DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - FACTS AND STATISTICS Dominican Republic (DR), o2en referred to as the Republic of Colors for its astounding diversity and beauty, is located just 650 miles (1,046 km) south of Miami. Surrounded by the AtlanHc Ocean to its north and the Caribbean Sea on its south, the lush tropical island paradise boasts nearly 1,000 miles (1,609 km) of coastline including sandy-white beaches and sophisHcated tourism offerings that aNract internaHonal visitors, sports champions and celebriHes alike. Loca6on/Geography: The country occupies the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola. The western third is the Republic of HaiH. The size of Maine and Vermont combined, the DR is the second largest country in the Caribbean, comprising an area of approximately 30,000 m2 (48,198 km2). Popula6on: The country has a populaHon of more than 10.4 million people. Capital City: The capital city is Santo Domingo, with a populaHon of approximately 2.9 million. Santo Domingo’s Colonial City is the oldest city of the New World and was named the Cultural Capital of the Americas in 2010. Government: The country’s poliHcal structure is based on the principles of democracy (representaHve democracy). Every four years, the country elects its president, vice president and legislators. Poli6cal Par6es: The country has three major poliHcal parHes including the Dominican LiberaHon Party (PLD), Dominican RevoluHonary Party (PRD) and Social ChrisHan Reformist Party (PRSC). Language: Spanish is the official language. However, the majority of employees in hotels and tourist desHnaHons speak relaHvely good English, as well as French, German and Italian. If visitors intend to venture out beyond the tourist hubs it will be helpful to learn a few basic Spanish phrases. Currency: The Dominican peso (RD$) is the official currency of the DR. For the past several years, the exchange rate has been very favorable to the U.S. dollar so vacaHon budgets stretch further in the DR. For an up-to-date exchange rate between the Dominican peso and other currencies, visit: www.xe.com/ currencyconverter. Major credit cards and traveler checks are accepted at many tourist areas in the country. Visitors can bring Dominican pesos with them, but U.S. dollars are just as easily accepted throughout the country (U.S. coins are not used or accepted). ATMs can be found in the majority of ciHes and at most resorts. Climate: The country enjoys warm, tropical weather year-round. Depending on the locaHon, an average day may see full sun or a sun/cloud mix. The average year-round temperatures are 78˚ to 88˚ F (25˚ to 31˚ C). The cooler season is November through April, while the temperature is at its warmest from May through October. The sun always shines quickly a2er a rain. The chance for more prolonged rain showers is generally from June to November and the dry season from December to May. Time: The local Hme zone is Eastern Caribbean Time (GMT-0400). In the winter this is one hour ahead of Eastern Time. Daylight Savings Time is not observed. Religion: The religious populaHon consists mostly of Roman Catholic, but also includes Protestant, Seventh Day AdvenHst, BapHst and Mormon. Phone Code: The internaHonal access codes are 809, 829 and 849. Independence: The country gained independence from HaiH on Feb. 27, 1844. Topography: The country is mostly mountainous, with deserts in the extreme western regions. The principal mountain range is the Cordillera Central. The country contains both the highest mountain in the West Indies – Pico Duarte, at 10,417 feet (3,175 meters) and the lowest-lying lake, Lake Enriquillo at 151 feet (46 meters) below sea level. The Yaque del Norte, the Yaque del Sur and the Yuna are the principal rivers. Ethnic Groups: The country consists of three main ethnic groups including European at 16 percent of the populaHon, African origin at 11 percent and a mixed populaHon at 73 percent. Economy: TradiHonally, the economy has been based primarily on agriculture, with sugar, coffee and tobacco as the main export crops. Over the last few years, the services sector has become the largest employer (about 60 percent of the labor force), led by tourism, which creates approximately 196,000 jobs annually. Tourism: In 2014, tourist arrivals increased again with more than 5.6 million guests choosing the country as their vacaHon desHnaHon. The most popular desHnaHon conHnues to be Punta Cana on the East Coast, as its internaHonal airport received over 2.0 million resident and nonresident arrivals in 2014. The second most visited airport is Las Americas InternaHonal Airport in Santo Domingo with over 1 million arrivals followed by El Cibao InternaHonal Airport (407,529) in the Central region, Puerto Plata InternaHonal Airport (276,267) on the North Coast, La Romana InternaHonal Airport (87,312), also on the East Coast, El Catey InternaHonal Airport (43,979) on the Northeast Coast and La Isabela InternaHonal Airport (13,704), also in Santo Domingo. In 2014, tourist arrivals from around the world included 1,352,137 million visitors from the U.S.; 530,542 from Canada; 346,042 from South America, 159,064 from France, 120,149 from Russia; 79,794 from England; and 52,992 from Italy (www.bancentral.gov.do). Media Contact Siren Communicaons Olivia BruNo 416-351-0777 [email protected] .