Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation located on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. The Dominican Republic shares the island with the nation of Haiti.
Fast Facts:
- Capital: Santo Domingo
- Government: Representative democracy
- Population: 9.365 Million
- Currency: Dominican Peso
- Country Code: 809
- Official Language: Spanish
Geography
The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, and borders the Caribbean to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the north. The highest mountain range in the Caribbean, the Cordillera Central forms the spine of Hispaniola amd is one of four mountain ranges in the country. The tropical nation has a warm climate year-round, and has many small islands directly off the mainland.
Brief History
Prior to European contact, the island of Hispaniola was occupied by Amerindian tribes who eventually succumbed to disease, slavery, and war. The Spanish began importing African slaves to the island in the 16th century to work on sugar plantations. In 1821, the nation became independent from Spain, but repeated invasions by Haiti caused the Dominican Republic to once again become a colony in 1861. The United States occupied the country from 1916 to 1924, and in 1930, dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo took over power and held it until his assassination in 1961.
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