The Dominican
The Dominican⌘K
Overview
- Background
- The Taino -- indigenous inhabitants of Hispaniola prior to the arrival of Europeans -- divided the island now known as the Dominican Republic and Haiti into five chiefdoms and territories. Christopher COLUMBUS explored and claimed the island on his first voyage in 1492; it became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but the Haitians conquered and ruled it for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later, they launched a war that restored independence in 1865.
A legacy of unsettled and mostly non-representative rule followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930 to 1961. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962 but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the US led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in the presidential election. BALAGUER maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years, until international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 48,320 sq km
- Water
- 350 sq km
- Total
- 48,670 sq km
- Climate
- tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
- Terrain
- rugged highlands and mountains interspersed with fertile valleys
Land Use
- Other
- 0% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 46.6% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 55.4% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 20.2% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 11.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 23.8% (2023 est.)
- Location
- Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
- Coastline
- 1,288 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Lago Enriquillo -46 m
- Highest point
- Pico Duarte 3,098 m
- Mean elevation
- 424 m
- Irrigated land
- 2,981 sq km (2018)
- Map references
- Central America and the Caribbean
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 376 km
- Border countries
- Haiti 376 km
Maritime Claims
- Note
- note: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
- Contiguous zone
- 24 nm
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
- Continental shelf
- 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
- Exclusive economic zone
- 200 nm
- Natural hazards
- lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts
- Geography note
- shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds makes up the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti); the second largest country in the Antilles (after Cuba); geographically diverse with the Caribbean's tallest mountain, Pico Duarte, and lowest elevation and largest lake, Lago Enriquillo
- Natural resources
- nickel, bauxite, gold, silver, arable land
- Area comparative
- slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey
- Geographic coordinates
- 19 00 N, 70 40 W
- Population distribution
- coastal development is significant, especially in the southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley, where population density is highest; smaller population clusters exist in the interior mountains (Cordillera Central)
Major Lakes (Area Sq Km)
- Salt water lake(s)
- Lago de Enriquillo - 500 sq km
People & Society
Literacy
- Male
- 93.6% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 94.4% (2024 est.)
- Total population
- 94% (2024 est.)
Languages
- Languages
- Spanish (official)
- Major language sample(s)
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
- Religions
- Evangelical 50.2%, Roman Catholic 30.1%, none 18.5%, unspecified 1.2% (2023 est.)
Sex Ratio
- At birth
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 0 14 years
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 15 64 years
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- Total population
- 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.93 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 17.4 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 6.97 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 29.1 years
- Total
- 29.6 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 29.4 years
Population
- Male
- 5,506,679
- Total
- 10,899,292 (2025 est.)
- Female
- 5,392,613
Nationality
- Noun
- Dominican(s)
- Adjective
- Dominican
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 13.5% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 9.7% (2025 est.)
- Female
- 5.9% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 84.4% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age Structure
- 0 14 years
- 25.5% (male 1,402,847/female 1,358,833)
- 15 64 years
- 66.9% (male 3,667,584/female 3,563,848)
- 65 years and over
- 7.6% (2024 est.) (male 395,345/female 427,400)
- Ethnic groups
- mixed 70.4% (Mestizo/Indio 58%, Mulatto 12.4%), Black 15.8%, White 13.5%, other 0.3% (2014 est.)
Child Marriage
- Women married BY age 15
- 9.4% (2019)
- Women married BY age 18
- 31.5% (2019)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 49.6 (2025 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 37.8 (2025 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 8.5 (2025 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 11.8 (2025 est.)
- Physician density
- 2.43 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 4.9% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 14.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- -2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Hospital bed density
- 1.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 2.17 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: rural
- rural: 91.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 96.8% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 97.8% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 8.6% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 3.2% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 2.2% of population (2022 est.)
Education Expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 3.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 20.9% national budget (2025 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 24.3 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 20.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 19 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- 0.78% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 1.06 (2025 est.)
- Population distribution
- coastal development is significant, especially in the southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley, where population density is highest; smaller population clusters exist in the interior mountains (Cordillera Central)
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 71 years
- Female
- 74.3 years
- Total population
- 72.6 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 124 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: rural
- rural: 91.9% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 96.5% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 97.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 8.1% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 3.5% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 2.6% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 3.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 5.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Spirits
- 2.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Other alcohols
- 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 3.524 million SANTO DOMINGO (capital) (2023)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 27.6% (2016)
- Mother's mean age at first birth
- 20.9 years (2013 est.)
- Currently married women (ages 15 49)
- 53.2% (2019 est.)
