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(The map and
the note below are from the UN Department of Public Information.) Region:
Caribbean
Capital:
Santo Domingo
Population:
8,833,634 (July
2004 est.)
Surface
area:
48,511 sq km
Currency:
peso
GDP
per capita:
purchasing power
parity - $6,000
(2003 est.)
Background:
Explored and
claimed by Columbus
on his first
voyage in 1492,
the island of
Hispaniola became
a springboard
for Spanish conquest
of the Caribbean
and the American
mainland. In
1697, Spain recognized
French dominion
over the western
third of the
island, which
in 1804 became
Haiti. The remainder
of the island,
by then known
as Santo Domingo,
sought to gain
its own independence
in 1821, but
was conquered
and ruled by
the Haitians
for 22 years;
it finally attained
independence
as the Dominican
Republic in 1844.
A legacy of unsettled,
mostly non-representative,
rule for much
of its subsequent
history was brought
to an end in
1966 when Joaquin
BALAGUER became
president. He
maintained a
tight grip on
power for most
of the next 30
years when international
reaction to flawed
elections forced
him to curtail
his term in 1996.
Since then, regular
competitive elections
have been held
in which opposition
candidates have
won the presidency.
The Dominican
economy has had
one of the fastest
growth rates
in the hemisphere
over the past
decade.
Economy
– Overview
The Dominican
Republic is a
Caribbean representative
democracy which
enjoyed GDP growth
of more than
7% in 1998-2000.
Growth subsequently
plummeted as
part of the global
economic slowdown.
Although the
country has long
been viewed primarily
as an exporter
of sugar, coffee,
and tobacco,
in recent years
the service sector
has overtaken
agriculture as
the economy's
largest employer,
due to growth
in tourism and
free trade zones.
The country suffers
from marked income
inequality; the
poorest half
of the population
receives less
than one-fifth
of GNP, while
the richest 10%
enjoys nearly
40% of national
income. Growth
turned negative
in 2003 with
reduced tourism,
a major bank
fraud, and limited
growth in the
US economy, the
source of 87%
of export revenues.
Resumption of
a badly needed
IMF loan was
slowed due to
government repurchase
of electrical
power plants.
United
Nations membership
date:
24 October 1945
New
York Mission:
Permanent Mission
of the Dominican
Republic to the
United Nations
144 East 44th
Street, 4th Floor
New York, N.Y.
10017 USA
Telephone: 212-867-0833
Fax: 212-986-4694 |
