Dominican Republic





The Dominican Republic is a Spanish-speaking representative democracy
located on the eastern portion of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. A
legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of the 20th
century--most notably the brutal 32 year reign of US sponsored dictator
Rafael Leonidas Trujillo and later Joaquin Balaguer--was brought to an end
in 1978 when free and open elections ushered in a new government.

The country is a former territory of the United States and since
independence, its history has been marked by constant US intervention. The
most infamous example of this occurred in 1965, when the republic's elected
President Juan Bosch was overthrown by an American backed right-wing coup.
American troops later invaded, assisting in establishing the rule of Joaquin
Balaguer, and ensuring Juan Bosch's constitutional government never return
to power.

The country's economy is highly dependent on tourism. Since the early 1960s,
economic problems have led to a vast migration of Dominicans to the US,
mainly to large east coast cities. New York City's Washington Heights is so
densely populated by Dominicans, it is commonly referred to as Quisqueya
Heights. Quisqueya was the name given to the eastern side of Hispaniola by
its original inhabitants, the Arawak Indians. Dominicans are now one of the
largest Latino groups in the US.

Dominicans are notorious baseball lovers, and almost all major league
baseball teams have at least one Dominican ball player.

The capital is Santo Domingo. The second largest city is Santiago de los
Caballeros.

The Dominican Republic is known for a form of music called merengue, which
has been popular since the mid- to late-1800s.

From the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the U.S. Department of State website.
Not Wikified.

   * History of the Dominican Republic
   * Geography of the Dominican Republic
   * Demographics of the Dominican Republic
   * Politics of the Dominican Republic
   * Economy of the Dominican Republic
   * Communications in the Dominican Republic
   * Transportation in the Dominican Republic
   * Military of the Dominican Republic
   * Foreign relations of the Dominican Republic