Introduction: Columbus named the island Hispaniola ('Little Spain') when he landed there in 1492. The Dominican Republic is located in the Caribbean Sea and occupies two thirds of the island of Hispaniola while the territory also includes the islands of Beata Catalina, Saona, Alto Velo and Catalinita. It is bound by Haiti to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south.

Official Name: Dominican Republic
Area: 48,730 sq km (18,815 sq miles)
Population: 8,715,000
Continent: Caribbean/North America
Density per square mile: 463
Capital City: Santo Domingo
Religions: 92% Roman Catholic. Other religious minorities include Protestants, Haitian Voodooists, Cultists and a small number of Jews.

Language: Spanish
Government: Representative Democracy

Currency: Dominican Peso
GDP: $50.5 billion
GDP Per Head: $6,100

Natural Resources: Bauxite, gold, nickel & silver.
Land Use: Arable Land 21%
Agriculture: Coffee, cocoa, cotton, sugarcane, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas, livestock & dairy products.
Industry: Tourism, sugar refining, nickel and gold mining, & tobacco esp cigars, clothing & shoes.

Tourism: Most tourists are initially attracted to its magnificent golden sandy beaches that extend over one-third of its 870-mile coastal regions that define three-quarters of its borders. Then there's the impressive mountain ranges, with rivers and waterfalls, and saltwater lakes teeming with exotic wildlife. Plus the climate of a caribbean country.

Natural Hazards: Occasional earthquakes & hurricanes.
Health Risks: Malaria, dengue fever, dysentery, giardia, typhoid, and hepatitis A and B. Don't drink Dominican tap water, and be wary of food that may have been washed in tap water.

Climate: The Dominican Republic has a tropical maritime climate winds from the sea cooloing the heat. The wet or rainy season is from May to November in the south and from December to April in the north. Rainfall is heaviest in the north of the island. Average annual rainfall is 58 inches. Average temperature ranges in Santo Domingo are from 19 - 29 degrees Celsius in January to 23 - 31 degrees Celsius in August

Time: GMT/UTC -4 hours
National Days: February 27 Independance Day

Visas: All visitors require a tourist card, which can be obtained before travel through the Embassy of the Dominican Republic, Representation in the UK for Dominican Republic or on arrival at the airport at a cost of 10 American Dollars or equivalent. There is also a 20 American Dollars departure tax. Minors under 13 years of age who are travelling with only one, or neither, of their parents may be required to carry documentation signed by the absent parent(s) when leaving the Dominican Republic. Please check with the embassy of the Dominican Republic prior to travel for current requirements.

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