Economy - overview: The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions. Hurricane Luis devastated the country's banana crop in 1995 after tropical storms wiped out a quarter of the 1994 crop. The subsequent recovery has been fueled by increases in construction, soap production, and tourist arrivals. Development of the tourism industry remains difficult however, because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international airport. Economic growth is sluggish, and unemployment is greater than 20%. The government has been attempting to develop an offshore financial sector in order to diversify the island's production base.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $262 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -3.2% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 23% services: 59% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 25,000
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%