- Children under the age of 5 years underweight
- 3% (2019 est.)
School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)
- Male
- 13 years (2022 est.)
- Total
- 14 years (2022 est.)
- Female
- 15 years (2022 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- Flag
- description: a centered white cross extends to the edges and divides the flag into four rectangles; the top ones are ultramarine blue (left side) and vermilion red, and the bottom ones are vermilion red (left side) and ultramarine blue; a small coat of arms with a shield supported by a laurel branch and a palm branch is at the center of the cross; above the shield, a blue ribbon displays the motto DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty); below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA is on a red ribbon; on the shield, a Bible is opened to a verse that reads "Y la verdad nos hara libre" (And the truth shall set you free)
meaning: blue stands for liberty, white for salvation, and red for the blood of heroes
Capital
- Name
- Santo Domingo
- Etymology
- named after Saint Domingo de GUZMAN (1170-1221), founder of the Dominican Order; the city's full name was originally Santo Domingo de Guzman
- Time difference
- UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 18 28 N, 69 54 W
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal and compulsory; married persons can vote, regardless of age
Citizenship
- Citizenship BY birth
- no
- Citizenship BY descent only
- at least one parent must be a citizen of the Dominican Republic
- Dual citizenship recognized
- yes
- Residency requirement for naturalization
- 2 years
Constitution
- History
- many previous (38 total); latest proclaimed 13 June 2015
- Amendment process
- proposed by a special session of the National Congress called the National Revisory Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority approval by at least one half of those present in both houses of the Assembly; passage of amendments to constitutional articles, such as fundamental rights and guarantees, territorial composition, nationality, or the procedures for constitutional reform, also requires approval in a referendum
Country Name
- Former
- Santo Domingo (the capital city's name formerly applied to the entire country)
- Etymology
- the name is a latinized form of the Spanish term Santo Domingo, meaning "holy Sunday;" Spanish explorers originally settled the island on a Sunday in 1496, and the name was first given to the island of Hispaniola as a whole in 1697
- Local long form
- República Dominicana
- Local short form
- La Dominicana
- Conventional long form
- Dominican Republic
- Conventional short form
- The Dominican
- Independence
- 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
- Legal system
- civil law system based on the French civil code; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system
- Government type
- presidential republic
Judicial Branch
- Highest court(s)
- Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia (consists of a minimum of 16 magistrates); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 13 judges)
- Subordinate courts
- courts of appeal; courts of first instance; justices of the peace; special courts for juvenile, labor, and land cases; Contentious Administrative Court for cases filed against the government
- Judge selection and term of office
- Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary composed of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and a non-governing party congressional representative; Supreme Court judges appointed for 7-year terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed for 9-year terms
Executive Branch
- Note
- note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
- Cabinet
- Cabinet nominated by the president
- Chief of state
- President Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020)
- Election results
2024: Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona reelected president; percent of vote - Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (PRM) 57.5%, Leonel Antonio FERNÁNDEZ Reyna (FP) 28.8%, Abel MARTÍNEZ (PLD) 10.4%, other 3.3%
2020: Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona elected president in first round; percent of vote - Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (PRM) 52.5%, Gonzalo CASTILLO Terrero (PLD) 37.5%, Leonel Antonio FERNÁNDEZ Reyna (FP) 8.9%, other 1.1%- Head of government
- President Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020)
- Most recent election date
- 19 May 2024
- Election/appointment process
- president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a maximum of two consecutive terms)
- Expected date of next election
- 21 May 2028
- National holiday
- Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
- National color(s)
- red, white, blue
National Heritage
- Total world heritage sites
- 1 (cultural)
- Selected world heritage site locales
- Colonial City of Santo Domingo
- Political parties
- Alliance for Democracy or APD
Broad Front (Frente Amplio)
Country Alliance or AP
Dominican Liberation Party or PLD
Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD
Dominicans For Change or DXC
Independent Revolutionary Party or PRI
Institutional Social Democratic Bloc or BIS
Liberal Reformist Party or PRL (formerly the Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or PLRD)
Modern Revolutionary Party or PRM
National Progressive Front or FNP
People's First Party or PPG
People's Force or FP
Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC
Legislative Branch
- Legislature name
- National Congress of the Republic (Congreso Nacional de la República)
- Legislative structure
- bicameral
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "Himno Nacional" (National Anthem)
- History
- adopted 1934; also known as "Quisqueyanos valientes" (Valiant Sons of Quisqueye); the anthem refers to the Dominican people as Quisqueyanos, which comes from the ethnic name for the island
- Lyrics/music
- Emilio PRUD'HOMME/Jose REYES
- National symbol(s)
- palmchat (bird)
- Administrative divisions
- 31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabón, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elías Piña, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Hermanas Mirabal, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, María Trinidad Sánchez, Monseñor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Samaná, Sánchez Ramírez, San Cristóbal, San José de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macorís, Santiago, Santiago Rodríguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde
Legislative Branch Lower Chamber
- Chamber name
- Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)
- Term in office
- 4 years
- Number of seats
- 190 (all directly elected)
- Electoral system
- proportional representation
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 5/19/2024
- Expected date of next election
- May 2028
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 37.4%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and its allies (146); People’s Force (FP) and its allies (28); Other (16)
Legislative Branch Upper Chamber
- Chamber name
- Senate (Senado)
- Term in office
- 4 years
- Number of seats
