coastline:
2,237 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf:
claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos Islands
Territorial sea:
200 nm
Disputes:
three sections of the boundary with Peru are in dispute
Climate:
tropical along coast becoming cooler inland
Terrain:
coastal plain (Costa), inter-Andean central highlands (Sierra), and flat to
rolling eastern jungle (Oriente)
Natural resources:
petroleum, fish, timber
Land use:
arable land 6%; permanent crops 3%; meadows and pastures 17%; forest and
woodland 51%; other 23%; includes irrigated 2%
Environment:
subject to frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity;
deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; periodic droughts
Note:
Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
:Ecuador People