The Taino — indigenous inhabitants of Hispaniola prior to the arrival of Europeans — divided the island now known as the Dominican Republic and Haiti into five chiefdoms and territories. Christopher COLUMBUS explored and claimed the island on his first voyage in 1492; it became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but the Haitians conquered and ruled it for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later, they launched a war that restored independence in 1865.
A legacy of unsettled and mostly non-representative rule followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930 to 1961. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962 but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the US led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in the presidential election. BALAGUER maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years, until international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held.
Geography
Location
Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Geographic coordinates
19 00 N, 70 40 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
total : 48,670 sq km
land: 48,320 sq km
water: 350 sq km
comparison ranking: total 131
Area – comparative
slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey
Area comparison map:
Land boundaries
total: 376 km
border countries (1): Haiti 376 km
Coastline
1,288 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
Climate
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Terrain
rugged highlands and mountains interspersed with fertile valleys
Elevation
highest point: Pico Duarte 3,098 m
lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
mean elevation: 424 m
Natural resources
nickel, bauxite, gold, silver, arable land
Land use
agricultural land: 50.6% (2022 est.)
arable land: 18.2% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 7.6% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 24.8% (2022 est.)
forest: 44.8% (2022 est.)
other: 4.6% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land
2,981 sq km (2018)
Major lakes (area sq km)
salt water lake(s): Lago de Enriquillo – 500 sq km
Population distribution
coastal development is significant, especially in the southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley, where population density is highest; smaller population clusters exist in the interior mountains (Cordillera Central)
Natural hazards
lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts
Geography – note
shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds makes up the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti); the second largest country in the Antilles (after Cuba); geographically diverse with the Caribbean’s tallest mountain, Pico Duarte, and lowest elevation and largest lake, Lago Enriquillo
People and Society
Population
total: 10,815,857 (2024 est.)
male: 5,465,776
female: 5,350,081
comparison rankings: total 87; female 87; male 86
Nationality
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups
mixed 70.4% (Mestizo/Indio 58%, Mulatto 12.4%), Black 15.8%, White 13.5%, other 0.3% (2014 est.)
note: respondents self-identified their race; the term “indio” in the Dominican Republic is not associated with people of indigenous ancestry but people of mixed ancestry or skin color between light and dark
Languages
Spanish (official)
major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Spanish audio sample:
Religions
Evangelical 50.2%, Roman Catholic 30.1%, none 18.5%, unspecified 1.2% (2023 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 25.5% (male 1,402,847/female 1,358,833)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 3,667,584/female 3,563,848)
65 years and over: 7.6% (2024 est.) (male 395,345/female 427,400)
2024 population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 49.6 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 38.2 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 11.4 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 8.8 (2024 est.)
Median age
total: 29.2 years (2024 est.)
male: 29.1 years
female: 29.4 years
comparison ranking: total 145
Population growth rate
0.76% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 115
Birth rate
17.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 87
Death rate
7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 118
Net migration rate
-2.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 175
Population distribution
coastal development is significant, especially in the southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley, where population density is highest; smaller population clusters exist in the interior mountains (Cordillera Central)
Urbanization
urban population: 84.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas – population
3.524 million SANTO DOMINGO (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother’s mean age at first birth
20.9 years (2013 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
Maternal mortality ratio
107 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: 67
Infant mortality rate
total: 21.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 24.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 74
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 72.6 years (2024 est.)
male: 71 years
female: 74.3 years
comparison ranking: total population 160
Total fertility rate
2.15 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 92
Gross reproduction rate
1.06 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
62.8% (2019)
Drinking water source
improved:
urban: 98.3% of population
rural: 91.7% of population
total: 97.2% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1.7% of population
rural: 8.3% of population
total: 2.8% of population (2020 est.)
Health expenditure
4.9% of GDP (2021)
14.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
2.43 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Hospital bed density
1.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved:
urban: 97.4% of population
rural: 91.3% of population
total: 96.3% of population
unimproved:
urban: 2.6% of population
rural: 8.7% of population
total: 3.7% of population (2020 est.)
