With the economy thriving, popular incumbentDanilo Medina won an overwhelming vic-tory in the May 2016 presidential election

(after the constitution had been amended in June 2015to allow him to run for a consecutive term). By cap-turing more than 60% of the vote, he preempted theneed for a second round bywinning an absolute majori-ty. Medina also tallied thelargest portion of the vote inthe history of presidentialelections, surpassing the59.53% recorded by JuanBosch in 1962. The electionwas marred, however, byaccusations of irregularitiesand outbreaks of violence.

Vital statisticsBirth rate per 1,000 population (2015): 18.7(world avg. 19.5).

Death rate per 1,000 population (2015): 4.6(world avg. 8.1).

Natural increase rate per 1,000 population(2015): 14.1 (world avg. 11.4).

Life expectancy at birth (2015): male 75.8years; female 80.3 years.

DemographyPopulation (2016): 10,104,000.Density (2016): persons per sq mi541.7, persons per sq km 209.1.

Sex distribution (2015): male 50.62%;female 49.38%.

Population projection: (2020)10,478,000; (2030) 11,286,000.

Major urban centres (2010):Santo Domingo 1,723,741;Santiago 591,985; SanCristóbal 216,875; San Pedrode Macorís 195,307; LaRomana 130,426.

Urban-rural (2015):

Dominican Republic

Official name: República Dominicana(Dominican Republic).

Form of government: multiparty republic withtwo legislative houses (Senate [32]; Chamberof Deputies [190]).

Head of state and government: President DaniloMedina.

Capital: Santo Domingo.Official language: Spanish.Official religion: none1.Monetary unit: Dominican peso (RD$); valua-

tion (Sept. 1, 2016) 1 U.S.$ = RD$46.16; 1 £ = RD$61.39.

Ethnic composition (2003)3:

Age breakdown (2015):

Religious affiliation (2004):

Area and populationarea population area population

2010 2010Provinces sq km census Provinces sq km census

Azua 2,683 214,311 Pedernales 2,081 31,587Baoruco 1,285 97,313 Peravia 785 184,344Barahona 1,660 187,105 Puerto Plata 1,806 321,597Dajabón 1,021 63,955 Samaná 863 101,494Duarte 1,650 289,574 San Cristóbal 1,241 569,930El Seíbo (El Seybo) 1,788 87,680 San José de Ocoa 853 59,544Elías Piña 1,396 63,029 San Juan 3,364 232,333Espaillat 843 231,938 San Pedro de Macorís 1,254 290,458Hato Mayor 1,319 85,017 Sánchez Ramírez 1,186 151,392Hermanas Mirabal 427 92,193 Santiago 2,806 963,422Independencia 2,007 52,589 Santiago Rodríguez 1,148 57,476La Altagracia 2,998 273,210 Santo Domingo 1,302 2,374,370La Romana 652 245,433 Valverde 823 163,030La Vega 2,292 394,205María Trinidad Sánchez 1,207 140,925 National DistrictMonseñor Nouel 992 165,224 Santo Domingo (city) 92 965,040Monte Cristi 1,886 109,607 TOTAL 48,3112 9,445,281Monte Plata 2,602 185,956

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National economyBudget (2013). Revenue: RD$369,412,600,000 (tax revenue 96.2%, of

which taxes on goods and services 53.9%, income tax29.3%, taxes on international trade 6.4%; other 3.8%).Expenditures: RD$442,129,300,000 (current expenditure80.9%, of which transfers 34.6%; development expendi-ture 19.1%).

Public debt (external, outstanding; 2014): U.S.$15,688,-890,000.

Gross national income (GNI; 2014): U.S.$62,862,000,000(U.S.$6,040 per capita); purchasing power parity GNI(U.S.$12,600 per capita).

Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture,forestry, fishing (2014): sugarcane 5,033,601, bananas972,0557, rice 718,237, papayas 704,786, plantains

660,315, pineapples 436,304, avocados 428,301, coconuts 333,630, oilpalm fruit 262,890, tomatoes 258,8117, cassava 178,372, oranges167,413; livestock (number of live animals) 3,000,000 cattle,168,000,000 chickens, 94,000 beehives7; roundwood 977,885 cu m, ofwhich fuelwood 96%; fisheries production 15,865 (from aquaculture13%). Mining and quarrying (2013): nickel 1,100,000; gold 26,083 kg;gypsum 65,005 cu m. Manufacturing (2014): cement 5,018,313; refinedsugar 153,887; beer 4,393,230 hectolitres; rum 486,710 hectolitres; ciga-rettes (2013) 963,000,000 packets of 20 units.9 Energy production(consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 2014) 14,342,000,000 (15,140,-000,000), by source (2012): fossil fuels 86.2%; renewable energy13.8%, of which hydroelectric 12.8%; coal (metric tons; 2011) none(882,000); crude petroleum (barrels; 2011) none (9,680,000); petrole-um products (metric tons; 2011) 1,264,000 (4,713,000); natural gas (cum; 2013) none (1,450,000,000).

Population economically active (2015): total 4,930,000; participationrates: age 15 and over, male 69.0%; female 47.0%; unemployed14.0%, of which youth (ages 15–24) 11.0%.

Average household size (2002): 3.9.Land use as % of total land area (2009): in temporary crops or left fal-low 16.6%, in permanent crops 9.7%, in pasture 24.8%, forest area40.8%.

MilitaryTotal active duty personnel (November 2015):

56,050 (army 51.3%, navy 20.0%, air force28.7%). Military expenditure as percentageof GDP (2015): 0.7%; per capita expendi-ture U.S.$45.

Foreign trade8

Imports (2013): U.S.$19,349,800,000 (refined petro-leum products 20.0%; machinery and apparatus13.8%; food and food products 10.2%; chemicalsand chemical products 8.8%; crude petroleum6.4%). Major import sources:

Exports (2013): U.S.$7,961,000,000 (food products,beverages, and tobacco 21.5%, of which tobacco7.5%; gold 15.1%; textiles and wearing apparel13.6%; medical and surgical instruments 10.1%;machinery and apparatus 7.5%; chemicals andchemical products 6.7%). Major export destinations:

Transport and communicationsTransport. Railroads (2014)10: route length

308 mi, 496 km. Roads (2002): total length12,244 mi, 19,705 km (paved 51%).Vehicles (2015): passenger cars 1,130,047;trucks and buses 500,067.

Education and healthLiteracy (2015): total population age 15 and overliterate 91.8%; males literate 91.2%; females lit-erate 92.3%.

Health (2014): physicians 20,909 (1 per 472 per-sons); hospital beds 15,780 (1 per 625 persons);infant mortality rate (2015) 18.8; undernourishedpopulation (2006–08) 2,300,000 (24% of totalpopulation based on the consumption of a mini-mum daily requirement of 1,860 calories).

1Roman Catholicism is the state religion per concordat with Vatican City. 2Detail does not add to totalgiven because of rounding. 3Significantly excludes data for Haitians (about 10% of the population).4Age 10 and over. 5Taxes on products less subsidies. 6Unemployed. 72013. 8Includes imports and exportsof free zones. 9Manufactured goods assembled in free zones include electronic components, clothing,and footwear. 10Excludes railways operated by sugarcane growers only. 11Subscribers.

Internet resources for further information:• Oficina Nacional de Estadística www.one.gov.do• Banco Central de la República Dominicana www.bancentral.gov.do

Structure of gross domestic product and labour force2015 2014

in value % of total labour % of labourRD$’000,000 value force4 force4

Agriculture, forestry, fishing 183,287 6.1 608,300 12.4Mining and quarrying 37,601 1.2 6,900 0.2Manufacturing 424,865 14.0 406,500 8.3Construction 269,146 8.9 271,700 5.5Public utilities 48,575 1.6 38,100 0.8Transp. and commun. 313,308 10.4 320,000 6.5Trade, restaurants 505,783 16.7 1,137,400 23.1Pub. admin., defense 144,262 4.8 198,300 4.0Finance, real estate 378,787 12.5 107,800 2.2Services 482,618 16.0 1,087,700 22.1Other 234,8855 7.85 734,5006 14.96

TOTAL 3,023,1162 100.0 4,917,200 100.0

Communications units unitsnumber per 1,000 number per 1,000

Medium date in ’000s persons Medium date in ’000s persons

TelephonesCellular 2014 8,30411 78911

Landline 2014 1,226 117

Internet users 2009 2,701 268Broadband 2014 60011 5711

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