The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern five eighths of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, with Santo Domingo as its capital and largest city. The country briefly declared independence from Spain in November 1821, was annexed by Haiti the following February, and achieved lasting independence in 1844 after the Dominican War of Independence, with its First Republic running from 1844 to 1861; the United States occupied the country from 1916 to 1924, and the dictator Rafael Trujillo ruled from 1930 to 1961, before the current democratic period, the Fourth Republic, began in 1966 and continues today. It operates as a unitary presidential republic with a bicameral Congress, and with a 2024 population of about 11.4 million it has the largest economy in the Caribbean, averaging 5.3 percent real GDP growth between 1992 and 2018. The Dominican Republic is the most visited destination in the Caribbean and contains both the region's highest peak, Pico Duarte, and its lowest point, Lake Enriquillo.
Facts
Government TypeUnitary presidential republic 1 Government type (class) Classification
Status (Extant or Former) FAQs
Why did the Dominican Republic gain independence in 1844 when it first declared it in 1821?
Haiti annexed the 1821 state in 1822, so lasting independence had to be won in the war that ended in 1844.
A group of Dominicans deposed the Spanish governor and declared independence from Spain in November 1821, but Haiti annexed the territory in February 1822. Lasting independence came 22 years later, in 1844, after victory in the Dominican War of Independence.
Connections
In Era
Source Dominican Republic - Wikipedia
In the Other Atlases
Government Type
Also in Society and Culture Atlas: the government type of this subject.
Sources
1. Dominican Republic - Wikipedia
Infobox, Government field
Unitary presidential republic
Infobox, Capital field
Santo Domingo
Lead section, independence sentence
Independence came 22 years later in 1844, after victory in the Dominican War of Independence
Dominican Republic: Status
The Dominican Republic is the most visited destination in the Caribbean. A geographically diverse nation, the country is home to both the Caribbean's tallest mountain peak, Pico Duarte, and the Caribbean's largest lake and lowest point, Lake Enriquillo.
In Era: The Contemporary Period, lead paragraph and infobox, existence dates
The Dominican Republic is an island country on the eastern part of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the North Atlantic Ocean.
View the SourceReader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.