Government 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)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution: 28 November 1966
Legal system: based on French civil codes
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August
1996); Vice President Jaime David FERNANDEZ Mirabal (since 16 August
1996); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16
August 1996); Vice President Jaime David FERNANDEZ Mirabal (since 16
August 1996); note—the president is both the chief of state and head
of government
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year term; election last held 16 May 1996;
runoff election held 30 June 1996 (next to be held 16 May 2000)
election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna elected president; percent
of vote—Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (PLD) 51.25%, Jose Francisco PENA
Gomez (PRD) 48.75%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso
Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of
Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate—last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA May
2002); Chamber of Deputies—last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA
May 2002)
election results: Senate—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by
party—PRD 24, PLD 4, PRSC 2; Chamber of Deputies—percent of vote by
party—NA; seats by party—PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17