All About Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region
The western three-eighths of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands, along with Saint Martin, that are shared by two countries
Both by area and population, the Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation (after Cuba), with and an estimated 10 million people, one million of which live in the capital city, Santo Domingo.
The Ta�no people inhabited what is now the Dominican Republic since the 7th century
Christopher Columbus landed on the island in 1492, and it became the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas, namely Santo Domingo, the country's capital and Spain's first capital in the New World
After three centuries of Spanish rule, with French and Haitian interludes, the country became independent in 1821
The ruler, Jos� N��ez de C�ceres, intended that the Dominican Republic be part of the nation of Gran Colombia, but he was quickly removed by the Haitian government and "Dominican" slave revolts
Victorious in the Dominican War of Independence in 1844, Dominicans experienced mostly internal strife over the next 72 years, and also a brief return to Spanish rule
The United States occupation of 1916�1924, and a subsequent calm and prosperous six-year period under Horacio V�squez Lajara, were followed by the dictatorship of Rafael Le�nidas Trujillo Molina until 1961
The civil war of 1965, the country's last, was ended by a U.S.-led intervention, and was followed by the authoritarian rule of Joaqu�n Balaguer, 1966�1978
Since then, the Dominican Republic has moved toward representative democracy, and has been led by Leonel Fern�ndez for most of the time after 1996
Danilo Medina, the Dominican Republic's current president, succeeded Fern�ndez in 2012, winning 51% of the electoral vote over his opponent ex-president Hip�lito Mej�a.
The Dominican Republic has the ninth largest economy in Latin America and the second largest economy in the Caribbean and Central American region
Though long known for agriculture and mining, the economy is now dominated by services
The country's economic progress is exemplified by its advanced telecommunication system, and transportation infrastructure
Nevertheless, unemployment, government corruption, and inconsistent electric service remain major Dominican problems
The country also has "marked income inequality"
International migration affects the Dominican Republic greatly, as it receives and sends large flows of migrants
Haitian immigration and the integration of Dominicans of Haitian descent are major issues
A large Dominican diaspora exists, mostly in the United States
They contribute to national development as they send billions of dollars to their families.
The Dominican Republic is the most visited destination in the Caribbean
The year-round golf courses are among the top attractions on the island
As one of the region's most geographically diverse countries, the Dominican Republic boasts the Caribbean's highest mountain peak, Pico Duarte, as well as the Caribbean's largest lake and lowest elevation, Lake Enriquillo
The island has an average temperature of and great biological diversity
The country is also home to the first cathedral, castle, monastery, and fortress in all of the Americas, located in Santo Domingo's Colonial Zone, an area declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO
Music and sport are of great importance in the Dominican culture, with Merengue and Bachata as the national dance and music, and baseball as the favorite sport.