Dominican Republic

Things to know about the Dominican country

The Dominican Republic is located on the island of Hispaniola. The country is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean and on the south by the Caribbean Sea. The Dominican Republic has located two-thirds to the east, and Haiti occupies the rest of the island of Hispaniola, formerly known as Santo Domingo. The country has an area of ​​48,310 km², smaller than Slovakia or the US state of Vermont and New Hampshire. The country has a population of 9.9 million (in 2015). The capital and largest city are Santo Domingo. The official language is Spanish. The main religion is Christianity with the majority being Roman Catholic (95%). In pre-Columbian times the island was inhabited by the Tainos, who spoke the Arawak language. In 1492 Columbus discovered the island and immediately claimed it as the possession of the Spanish Royal Family. It was later taken by the ruling forces of the time, the Spaniards and the French. Today, people of the Dominican Republic are mostly people of mixed European and African ancestry. The African heritage is most clearly reflected in the music. The country is a top tourist destination in the region.

What is the history of the Dominican Republic like?

Before the arrival of Columbus, the indigenous peoples of Hispaniola including the Taínos, who had lived on the island for thousands of years, may have arrived by sea from South America. The Taínos had developed agriculture that included crops such as tobacco, sweet potatoes, beans, peanuts, and pineapples, some of which were unknown in Europe before being brought there by the Spaniards. It is unclear how many Taínos live on the island, although they may number more than a million.

Sadly, the Taínos were not immune to European diseases such as smallpox, and within a generation after Columbus' arrival, thanks to epidemics and brutal Spanish occupation, the Taíno population was decimated. destroy. By the mid-16th century, the Taínos were essentially extinct.

The first Spanish settlement was founded in 1493 near what is now Puerto Plata; Santo Domingo, today's capital city, was founded in 1496.

In the following decades, mainly through the forced labor of slaves from Africa, the Spaniards and other Europeans exploited Hispaniola for their minerals and agriculture. Spain, the last European occupying power of the Dominican Republic, left in 1865.

The government of this republic remained unstable until 1916, when American forces of World War I took over the country, ostensibly to prevent European enemies from gaining the stronghold but also to preserve protect the economic interests of the United States. The occupation had the effect of shifting power to military control, and by 1930 the country was under the almost complete rule of the powerful military Rafael Leónidas Trujillo, who remained a strong ally of the United States. Ky. Trujillo became powerful and extremely rich; He was assassinated in 1961.

After a coup and US intervention in the early 1960s, Joaquín Balaguer was elected president in 1966 and kept the country running for most of the next 30 years. Since then, elections have generally been free and have catapulted the country into the political mainstream of the Western Hemisphere. Although much wealthier than neighboring Haiti, the country continues to grapple with poverty.

The Caribbean and Central America's largest economy

The Dominican has a developed economy based on sugar, coffee, and tobacco exports, well-developed mining, and agricultural industries, it is the largest economy in the Caribbean and Central America, the Dominican is also the tenth largest economy in Latin America.

Europeans settled in the Dominican first

February 27, 1844, was the official date of Dominican independence, however, before this monumental day, Christopher Columbus visited the island on December 5, 1492, and later named it Hispaniola, making the Republic The Dominican became the first European settlement in the Americas.

Santo Domingo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

One of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the city of Santo Domingo – the capital of the Dominican Republic. It is one of the Caribbean's oldest cities. Cobblestone streets and buildings are dating back to the 1500s. The Church of Santa María la Menor was built in 1512 and completed in 1540, making it the first church built. in the New World.

The former name of the Dominican was Santo Domingo

In 1804, the western third of the Dominican Republic was split into a new country, Haiti. The rest of the Dominican island at that time was known as Santo Domingo, where Haitians ruled until 1844, at which point the area became independent and was named the Dominican Republic.

Only the Dominican Republic produces Larimar

Yes, the Dominican Republic is the only country in the world that produces a rare silicate mineral called Larimar (a gemstone used for jewelry).