- 32 (all directly elected)
- Electoral system
- proportional representation
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 5/19/2024
- Expected date of next election
- May 2028
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 12.5%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and its allies (24); People’s Force (FP) and its allies (3); Other (5)
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 265-8057
- Chancery
- 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 332-6280
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador María Isabel CASTILLO BÁEZ (since 11 June 2025)
- Consulate(s) general
- Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angelos, Miami, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia
- Email address and website
embassy@drembassyusa.org
http://drembassyusa.org/
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Embassy
- Av. Republica de Colombia #57, Santo Domingo
- Telephone
- (809) 567-7775
- Mailing address
- 3470 Santo Domingo Place, Washington DC 20521-3470
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Leah F. CAMPOS (since 19 November 2025)
- Email address and website
SDOAmericans@state.gov
https://do.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- ACP, ACS, AOSIS, BCIE, Caricom (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA (associated member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- International law organization participation
- accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Legislature
THE DOMINICAN · LOWER HOUSE
Chamber of Deputies
190 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
190
Majority line
96
Largest party
Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and its allies
Parties
6
All political parties
Upper house
THE DOMINICAN · UPPER HOUSE
Senate
32 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
32
Majority line
17
Largest party
Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and its allies
Parties
7
All political parties
Leaders
Current
Luis Abinader
- Head of State
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Note
- note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
- Revenues
- $20.418 billion (2023 est.)
- Expenditures
- $24.348 billion (2023 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $28.3B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2022
- $25.169 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $25.79 billion (2023 est.)
- Exports 2024
- $28.563 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $36.1B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2022
- $36.838 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $34.45 billion (2023 est.)
- Imports 2024
- $36.144 billion (2024 est.)
- Industries
- tourism, sugar processing, gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco, electrical components, medical devices
- Labor force
- 5.413 million (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 34.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
- Public debt 2016
- 34.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2022
- 9.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 8.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Remittances 2024
- 9% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 56.525 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 57.221 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 55.141 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 56.158 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 59.565 (2024 est.)
Debt External
- Note
- note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
- Debt external 2023
- $35.044 billion (2023 est.)
- Economic overview
- surging middle-income tourism, construction, mining, and telecommunications OECS economy; major foreign US direct investment and free-trade zones; developing local financial markets; improving debt management; declining poverty
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 5.1%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 5.6% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 5.6% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 5.5% (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- USA 52%, Switzerland 7%, Haiti 6%, China 5%, India 3% (2023)
- Imports partners
- USA 40%, China 18%, Brazil 4%, Spain 4%, Mexico 3% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $27,542
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $23,000 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $23,300 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $24,200 (2024 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 5.0%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 5.2% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 2.2% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 5% (2024 est.)
- Agricultural products
- sugarcane, bananas, papayas, plantains, avocados, rice, milk, watermelons, vegetables, pineapples (2023)
- Exports commodities
- medical instruments, tobacco, gold, garments, power equipment (2023)
- Imports commodities
- refined petroleum, cars, natural gas, plastic products, crude petroleum (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- -$4.2B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- Current account balance 2022
- -$6.549 billion (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- -$4.418 billion (2023 est.)
- Current account balance 2024
- -$4.167 billion (2024 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues
- 14.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $124.282 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY End Use
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- Household consumption
- 67.7% (2024 est.)
- Government consumption
- 11.5% (2024 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- 0.9% (2024 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 26.1% (2024 est.)
- Exports of goods and services
- 22.8% (2024 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -29% (2024 est.)
- Population below poverty line
- 23% (2023 est.)
Average Household Expenditures
- On food
- 28.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- On alcohol and tobacco
- 3.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 3.3%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 8.8% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 4.8% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 3.3% (2024 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- 3% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $276.884 billion (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $258.16 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $263.82 billion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $276.884 billion (2024 est.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 9.2% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 11.7% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 15.5% (2024 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $14.523 billion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $15.547 billion (2023 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
- $13.471 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 28.7% (2024 est.)
