Dominican Republic

I

Introduction

Dominican Republic (in Spanish, República Dominicana), independent republic occupying the eastern two thirds of the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti, and is bordered on the north by the Atlantic Ocean; on the east by the Mona Passage, which separates it from Puerto Rico; on the south by the Caribbean Sea; and on the west by Haiti. The Dominican Republic has an extreme length in an east to west direction of about 380 km (235 mi). The country has an area of 48,422 sq km (18,696 sq mi), including a number of adjacent islands, notably Beata and Saona. Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic as well as its largest city.

II

Land and Resources

The Dominican Republic is a fertile, well-watered, mountainous country. About 80 per cent of the country is covered with a series of massive mountain ranges, extending in a north-western to south-eastern direction. Pico Duarte (3,175 m/10,417 ft) is the highest mountain in the country and in the Caribbean. Between the Cordillera Central and the Cordillera Septentrional, a parallel range to the north, is the Valley of Cibao, which is one of the most fertile and best-watered areas of the country. The coastal plain in the south-east is another fertile region. Among the numerous rivers of the Dominican Republic are the Yaque del Norte, Yuna, and Camú in the north, and the Yaque del Sur, Ozama, and Soco in the south.

The principal lake is the salt-water Lago Enriquillo, about 43 km (27 mi) long, situated in the south-west. The coastline of the Dominican Republic, about 1,633 km (1,015 mi) in length, is irregular and indented by many bays forming natural harbours, notably Calderas Bay in the south and the Bay of Samaná in the north-east.

A

Climate

The Dominican Republic has a semi-tropical climate, tempered by the prevailing easterly winds. Temperatures of more than 23.3° C (74° F) are registered in the lowlands throughout the year. During the summer months temperatures range between 26.7° and 35° C (80° and 95° F) in these regions. The highlands are considerably cooler. Annual precipitation averages about 1,525 mm (60 in), but considerably more rainfall is received by the mountainous areas of the north. The wet season is from June to November.

Tropical hurricanes occur occasionally. Hurricane David, which struck in 1979, caused great damage, and then on September 22, 1998, the country was hit by Hurricane Georges, with winds as high as 280 km/h (175 mph). At least 200 people died in the Dominican Republic and over 100,000 lost their homes in the wake of Georges. The storm also caused heavy damage to crops, with an estimated 90 per cent of banana plantations destroyed.

B

Natural Resources

The main resources of the Dominican Republic are agricultural. The fertile soil in the valleys is conducive to farming, and many of the mountain slopes are covered with forests. The country also has valuable deposits of nickel, gold, and silver.