Obesity – adult prevalence rate
27.6% (2016)
comparison ranking: 37
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 5.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 3.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 2.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 78
Tobacco use
total: 9.7% (2025 est.)
male: 13.5% (2025 est.)
female: 5.9% (2025 est.)
comparison ranking: total 130
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
3% (2019)
comparison ranking: 80
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
52.1% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 9.4% (2019)
women married by age 18: 31.5% (2019)
Education expenditure
4.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
21.9% national budget (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 89
Literacy
total population: 94% (2016 est.)
male: 94% (2016 est.)
female: 87.4% (2019 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 15 years (2017)
Environment
Environment – current issues
soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation
Environment – international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Land use
agricultural land: 50.6% (2022 est.)
arable land: 18.2% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 7.6% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 24.8% (2022 est.)
forest: 44.8% (2022 est.)
other: 4.6% (2022 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 84.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 7.59 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 25.26 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 8.1 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 4,063,910 tons (2015 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 333,241 tons (2015 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 8.2% (2015 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km)
salt water lake(s): Lago de Enriquillo – 500 sq km
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 860 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 660 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 7.56 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
23.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Dominican Republic
conventional short form: The Dominican
local long form: República Dominicana
local short form: La Dominicana
former: Santo Domingo (the capital city’s name formerly applied to the entire country)
etymology: the name is a latinized form of the Spanish term Santo Domingo, meaning “holy Sunday;” Spanish explorers originally settled the island on a Sunday in 1496, and the name was first given to the island of Hispaniola as a whole in 1697
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
name: Santo Domingo
geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named after Saint Domingo de GUZMAN (1170-1221), founder of the Dominican Order; the city’s full name was originally Santo Domingo de Guzman
Administrative divisions
31 provinces (provincias, singular – provincia), 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabón, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elías Piña, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Hermanas Mirabal, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, María Trinidad Sánchez, Monseñor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Samaná, Sánchez Ramírez, San Cristóbal, San José de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macorís, Santiago, Santiago Rodríguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde
Legal system
civil law system based on the French civil code; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system
Constitution
history: many previous (38 total); latest proclaimed 13 June 2015
amendment process: proposed by a special session of the National Congress called the National Revisory Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority approval by at least one half of those present in both houses of the Assembly; passage of amendments to constitutional articles, such as fundamental rights and guarantees, territorial composition, nationality, or the procedures for constitutional reform, also requires approval in a referendum
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Dominican Republic
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age can vote; note – members of the armed forces and national police by law cannot vote
Executive branch
chief of state: President Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020)
head of government: President Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020)
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a maximum of two consecutive terms); election last held on 19 May 2024 (next to be held on 21 May 2028)
election results:
2024: Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona reelected president; percent of vote – Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (PRM) 57.5%, Leonel Antonio FERNÁNDEZ Reyna (FP) 28.8%, Abel MARTÍNEZ (PLD) 10.4%, other 3.3%
2020: Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona elected president in first round; percent of vote – Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (PRM) 52.5%, Gonzalo CASTILLO Terrero (PLD) 37.5%, Leonel Antonio FERNÁNDEZ Reyna (FP) 8.9%, other 1.1%
note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
Legislative branch
legislature name: National Congress of the Republic (Congreso Nacional de la República)
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch – lower chamber
chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados)
number of seats: 190 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 5/19/2024
parties elected and seats per party: Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and its allies (146); People’s Force (FP) and its allies (28); Other (16)
percentage of women in chamber: 36.8%
expected date of next election: May 2028
Legislative branch – upper chamber
chamber name: Senate (Senado)
number of seats: 32 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 5/19/2024
parties elected and seats per party: Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and its allies (24); People’s Force (FP) and its allies (3); Other (5)
percentage of women in chamber: 12.5%
expected date of next election: May 2028
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia (consists of a minimum of 16 magistrates); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 13 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary composed of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and a non-governing party congressional representative; Supreme Court judges appointed for 7-year terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed for 9-year terms
subordinate courts: courts of appeal; courts of first instance; justices of the peace; special courts for juvenile, labor, and land cases; Contentious Administrative Court for cases filed against the government
Political parties
Alliance for Democracy or APD
