The 2001 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Roberto Bienvenido SALADIN-SELIN
chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332–6280
FAX: [1] (202) 265–8057
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Houston, Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Charles T. MANATT
embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo
mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041–5500
telephone: [1] (809) 221–2171
FAX: [1] (809) 686–7437
Flag description: a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms is at the center of the cross
Dominican Republic Economy
Economy - overview: The Dominican economy experienced dramatic growth over the last decade, even though the economy was hit hard by Hurricane Georges in 1998. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest ten percent enjoy 40% of national income. In December 2000, the new MEJIA administration passed broad new tax legislation which it hopes will provide enough revenue to offset rising oil prices and to service foreign debt.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $48.3 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 8% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,700 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.3%
industry: 32.2%
services: 56.5% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: 25% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 39.6% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.9% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 2.3 million - 2.6 million
Labor force - by occupation: services and government 58.7%, industry 24.3%, agriculture 17% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: 13.8% (1999 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2.3 billion
expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $867 million (1999 est.)
Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 7.29 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 87.19%
hydro: 12.4%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.41% (1999)
Electricity - consumption: 6.78 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs
Exports: $5.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats
Exports - partners: US 66.1%, Netherlands 7.8%, Canada 7.6%, Russia 7.4%, UK 4.5% (1999 est.)
Imports: $9.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners: US 25.7%, Venezuela 9.2%, Mexico 4%, Japan 3%,
Panama 2.6% (1999 est.)
Debt - external: $4.7 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $239.6 million (1995)
Currency: Dominican peso (DOP)
Currency code: DOP
Exchange rates: Dominican pesos per US dollar - 16.888 (January 2001), 16.415 (2000), 16.033 (1999), 15.267 (1998), 14.265 (1997), 13.775 (1996)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Dominican Republic Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 709,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 130,149 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA
domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave radio relay network
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios: 1.44 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 25 (1997)
Televisions: 770,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .do
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 24 (2000)
Internet users: 25,000 (1999)
Dominican Republic Transportation
Railways: total: 757 km
standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad)
narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominican Republic Government Railway)
note: 240 km operated by sugar companies in various gauges (0.558-m, 0.762-m, 1.067-m gauges) (2000)
Highways: total: 12,600 km
paved: 6,224 km
unpaved: 6,376 km (1996)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km
Ports and harbors: Barahona, La Romana, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de
Macoris, Santo Domingo
Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587
GRT/1,165 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.)
Airports: 29 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 13
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16