Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is located in the northern Caribbean and
covers an area of 48,700 square kilometers. It has a population of
8.23 million, most of whom are mixed white and mestizo (73%), with
the rest mostly white and black. Residents are Catholic and the
official language is Spanish. The currency is the peso and the
capital is Santo Domingo.
National Flag
The flag of Dominica contains a white cross which separates the
background into two blue rectangles and two red ones In the center
is an emblem. Red symbolizes struggle and blood, the white cross is
a religious symbol and represents sacrifice, and blue symbolizes
freedom.
History
The country was originally inhabited by American Indians. In 1496,
the Spanish established the colony of Hispaniola, centered in Santo
Domingo; this was the first permanent European settler colony in
America. In 1795 the land passed to the ownership of the French,
eventually returning to the Spanish in 1809. On February 27, 1844,
the east declared independence, establishing the Dominican Republic.
Economy and Cultural Customs
The Dominican Republic is an agricultural country, with tourism,
export processing, and remittances the three pillars of the economy.
Sugar production also plays an important role in the economy, and
animal husbandry and fishing is highly developed. The country is
rich in mineral resources, primarily gold, silver, copper, iron,
nickel, and bauxite.
Enrichi Lake Superior
Lagoons provide the location for the world-famous crocodile
sanctuary, situated in the southwest of the country. Enrichi Lake
Superior is about 40 meters below sea level, with water salinity
higher than 50% of the Caribbean sea, and is the habitat of a large
number of crocodiles.
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