*Dominica, Defense Forces
Branches:
Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force
Manpower availability:
NA
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
*Dominican Republic, Geography
Location:
in the northern Caribbean Sea, about halfway between Cuba and Puerto Rico
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
48,730 km2
land area:
48,380 km2
comparative area:
slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries:
total 275 km, Haiti 275 km
Coastline:
1,288 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm or the outer edge of continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
6 nm
International disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
Natural resources:
nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Land use:
arable land:
23%
permanent crops:
7%
meadows and pastures:
43%
forest and woodland:
13%
other:
14%
Irrigated land:
2,250 km2 (1989)
Environment:
subject to occasional hurricanes (July to October); deforestation
Note:
shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (western one-third is Haiti, eastern
two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
*Dominican Republic, People
Population:
7,683,940 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.86% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
25.68 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
6.38 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
53.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
67.98 years
male:
65.87 years
female:
70.21 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.89 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Dominican(s)
adjective:
Dominican
Ethnic divisions:
mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%
Languages:
Spanish
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
83%
male:
85%
female:
82%
Labor force:
2,300,000 to 2,600,000
by occupation:
agriculture 49%, services 33%, industry 18% (1986)
*Dominican Republic, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Dominican Republic
conventional short form:
none
local long form:
Republica Dominicana
local short form:
none
Digraph:
DR
Type:
republic
Capital:
Santo Domingo
Administrative divisions:
29 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito);, Azua, Baoruco,
Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El, Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor,
Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La
Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata,
Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San
Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro De Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez,
Valverde
Independence:
27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
Constitution:
28 November 1966
Legal system:
based on French civil codes
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Political parties and leaders:
Major parties:
Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo; Dominican
Liberation Party (PLD), Juan BOSCH Gavino; Dominican Revolutionary Party
(PRD), Jose Franciso PENA Gomez; Independent Revolutionary Party (PRI),
Jacobo MAJLUTA
Minor parties:
National Veterans and Civilian Party (PNVC), Juan Rene BEAUCHAMPS Javier;
Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic (PLRD), Andres Van Der HORST;
Democratic Quisqueyan Party (PQD), Elias WESSIN Chavez; National Progressive
Force (FNP), Marino VINICIO Castillo; Popular Christian Party (PPC), Rogelio
DELGADO Bogaert; Dominican Communist Party (PCD), Narciso ISA Conde;
Dominican Workers' Party (PTD), Ivan RODRIGUEZ; Anti-Imperialist Patriotic
Union (UPA), Ignacio RODRIGUEZ Chiappini; Alliance for Democracy Party
(APD), Maximilano Rabelais PUIG Miller, Nelsida MARMOLEJOS, Vicente BENGOA
note:
in 1983 several leftist parties, including the PCD, joined to form the
Dominican Leftist Front (FID); however, they still retain individual party
structures
Other political or pressure groups:
Collective of Popular Organzations (COP), leader NA
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory or married persons regardless of
age
note:
members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
*Dominican Republic, Government
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
Executive branch:
president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consists of an upper chamber
or Senate (Senado) and lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara de
Diputados)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo (since 16 August 1986, fifth elected term
began 16 August 1990); Vice President Carlos A. MORALES Troncoso (since 16
August 1986)
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, LAIA (observer), LORCS, NAM (guest), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Jose del Carmen ARIZA Gomez
chancery:
1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 332-6280
consulates general:
Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans,
New York, Philadelphia, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulates:
Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville,
Minneapolis, Mobile, Ponce (Puerto Rico), and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Robert S. PASTORINO
embassy:
corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo
Domingo
mailing address:
APO AA 34041-0008
telephone:
(809) 541-2171 and 541-8100
FAX:
(809) 686-7437
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