versity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea
Note:
shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the
Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)

@Dominican Republic, People

Population:
7,826,075 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.8% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
24.87 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
6.2 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
51.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
68.35 years
male:
66.22 years
female:
70.6 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.8 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Dominican(s)
adjective:
Dominican
Ethnic divisions:
white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%
Languages:
Spanish
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
83%
male:
85%
female:
82%
Labor force:
2.3 million to 2.6 million
by occupation:
agriculture 49%, services 33%, industry 18% (1986)

@Dominican Republic, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Dominican Republic
conventional short form:
none
local long form:
Republica Dominicana
local short form:
none
Digraph:
DR
Type:
republic
Capital:
Santo Domingo
Administrative divisions:
29 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district*
(distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*,
Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La
Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor
Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata,
Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro
De Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde
Independence:
27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution:
28 November 1966
Legal system:
based on French civil codes
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory or married persons
regardless of age
note:
members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
President Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo (since 16 August 1986, fifth
elected term began 16 August 1990); Vice President Carlos A. MORALES
Troncoso (since 16 August 1986); election last held 16 May 1990 (next