Dominican RepublicResearched via:

http://wikipedia.org

Student Name: Martel Decoteau

Date: 5/17/2010

Where is Dominican Republic located?

• The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries. Both by area and population, the Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation, with 48,442 square kilometers (18,704 sq mi) and an estimated 10 million people.

Flag, Motto, Anthem:

• Valiant Quisqueyans is the national anthem of the Dominican Republic. Its music was composed by José Rufino Reyes Siancas (1835-1905), and its lyrics were written by Emilio Prud'homme (1856-1932). The first public performance ofHimno Nacional (English: "National Anthem") took place on August 17, 1883 at theMasonic Lodge "Esperanza No.9"

Sports:

• Baseball is by far the most popular sport in the Dominican Republic. The country has a baseball league of six teams. In boxing, the country has produced scores of world-class fighters and several world champions. Basketball also enjoys a relatively high level of popularity. Al Horford, Felipe Lopez, and Francisco Garcia are among the Dominican-born players currently or formerly in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Olympic gold medalist and world champion over 400 m hurdles Félix Sánchez hails from the Dominican Republic, as does current defensive end for theSan Diego Chargers (National Football League [NFL]), Luis Castillo.

History:

• The Arawakan-speaking Taínos moved into Hispaniola, displacing earlier inhabitants, circa A.D. 650. Christopher Columbus arrived on Hispaniola on December 5, 1492, during the first of his four voyages to America. In 1838 Juan Pablo Duarte founded a secret society called La Trinitaria, which sought the complete independence of Santo Domingo without any foreign intervention.

Famous People / Role Models:• Omar Minaya was born in

the Dominican Republic, he moved to Elmhurst, in Queens, New York City at the age of eight and grew up in Corona. Minaya starred as a baseball player at Newtown High School in Elmhurst. Minaya was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 14th Round (342nd overall) of the 1978 Major League Baseball Draft. He had a short-lived career in the minor leagues as well as stints in leagues in both the Dominican Republic and Italy.

What do you or your peers like the most about Dominican Republic ?

• The beaches