Physical Geography The Dominican Republic is an island paradise
in the heart of the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic shares a
border with Haiti on the island of Hispaniola. The Dominican
Republic is between the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the
Caribbean Sea to the south. The Dominican Republic has diverse
photogenic land. Three large mountain ranges run through the
island, including the nearly two-mile peak of Antilles. The
Dominican Republic has mountains and valleys, and is known for its
beautiful white sand beaches.
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Map of the Caribbean
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History of The Dominican Republic Five hundred years ago, the
Dominican Republic began to write its history. In 1492, Christopher
Columbus arrived on the island. He named it Hispaniola. Toward the
end of the 17 th century, the French colonized the western part of
the island. In 1795, Spain relinquished power of the eastern part
of the island to France, leaving the entire island under French
power. The colony temporarily returned to Spanish hands, until
December 1821 when a group of men led by Jose Nunez de Caceres
declared temporary Independence.
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The Dominican Republics Government System The Dominican
Republic is a representative democracy with a president, similar to
the United States. The Constitution of the Republic outlines three
clear branches of power. They are the Executive, Legislative and
Judicial. Every four years they vote to elect both the president
and various other authorities.
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Economy The Dominican Republic is one of the fastest growing
economies in Latin America. However, 70% of the people are affected
by poverty, and unemployment is high. Throughout history, the
economy has been based on the production and export of sugar.
Sugarcane is still the main crop along with rice, plantains, and
bananas.
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Culture of The Dominican Republic The Dominican Republics main
sport is baseball. Without a doubt, its league is the best after
the MLB. More than 500 of the Dominican Republic baseball players
have been key members in the MLB. The most popular food dish on the
island is called La Bandera. It is made with meat, rice, and red
beans. Another food that is popular on the island is plantains,
which are in the banana family. Although they look like bananas,
they not to be eaten raw. Most of the time, they are fried or baked
as part of a dish.
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Culture The official language spoken in the Dominican Republic
is Spanish. 95% of the people in the Dominican Republic are
Catholic, followed by other Christian denominations. The Merengue
is a form of music most strongly identified with the Dominican
Republic. Carnival is an annual celebration of independence. It is
celebrated across the entire country.
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Sites and Sources http://www.godominicanrepublic.com/
http://www.everyculture.com/ http://www.thatsdominican.com/
