ndependencia, 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, sixth elected term began 16 August
1994); Vice President Jacinto PEYNADO (since 16 August 1994) election
last held 16 May 1994 (next to be held May 1996); results - Joaquin
BALAGUER (PRSC) 42.6%, Juan BOSCH Gavino (PLD) 13.2%, Jose Francisco
PENA Gomez (PRD) 41.9%, Jacobo MAJLUTA (PRI) 2.3%
cabinet: Cabinet; nominated by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
Senate (Senado): elections last held 16 May 1994 (next to be held May
1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (30 total) PRSC
15, PLD 1, PRD 14
Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados): elections last held 16 May
1994 (next to be held May 1998); results - percent of vote by party
NA; seats - (120 total) PLD 13, PRSC 50, PRD 57

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)

Political parties and leaders:
major parties: Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), Joaquin
BALAGUER Ricardo; Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), (vacant following
retirement of Juan BOSCH Gavino); Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD),
Jose Franciso PENA Gomez; Independent Revolutionary Party (PRI),
Jacobo MAJLUTA
minor parties: National Veterans and Civilian Party (PNVC), Juan Rene
BEAUCHAMPS Javier; Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic (PLRD),
Andres Van Der HORST; Democratic Quisqueyan Party (PQD), Elias WESSIN
Chavez; National Progressive Force (FNP), Marino VINICIO Castillo;
Popular Christian Party (PPC), Rogelio DELGADO Bogaert; Dominican
Communist Party (PCD), Narciso ISA Conde; Dominican Workers' Party
(PTD), Ivan RODRIGUEZ; Anti-Imperialist Patriotic Union (UPA), Ignacio
RODRIGUEZ Chiappini; Alliance for Democracy Party (APD), Maximilano
Rabelais PUIG Miller, Nelsida MARMOL