Broad Front (Frente Amplio)
Country Alliance or AP
Dominican Liberation Party or PLD
Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD
Dominicans For Change or DXC
Independent Revolutionary Party or PRI
Institutional Social Democratic Bloc or BIS
Liberal Reformist Party or PRL (formerly the Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or PLRD)
Modern Revolutionary Party or PRM
National Progressive Front or FNP
People’s First Party or PPG
People’s Force or FP
Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Maria Isabel CASTILLO Báez (since January 2025)
chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280
FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057
email address and website:
[email protected]
http://drembassyusa.org/
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angelos, Miami, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Patricia AGUILERA (since 1 October 2023)
embassy: Av. Republica de Colombia #57, Santo Domingo
mailing address: 3470 Santo Domingo Place, Washington DC 20521-3470
telephone: (809) 567-7775
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://do.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ACP, ACS, AOSIS, BCIE, Caricom (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA (associated member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence
27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday
Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Flag description
a centered white cross extends to the edges and divides the flag into four rectangles; the top ones are ultramarine blue (hoist side) and vermilion red, and the bottom ones are vermilion red (hoist side) and ultramarine blue; a small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by a laurel branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon; in the shield, a Bible is opened to a verse that reads “Y la verdad nos hara libre” (And the truth shall set you free); blue stands for liberty, white for salvation, and red for the blood of heroes
National symbol(s)
palmchat (bird)
National colors
red, white, blue
National anthem
name: “Himno Nacional” (National Anthem)
lyrics/music: Emilio PRUD’HOMME/Jose REYES
note: adopted 1934; also known as “Quisqueyanos valientes” (Valient Sons of Quisqueye); the anthem never refers to the people as Dominican but rather calls them “Quisqueyanos,” a reference to the indigenous name of the island
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Colonial City of Santo Domingo
Economy
Economic overview
surging middle-income tourism, construction, mining, and telecommunications OECS economy; major foreign US direct investment and free-trade zones; developing local financial markets; improving debt management; declining poverty
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$261.616 billion (2023 est.)
$255.582 billion (2022 est.)
$243.74 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 66
Real GDP growth rate
2.36% (2023 est.)
4.86% (2022 est.)
12.27% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 131
Real GDP per capita
$23,100 (2023 est.)
$22,800 (2022 est.)
$21,900 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 92
GDP (official exchange rate)
$121.444 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.3% (2024 est.)
4.8% (2023 est.)
8.8% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 107
GDP – composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 6.4% (2023 est.)
industry: 31.1% (2023 est.)
services: 56% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: services 118; industry 57; agriculture 103
GDP – composition, by end use
household consumption: 64.7% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 11.3% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 32.2% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: -0.9% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 21.1% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -28.5% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Agricultural products
sugarcane, bananas, papayas, plantains, avocados, rice, milk, watermelons, vegetables, pineapples (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
tourism, sugar processing, gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco, electrical components, medical devices
Industrial production growth rate
-0.07% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 150
Labor force
5.413 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 81
Unemployment rate
5.5% (2024 est.)
5.6% (2023 est.)
5.5% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 108
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 11.7% (2024 est.)
male: 9.2% (2024 est.)
female: 15.5% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
comparison ranking: total 114
Population below poverty line
23.9% (2021 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income
37 (2022 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
comparison ranking: 60
Average household expenditures
on food: 28.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 3.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.6% (2022 est.)
highest 10%: 28.3% (2022 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
8.74% of GDP (2023 est.)
9.05% of GDP (2022 est.)
11.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues: $18.303 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures: $20.072 billion (2022 est.)
note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Public debt
37.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
comparison ranking: 140
Taxes and other revenues
13.8% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 148
Current account balance
-$4.376 billion (2023 est.)
-$6.549 billion (2022 est.)
-$2.685 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
comparison ranking: 176
Exports
$25.843 billion (2023 est.)
$25.169 billion (2022 est.)
$20.601 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 86
Exports – partners
USA 52%, Switzerland 7%, Haiti 6%, China 5%, India 3% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports – commodities
medical instruments, tobacco, gold, garments, power equipment (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$34.455 billion (2023 est.)
$36.838 billion (2022 est.)
$28.69 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 74
Imports – partners
USA 40%, China 18%, Brazil 4%, Spain 4%, Mexico 3% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports – commodities
refined petroleum, cars, natural gas, plastic products, crude petroleum (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$13.424 billion (2024 est.)
$15.547 billion (2023 est.)
$14.523 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
comparison ranking: 68
Debt – external
$35.044 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
comparison ranking: 24
Exchange rates
Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar –
Exchange rates:
59.565 (2024 est.)
56.158 (2023 est.)
55.141 (2022 est.)
57.221 (2021 est.)
