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According to localcollegeexplorer, the Dominican Republic is a Caribbean nation located on the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti. It has a rich and diverse history that stretches back to the time of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in 1492. The first Europeans to settle in the area were Spanish colonists from nearby Hispaniola who established a colony in 1510. This colony was initially successful, but by 1586 it had been destroyed by indigenous resistance and French settlers from Martinique. In 1697, Spain ceded the western third of Hispaniola to France, creating what is now Haiti while the eastern two-thirds remained under Spanish control and was later named Santo Domingo after its patron saint. In 1821, Santo Domingo declared independence from Spain and became the first independent nation in Latin America. However, this independence was short-lived as it was quickly annexed by Haiti in 1822. In 1844, Santo Domingo declared independence again and this time it succeeded as an independent nation with Pedro Santana becoming its first president. During this period, the Dominican Republic experienced rapid economic growth thanks largely to its booming exports of sugarcane and coffee. Unfortunately, this period also saw increasing political instability as rival groups vied for power leading to a series of coups and civil wars between 1844-1861. In 1861, Spain re-annexed Santo Domingo but this occupation only lasted until 1865 when it was liberated by Haitian forces who occupied the country until 1871. Following Haiti’s withdrawal from Dominican territory, Pedro Santana returned as president but his rule was marked by increasing authoritarianism which led to his overthrow in 1874. From then onwards until 1916 there were numerous military rulers who often resorted to brutal tactics such as censorship and repression of opposition parties to maintain their power base. This situation changed with US intervention during World War I which led to elections being held again and Juan Isidro Jimenes becoming president in 1916 until his death in 1930 when he was succeeded by Rafael Trujillo who ruled until 1961 when he was overthrown following popular protests against his oppressive regime. Since Trujillo’s overthrow there have been several democratically elected presidents with Joaquin Balaguer ruling from 1966-1978 before handing over power following free elections held in 1978 which saw Antonio Guzman become President for one year before being assassinated; he was then succeeded by Salvador Jorge Blanco who won two terms as President between 1982-1986 before being defeated at the polls by Joaquin Balaguer who served two more terms up until 1996 when Leonel Fernandez Reyna became President until 2000 after which he handed over to Hipolito Mejia for one term followed by Danilo Medina Sánchez who has served since 2012 up till present day. The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean country located on the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti. In 2010, the population of the Dominican Republic was estimated to be over 10 million people. The capital city of the Dominican Republic is Santo Domingo and it is located on the south coast of the island. The official language of the Dominican Republic is Spanish, although English is also widely spoken throughout the country. The currency used in the Dominican Republic is the Dominican Peso. In 2010, approximately 25% of its population lived below the poverty line. In 2010, the Dominican Republic was a presidential republic with its president being Leonel Fernandez who had been president since 2004. The government in 2010 was based on a multi-party system with a bicameral legislature called Congress which consisted of 32 members who were elected through popular vote every four years. The economy of the Dominican Republic in 2010 relied heavily on agriculture, especially sugarcane production as well as mining and tourism for subsistence purposes. Major industries included manufacturing and construction as well as finance and telecommunications services. The unemployment rate in 2010 was estimated to be around 13%. In terms of education in 2010, there were several institutions providing primary education such as public schools and private religious schools. Secondary education was provided by public secondary schools as well as universities located around Santo Domingo or abroad for students who wished to pursue higher studies outside their home country. Check estatelearning for Dominican Republic in 1999.

Dominican Republic Guide

Dominican Republic Guide

Dominican Republic – country information Country name Dominican republic Official name Dominican republic Capital Santo Domingo Continent North America Area 48,671 km2 Population 9,445,281 (2010) Foundation of a state 27/02/1844 The highest mountains Pico Duarte 3175 m Longest rivers Yague del Norte 200 km State system pluralistic presidential republic The biggest cities Santo Domingo (capital) 2,600,000 (conurbation), Santiago de los Caballeros 525,000, La Vega 210,000 Official language Spanish Ethnicity/National Composition mulattoes and other mixed races 70%, whites 15%, blacks 15%…

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