*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, oil refining, minerals, and chemicals. Unemployment is officially
reported at about 30%, but there is considerable underemployment.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $8.4 billion (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
5% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
$1,120 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
30% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues $1.4 billion; expenditures $1.8 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)
Exports:
$600 million (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, coffee, cocoa
partners:
US 60%, EC 19%, Puerto Rico 8% (1990)
Imports:
$2 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.)
commodities:
foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
partners:
US 50%
External debt:
$4.7 billion (1992 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate -1.5% (1991); accounts for 20% of GDP
Electricity:
2,283,000 kW capacity; 5,000 million kWh produced, 660 kWh per capita (1992)
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
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-89), $575 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $655 million
Currency:
1 Dominican peso (RD$) = 100 centavos
*Dominican Republic, Economy
Exchange rates:
Dominican pesos (RD$) per US$1 - 12.7 (1992), 12.692 (1991), 8.525 (1990),
6.340 (1989), 6.113 (1988)
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
Airports:
total:
36
usable:
30
with permanent-surface runways:
12
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
4
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
8
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 age 15-49 2,064,244; fit for military service 1,302,644; reach
military age (18) annually 80,991 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $110 million, 0.7% of GDP (1993 est.)
*Ecuador, Geography
Location:
Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator between
Colombia and Peru
Map references:
South America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
283,560 km2
land area:
276,840 km2
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Nevada
note:
includes Galapagos Islands
Land boundaries:
total 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
International 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%
Irrigated land:
5,500 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
subject to frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity;
deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; periodic droughts
Note:
Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world