What is interesting is how this stone got its name. The story goes that Miguel Méndez and a Peace Corps volunteer named Norman Rilling rediscovered Larimar in 1974 (originally discovered by Father Miguel Domingo Fuertes Loren of Barahona Parish in the early 20th century) ) in the Bahoruco Mountains, the coastal province of Barahona. The natives believed that the stone came from the sea, and they called it the gem BlueStone. Miguel took his young daughter's name Larissa and the Spanish word for sea (mar) and founded Larimar, to suggest the color of the Caribbean Sea where it was found.

Flag with bible

Founder Juan Pablo Duarte designed the Dominican flag, which was adopted on March 21, 1908, making the Dominican the only country in the world with an image of the bible in it. The image of the Bible unfolded on the flag reads: Writing and truth will set you free. The flag also consists of three colors: red, white, and blue, with each color representing something different.

The white color of the cross in the center represents salvation

The red rectangle represents the blood of the heroes who fought for independence

The blue rectangles represent freedom.

The Dominican Republic has the best baseball player

The Dominican has a lot of good baseball players. Second, only to the United States in terms of numbers, the Dominican has sent more players to the American Baseball League than any other country in the world, with two Dominican players, Juan Marichal and Pedro Martínez, included in the list of legends. baseball phone.

The Dominican Republic has world-class fashion designers

Oscar de la Renta is one of the most famous fashion designers of the 21st century.

Oscar de la Renta was born in Santo Domingo and has dressed celebrities and prominent women such as Jacqueline Kennedy, Nancy Reagan, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, Anna Wintour, Oprah Winfrey, Sandra Bullock, Emma Watson, Victoria Beckham, Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lawrence, and Rihanna, among others.

 Merengue style

The Dominican is credited with creating a distinctive musical style, which is a fast-paced, rhythmic beat. A blend of European Waltz, African rhythms, Mazurka from Poland, and Cotillion originally a French country dance, the merengue is now popular throughout Latin America and the world and is the national dance of the Republic of China. The Dominican Republic.

Where are the places to visit in the Dominican Republic?

Roam the Zona Domingo's Colony

Santo Domingo - Catedral de Santa Maria la Menor

While Santo Domingo's booming urban population, with over two million people, makes it the largest city in the entire Caribbean, this 500-plus-year-old town is also known for its rich history and heritage. ..

This focuses almost entirely on the so-called Colony of Ciudad (or Colony of Zona), which lies close to the west bank of the Ozama River as it flows into the sea.

This collection of cobblestone streets and regal dwellings is the oldest colonial city center in the New World.

Columbus himself moved here in the 15th century, and a large bronze statue in the center of University Park is a testament to his lasting influence.

There are many must-sees in the UNESCO district, especially the First Church of America (the first of its kind in all of the Americas), the Alcazar De Colon, and the crest of the fortress of Ozama.

Luxury model in Punta Cana

Punta Cana is the undisputed king of tourism in the Dominican Republic.

Overhanging the easternmost tip of the island of Hispaniola, the area is sprawled with a patchwork of five-star hotels and golf resorts, all complete with verdant winds undulating along the Atlantic coast, and The infinity pool seems to merge with the sparkling Caribbean waters.

Of course, there are also countless beaches, with beaches like Macao Beach, pepper Bavariaaro and white palm Arena Gorda often topping the list.

Review of Med in Altos de Chavon

Just a short distance from La Romana on the south bank and elevated above the Chavon River's bends, the fascinating small hamlet of Altos de Chavon is well worth a visit.

Complete with everything from half-timbered Italian houses and an ancient amphitheater in the Roman tradition, the beautiful stonework of St Stanislaus' Church, and a series of dotted squares and alleys, it's hard to believe that this whole place was conceived and built in the 1970s and 80s! Designed by an Italian architect, the town is said to mimic the look and feel of a 16th-century European settlement.

Today, it is packed with wonderful handicraft stalls, and a host of galleries next door.

Take a full eco-tour in Los Haitises

Los Haitises National Park has risen and risen in recent decades to become a veritable magnet for ecotourists making their way through the Dominican Republic.

Gripping the turquoise waters of Samana Bay, it is home to soaring coastal mountains and deep valleys filled with virgin rainforest.

Rodents and hutia meet between mangrove swamps and empty bays, while trails go deep into the virgin forest close to the shore.

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