World Countries: Dominican Republic

Location

The Dominican Republic is located on the eastern two-thirds of Hispaniola, an island shared with the country of Haiti.

Geographic Features

The country is predominantly rainforested mountainous regions.

Climate

The Dominican Republic experiences a tropical climate with cooler conditions at higher elevations.

The flag of the Dominican Republic, pictured above,
is divided into four sections with a coat of arms
centered. The motto "Dios, Patria, Libertad" (God,
Fatherland, Liberty) is written on the ribbon above
the shield. Red on the flag represents the blood of
the nation's heroes, white represents salvation,
and blue represents liberty, according to the
CIA World Factbook₁.

Official Name

Dominican Republic

Capital

Santo Domingo

Official Language

Spanish

Population

July 2011 Estimate: 9,956,648

Formation

The Dominican Republic became a fully independent country in 1844. However, in 1861 the nation willingly became part of the Spanish Empire until 1865.

Fun Fact

The oldest city in the Americas is Santo Domingo.

The highest peak in the Caribbean, Pico Duarte, is found in the Dominican Republic.

See also the Caribbean island countries of: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Source: 1. CIA World Factbook

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