56.525 (2020 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification – total population: 98.1% (2022 est.)
electrification – urban areas: 98.8%
electrification – rural areas: 95%
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 6.581 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 22.193 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 2.369 billion kWh (2023 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 131; consumption 74; installed generating capacity 81
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 82.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 5.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 4.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal
consumption: 2.356 million metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 2.356 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 146,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Natural gas
consumption: 2.277 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 1.997 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 2.279 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
29.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 5.374 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 19.872 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 4.467 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 75
Energy consumption per capita
39.329 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: 103
Communications
Telephones – fixed lines
total subscriptions: 1.144 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 68
Telephones – mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 10.4 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 90 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 93
Broadcast media
combination of state-owned and privately owned broadcast media; 1 state-owned TV network and a number of private TV networks; networks operate repeaters to extend signals throughout country; over 300 state-owned and privately owned radio stations (2019)
Internet country code
.do
Internet users
percent of population: 85% (2023 est.)
Broadband – fixed subscriptions
total: 1.26 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total 74
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
HI
Airports
32 (2025)
comparison ranking: 117
Heliports
8 (2025)
comparison ranking: 81
Railways
total: 496 km (2014)
standard gauge: 354 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 142 km (2014) 0.762-m gauge
Merchant marine
total: 40 (2023)
by type: container ship 1, general cargo 2, oil tanker 1, other 36
comparison ranking: total 124
Ports
total ports: 17 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 2
small: 7
very small: 6
size unknown: 2
ports with oil terminals: 7
key ports: Andres (Andres Lng Terminal), Las Calderas, Puerto de Haina, Puerto Plata, Punta Nizao Oil Terminal, San Pedro de Macoris, Santa Barbara de Samana, Santa Cruz de Barahona, Santo Domingo
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic: Army of the Dominican Republic (Ejercito de la República Dominicana, ERD), Navy (Armada de República Dominicana or ARD; includes naval infantry), Dominican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de la República Dominicana, FARD) (2025)
note 1: in addition to the three main branches of the military, the Ministry of Defense directs the Specialized Border Security Corps (CESFRONT), the Specialized Corps in Port Security (CESEP), and the Specialized Corps in Airport and Civil Aviation Safety (CESAC); these specialized corps are joint forces, made up of personnel from all military branches in addition to civilian personnel; they may also assist in overall citizen security working together with the National Police, which is under the Ministry of Interior
Military expenditures
0.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 55-60,000 Armed Forces; up to 35,000 National Police (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military’s equipment inventory comes largely from the US, with smaller quantities from such suppliers as Brazil and Spain (2024)
Military service age and obligation
16-23 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (ages vary slightly according to the military service; under 18 admitted with permission of parents); recruits must have completed primary school and be Dominican Republic citizens (2024)
note: as of 2023, women made up approximately 18% of the active duty military
Military – note
the military is responsible for defending the independence, integrity, and sovereignty of the Dominican Republic; it also has an internal security role, which includes assisting with airport, border, port, tourism, and urban security, supporting the police in maintaining or restoring public order, countering transnational crime, and providing disaster or emergency relief/management; a key area of focus is securing the country’s 217-mile (350-kilometer) long border with Haiti, where the Army in recent years has assigned thousands of troops to assist with security; these forces complement the personnel of the Border Security Corps permanently deployed along the border; the Air Force and Navy also provide support to the Haitian border mission; the Army has a brigade dedicated to managing and providing relief during natural disasters; the military also contributes personnel to the National Drug Control Directorate, and both the Air Force and Navy devote assets to detecting and interdicting narcotics trafficking; the Navy conducts regular bilateral maritime interdiction exercises with the US Navy (2025)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 121,141 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum or have received alternative legal stay) (2023)
stateless persons: 133,770 (2016); note – a September 2013 Constitutional Court ruling revoked the citizenship of those born after 1929 to immigrants without proper documentation, even though the constitution at the time automatically granted citizenship to children born in the Dominican Republic and the 2010 constitution provides that constitutional provisions cannot be applied retroactively; the decision overwhelmingly affected people of Haitian descent whose relatives had come to the Dominican Republic since the 1890s as a cheap source of labor for sugar plantations; a May 2014 law passed by the Dominican Congress regularizes the status of those with birth certificates but will require those without them to prove they were born in the Dominican Republic and to apply for naturalization; the government has issued documents to thousands of individuals who may claim citizenship under this law, but no official estimate has been released
Trafficking in persons
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore the Dominican Republic remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/dominican-republic/
Illicit drugs
major transshipment point for cocaine shipments to the United States and Europe in the Caribbean; some drugs are consumed locally.