- Services
- 59.8% (2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 4.5% (2024 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 2.3% (2023 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 29.1% (2023 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2023
- 38.4 (2023 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Imports
- 2.356 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 2.356 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 146,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
- Consumption
- 22.193 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 6.581 million kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 2.369 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural Gas
- Exports
- 1.997 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 2.279 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 2.277 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Electricity Access
- Electrification rural areas
- 95%
- Electrification urban areas
- 98.8%
- Electrification total population
- 98.1% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 39.329 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Wind
- 4.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Solar
- 5.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 82.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Hydroelectricity
- 6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Biomass and waste
- 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 85% (2023 est.)
- Broadcast media
- combination of state-owned and privately owned broadcast media; 1 state-owned TV network and a number of private TV networks; networks operate repeaters to extend signals throughout country; over 300 state-owned and privately owned radio stations (2019)
- Internet country code
- .do
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 1.15 million (2024 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 10 (2024 est.)
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 10.7 million (2024 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 94 (2024 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 1.26 million (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 11 (2023 est.)
Transport
Ports
- Large
- 0
- Small
- 7
- Medium
- 2
- Key ports
- Andres (Andres Lng Terminal), Las Calderas, Puerto de Haina, Puerto Plata, Punta Nizao Oil Terminal, San Pedro de Macoris, Santa Barbara de Samana, Santa Cruz de Barahona, Santo Domingo
- Very small
- 6
- Total ports
- 17 (2024)
- Size unknown
- 2
- Ports with oil terminals
- 7
- Airports
- 32 (2025)
Railways
- Total
- 496 km (2014)
- Narrow gauge
- 142 km (2014) 0.762-m gauge
- Standard gauge
- 354 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
- Heliports
- 8 (2025)
Merchant Marine
- Total
- 40 (2023)
- BY type
- container ship 1, general cargo 2, oil tanker 1, other 36
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- HI
Environment
- Climate
- tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Land Use
- Other
- 0% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 46.6% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 55.4% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 20.2% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 11.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 23.8% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 84.4% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 4.064 million tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 11.6% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 855 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Industrial
- 659.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Agricultural
- 7.563 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 29.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From consumed natural gas
- 4.467 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From coal and metallurgical coke
- 5.374 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From petroleum and other liquids
- 19.872 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 23.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International Environmental Agreements
- Party to
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
- Signed, but not ratified
- none of the selected agreements
Military & Security
- Military note
- the military is responsible for defending the independence, integrity, and sovereignty of the Dominican Republic; it also has an internal security role, which includes assisting with airport, border, port, tourism, and urban security, supporting the police in maintaining or restoring public order, countering transnational crime, and providing disaster or emergency relief/management; a key area of focus is securing the country’s 217-mile (350-kilometer) long border with Haiti, where the Army in recent years has assigned thousands of troops to assist with security; these forces complement the personnel of the Border Security Corps permanently deployed along the border; the Air Force and Navy also provide support to the Haitian border mission; the Army has a brigade dedicated to managing and providing relief during natural disasters; the military also contributes personnel to the National Drug Control Directorate, and both the Air Force and Navy devote assets to detecting and interdicting narcotics trafficking; the Navy conducts regular bilateral maritime interdiction exercises with the US Navy (2025)
Military Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 0.8%
- Military expenditures 2020
- 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)
- Military expenditures 2021
- 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military expenditures 2022
- 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military expenditures 2023
- 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military expenditures 2024
- 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military and security forces
- Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic: Army of the Dominican Republic (Ejercito de la República Dominicana, ERD), Navy (Armada de República Dominicana or ARD; includes naval infantry), Dominican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de la República Dominicana, FARD) (2025)
- Military service age and obligation
- 17-early 20s for voluntary military service for men and women (ages vary depending on military service and position; under 18 admitted with permission of parents) (2025)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the military's equipment inventory comes largely from the US, with smaller quantities from such suppliers as Brazil and Spain (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- approximately 55-60,000 Armed Forces; up to 35,000 National Police (2025)
Transnational Issues
Illicit Drugs
- Usg identification
major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025)
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Idps
- 390 (2023 est.)
- Refugees
- 1,004 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index48.0 / 100as of 2024-Q492 / 1902024-Q4
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.45as of 2024-Q469 / 1702024-Q4
Freedom House StatusNot Free (67/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 2024—2024
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — The Dominican — vintage 2026-Q1: The Dominican factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/the-dominican
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata