NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic (Spanish: República Dominicana, pronounced [re'puβlika ðomini'kana]) is a country located on Hispaniola, the second-largest island in the Caribbean's Greater Antilles archipelago. Hispaniola lies west of Puerto Rico and east of Cuba and Jamaica;^[2] it has a maritime border with Venezuela.^{[citation needed]} Its western third is home to Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are split by two countries, Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten being the other. The Dominican Republic should not be confused with Dominica. Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Dominican_Republic. ... Image File history File links Coat_of_arms_of_the_Dominican_Republic. ... State/war flag and ensign, ratio: 5:8 Civil flag and ensign, ratio: 5:8 Coat of arms Alternate version of Coat of arms The flag of the Dominican Republic, as described by Article 96 of the Dominican Constitution, features a centered white cross that extends to the edges and... The coat of arms of the Dominican Republic features a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a palm branch (right); above the shield, a blue ribbon displays the national motto: Dios, Patria, Libertad (God, Fatherland, Liberty). ... For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... This page may meet Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... Image File history File links LocationDominicanRepublic. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... Republica Dominicana About half of Dominicans live in rural areas; many are small landholders. ... For other uses, see Santo Domingo (disambiguation). ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... A presidential system, also called a congressional system, is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the term) separately from the legislature, to which it is not accountable and which cannot in normal circumstances dismiss it. ... This page contains a list of presidents of the Dominican Republic. ... Dr. Leonel Antonio FernÃ¡ndez Reyna (born 26 December 1953) is a Dominican politician and the current president of the Dominican Republic. ... is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jan. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here areas between 10,000 kmÂ² and 100,000 kmÂ². ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (â‰ˆ1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... Map of countries by population for the year 2007. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/kmÂ². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... This article includes two lists of countries of the world[1] sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year divided by the average population for the same year. ... Graphical representation of the Gini coefficient The Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth distribution. ... This page talks about Human Development Index, for other HDIs see HDI (disambiguation) World map indicating Human Development Index (2007). ... This talks about the countries in the Human Development Index, for information on the Human Development Index, please Click Here World map indicating Human Development Index (2007) (Colour-blind compliant map) For red-green color vision problems. ... ISO 4217 Code DOP User(s) Dominican Republic Inflation 8. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... UTC redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .do is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the Dominican Republic. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... +1 can mean: +1, a jargon term, appearing mostly in Russian blog comments, used to agree with the parent post and show support. ... // Present day 809 The area codes (809) along with (829) (as an overlay), are today the local telephone area codes solely for the Dominican Republic Following Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the year 1999, no other countries still pass-thru old numbers from the legacy 809 area code. ... The area code (829) for the Dominican Republic, operates as an overlay for the local (809) telephone area code. ... ... Early map of Hispaniola Hispaniola (from Spanish, La EspaÃ±ola) is the second-largest and most populous island of the Antilles, lying between the islands of Cuba to the west, and Puerto Rico to the east. ... West Indies redirects here. ... Location of the Greater Antilles (green) in relation to the rest of the Caribbean The islands of the Caribbean Sea, collectively known as the West Indies are sorted by size and location into the Bahamas (or Lucayan archipelago), the Lesser Antilles and the Greater Antilles. ... The Mergui Archipelago The Archipelago Sea, situated between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland, the largest archipelago in the world by the number of islands. ... The vast majority of islands in the world are either a country in their own right or part of a larger country. ... St. ...

The Dominican Republic is the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas, its capital Santo Domingo,^[3] which was also the first colonial capital in the Americas.^[4] It is the site of the first cathedral,^[1] university, European-built road, European-built fortress, and more. Territories in the Americas colonized or claimed by a European great power in 1750. ... World map showing the Americas CIA political map of the Americas in an equal-area projection The Americas are the lands of the New World, consisting of the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... For other uses, see Santo Domingo (disambiguation). ... The Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo (UASD) was the first university of the new world. ...

For most of its independent history, the nation experienced political turmoil and unrest, suffering through many non-representative and tyrannical governments. However, since the death of military dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina in 1961, the Dominican Republic has moved toward representative democracy. Rafael Trujillo Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina (October 24, 1891â€“May 30, 1961) ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 until his assassination in 1961. ... Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of popular sovereignty by the peoples representatives. ...

1 History
2 Government and politics
- 2.1 Politics
- 2.2 Foreign relations
3 Provinces and municipalities
4 Geography
- 4.1 Climate
- 4.2 Environmental issues
5 Symbols
6 Economy
7 Demographics
8 Culture
9 Holidays
10 Military
11 Services and transportation
12 See also
13 References
14 Further reading
15 External links

History

Main article: History of the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern five-thirds of the island of Hispaniola. ...

The Taínos

The island of Hispaniola was inhabited by the Taínos, an Arawakan-speaking people, who may have arrived around A.D. 600, displacing earlier inhabitants.^[5] The Taínos lived in villages headed by chiefs and called the island Kiskeya or Quisqueya, meaning "highest land", as well as Ayti and Bohio.^[6] By 1492, they were divided into five chiefdoms (cacicazgos in Spanish, from cacique, chief). Early map of Hispaniola Hispaniola (from Spanish, La EspaÃ±ola) is the second-largest and most populous island of the Antilles, lying between the islands of Cuba to the west, and Puerto Rico to the east. ... For other uses, see Taino (disambiguation). ... The Arawakan languages (also Arahuacan, Arawakanas, Arahuacano, Maipurean, Maipuran, Maipureano, MaipÃºrean) are a hypothetical indigenous language family of South America and the Caribbean. ...

There are widely varying estimates of the population of Hispaniola in 1492, including 100,000,^[7] 300,000^[5] 3 million,^[8] and 7-8 million.^[9] They engaged principally in farming and fishing,^[3] as well as hunting and gathering.^[5]

Spanish rule

Christopher Columbus landed at Môle Saint-Nicolas on December 5, 1492, in his first voyage, and claimed the island for Spain. Nineteen days later, the Santa Maria ran aground near the present site of Cap-Haitien; Columbus was forced to leave 39 men, founding the settlement of La Navidad. He returned to Spain, voyaging back to America three more times. Christopher Columbus (1451 â€“ May 20, 1506) was a navigator, colonizer, and explorer and one of the first Europeans to explore the Americas after the Vikings. ... MÃ´le Saint-Nicolas (MÃ²lsennikola or OmÃ²l in Haitian Creole) is a city in the Republic of Haiti. ... is the 339th day of the year (340th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also film, 1492: Conquest of Paradise. ... A functional sailing replica of the Santa Maria in Funchal, Madeira Islands, Portugal. ... Cap-Haïtien (or Le Cap) is a city of about 500,000 people on the north coast of Haiti. ... La Navidad was the colony Columbus and his men and some help from Guacanagari built in 1492. ...

After initially friendly relations, the Taínos resisted the conquest. One of the earliest leaders to fight against the Spanish was the female Chief Anacaona of Xaragua, in the southwest, who married Chief Caonabo of Maguana, in the center and south of the island. The two fought hard against the Europeans; she was captured by the Spanish and executed in front of her people. Other notables who resisted include Chief Guacanagari, Chief Guamá, and Chief Hatuey, who later fled to Cuba and helped fight the Spaniards there. Chief Enriquillo fought victoriously against the Spaniards in the Baoruco Mountain Range, in the southwest, to gain freedom for himself and his people in a part of the island. The Taínos were by then nearly extinct. Most of the survivors mixed with runaway African slaves, called cimarrones, producing zambos. The mestizos increased in number as native women conceived to European men. Anacaona, also called the Golden Flower, was an Indian queen, wife of Caonabo, one of the five caciques who possessed the island of Santo Domingo when the Spaniards discovered it and settled there in 1492. ... Guacanagari was one of the five native kings of Hispaniola. ... Hatuey was a TaÃno chief who lived on the island of Hispaniola in the early sixteenth century. ... Enriquillo was a TaÃno Cacique who rebelled against the Spaniards from 1519 to 1533. ... Body of Ndyuka Maroon child brought before a shaman, Suriname 1955 A Maroon (from the word marronage or American/Spanish cimarrÃ³n: fugitive, runaway, lit. ... A representation of Zambos in Pintura de Castas during the Latin American colonial period. ... Mestizo is a Spanish term that was formerly used in the Spanish Empire to designate people of mixed European (Spaniard) and Amerindian ancestry living in the region of Latin America. ...

By the mid-1500s the majority of Taíno people had died out from mistreatment, disease, suicide, the breakup of family unity, starvation,^[5] forced labor, torture, and war with the Spaniards. In 1561 Bartolomé de las Casas wrote that when he reached Hispaniola in 1508 "There were 60,000 people living on this island, including the Indians; so that from 1494 to 1508, over three million people had perished from war, slavery and the mines. Who in future generations will believe this?"^[10] Due to the total lack of previous interaction with Europeans, and hence no previous exposure to European diseases, the Taíno had developed no immunity to smallpox — which they probably contracted in some cases via sexual relations with Europeans — and other contagious diseases, resulting in a catastrophic loss of life that some have termed a genocide. BartolomÃ© de las Casas This article is about a Spanish priest in the 16th century. ...

The Taíno bloodline in Hispaniola diluted more and more as the decades went by, primarily due to the establishment of Africans and Mulattos on the island; however, it is believed that some Dominicans today retain native ancestry.^[11]^[12] It has been stated that Las Casas exaggerated the Indian population decline in an effort to better persuade King Charles to intervene, and that encomenderos also exaggerated it, in order to receive permission to import more African slaves. Moreover, censuses of the time did not account for the number of Indians who had fled from the Spanish into remote communities, where they often lived alongside runaway Africans. To this are added further problems of racial categorization itself which, evidence suggests, was influenced by social factors: for instance, mestizos who were culturally Spanish were counted as Spaniards.^[11] Representation of Mulattos during the Latin American colonial period Mulatto (also Mulato) is a term of Spanish and/or Portuguese origin describing the first generation offspring of a Sub-Saharan African and a European. ... The encomienda[1] system was a trusteeship labor system employed by the Spanish crown during the Spanish colonization of the Americas and the Philippines in order to consolidate their conquests. ...

In 1496 Bartolomeo Columbus, Christopher's brother, built the city of Nueva Isabela (New Isabella), now Santo Domingo, in the south of Hispaniola. It was one of the first Spanish settlements, and became Europe's first permanent settlement in the New World. The Spaniards created a plantation economy on Hispaniola, particularly from the second half of the 16^th century.^[7] The island became a springboard for European conquest of the Caribbean islands, called "Antilles", and soon after, the South American mainland, including what is modern-day coastal Venezuela and Colombia. Santo Domingo colony was for decades the headquarters of Spanish power in the New World. However, with the conquest of the mainland empires of the Aztecs and Incas, Hispaniola declined and Spain paid ever less attention to it. French bucaneers settled in the western part of the island, and in the 1697 Treaty of Ryswick Spain ceded that part of Hispaniola to France. It grew into the wealthy colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), with four times the population of Santo Domingo at the end of the 18th century.^[13] Bartolomeo Columbus (BartolomÃ© ColÃ³n) was the younger brother of Christopher Columbus. ... For other uses, see Santo Domingo (disambiguation). ... The Spanish colonization of the Americas was Spains conquest, settlement, and rule over much of the western hemisphere from 1492-1898. ... Frontispiece of Peter Martyr dAnghieras De orbe novo (On the New World). Carte dAmÃ©rique, Guillaume Delisle, 1722. ... The Antilles (the same in French; Antillas in Spanish; Antillen in Dutch) refers to the islands forming the greater part of the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political and military dominance over large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the Late post-Classic... For the a general view of Inca civilisation, people and culture, see Incas. ... The Treaty of Ryswick was signed on 20 September 1697 and named after Ryswick (also known as Rijswijk) in the United Provinces (now the Netherlands). ...

French rule

France came to own the whole island in 1795, when in the Treaty of Basel Spain ceded Santo Domingo as a consequence of the French Revolutionary Wars. At the time the slaves in the western part (Haiti), led by Toussaint Louverture, were in revolt against France. In 1801 Toussaint Louverture captured Santo Domingo from the French, thus gaining control of the entire island. However, an army sent by Napoleon captured him and sent him prisoner to France in 1802; still, Toussaint Louverture's successors, and yellow fever, expelled the French again from Haiti and gained independence, although France went on to recover Spanish Santo Domingo. In 1808, following Napoleon's invasion of Spain, the criollos of Santo Domingo revolted against French rule, and with Britain's (Spain's ally) and even Haiti's help,^[14] returned Santo Domingo to Spanish control.^[15] The Peace of Basel of 1795 consists of three peace treaties of France (represented by FranÃ§ois de BarthÃ©lemy). ... Combatants Great Britain Austria Prussia Spain[1] Russia Sardinia Ottoman Empire Portugal Dutch Republic[2] France The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states. ... FranÃ§ois-Dominique Toussaint Louverture FranÃ§ois-Dominique Toussaint Louverture , also Toussaint BrÃ©da, Toussaint-Louverture (born 20 May 1743 - died April 8, 1803) was an important leader of the HaÃ¯tian Revolution and the first leader of a free Haiti. ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... For the 1862 American Civil War campaign, see Peninsula Campaign. ... Criollo, in the Spanish colonial Casta system (caste system) of Latin America, was a person born in the Spanish colonies deemed to have purity of blood in respect to the individuals European ancestry. ...

The Ephemeral Independence and Haitian rule

After a dozen years of Spanish misrule and neglect and failed independence plots by various groups, former Spanish Lieutenant-Governor José Núñez de Cáceres declared the colony's independence as the state of Haití Español (Spanish Haiti) on November 30, 1821, requesting admission to Simón Bolívar's Gran Colombia. But the new nation's independence was short-lived, as Haitian forces, led by Jean-Pierre Boyer, invaded just nine weeks later in February 1822.^[16] is the 334th day of the year (335th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1821 (MDCCCXXI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the South American independence leader. ... Gran Colombia Capital BogotÃ¡ Language(s) Spanish Religion Roman Catholic Government Republic History - Established December 17, 1819 - Disestablished November 19, 1831 Gran Colombia (Spanish for Greater Colombia) is a name used today for the Republic of Colombia of the period 1819-1831. ... Jean Pierre Boyer (possibly February 15, 1776 - June 9, 1850) was president of Haiti from 1822 until 1843. ...

As Toussaint Louverture had done the first time, the Haitians abolished slavery. But they nationalized all public property; most private property, including all the property of landowners who had left in the wake of the invasion; much Church property; as well as all property belonging to the former rulers, the Spanish Crown. All levels of education suffered collapse; the university was shut down, as it was starved of resources and 16-25 year-old Dominican men were drafted into the Haitian army. A "heavy tribute" was imposed on the Dominican people.^[17] Many whites fled Santo Domingo for Puerto Rico, Cuba (both under Spanish rule), Venezuela and elsewhere. Catholic Church redirects here. ... Coat of Arms of the King of Spain King of Spain redirects here. ...

Boyer also changed the Dominican economic system to place more emphasis on cash crops to be grown on large plantations, reformed the tax system, and allowed foreign trade. But the new system was widely opposed by Dominican farmers, although it produced a boom in sugar and coffee production. Boyer's troops, which included many Dominicans, were unpaid, and had to "forage and sack" from Dominican civilians. In the end the economy faltered and taxation became more onerous. Rebellions occurred even by freed Dominican slaves, while Dominicans and Haitians worked together to oust Boyer from power. Anti-Haitian movements of several kinds — pro-independence, pro-Spanish, pro-French, pro-British, pro-U.S. — gathered force following Boyer's overthrow in 1843.^[17] In agriculture, a cash crop is a crop which is grown for money. ... A tax is an involuntary fee paid by individuals or businesses to a state, or to functional equivalents of a state, including tribes, secessionist movements or revolutionary movements. ... International trade is defined as trade between two or more partners from different countries (an exporter and an importer). ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American...

Independence

In 1838 Juan Pablo Duarte founded a secret society called La Trinitaria that sought pure and simple independence of Santo Domingo without any foreign intervention.^[18] Ramón Matías Mella and Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, (the latter one having African ancestry)^[19] in spite of not being among the founding members, went on to be decisive in the fight for independence and are now hailed, along with Duarte, as the Founding Fathers of the Dominican Republic. On February 27, 1844, the Trinitarios, as the members of La Trinitaria were known, declared independence from Haiti, backed by Pedro Santana, a wealthy cattle-rancher from El Seibo who became general of the army of the nascent Republic and is known as "El Liberador." The Dominican Republic's first Constitution was adopted on November 6, 1844, and was modeled after the United States Constitution.^[3] This article does not cite any references or sources. ... MatÃas RamÃ³n Mella, born 25 February 1816, is regarded as a national hero in the Dominican Republic. ... Francisco Del Rosario SÃ¡nchez (March 9, 1817 - July 4, 1861) was a politician and founding father of the Dominican Republic. ... is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jan. ... Pedro Santana Familias (1801-1864) was a Dominican soldier and politician born in the border community of Hincha (now in Haiti). ... El Seibo, alternatively spelt El Seybo, is a province of the Dominican Republic. ... is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jan. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: The United States Constitution The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. ...

Yet the decades that followed were filled with tyranny, factionalism, economic difficulties, rapid changes of government, and exile for political opponents. Threatening the nation's independence were renewed Haitian invasions, occurring in 1844, 1845-49, 1849-55, and 1855-56.^[17]

Meanwhile, archrivals Santana and Buenaventura Báez held power most of the time, both ruling arbitrarily. They promoted competing plans to annex the new nation to another power: Santana favored Spain, and Báez the United States. Buenaventura BÃ¡ez MÃ©ndez (July 14, 1812â€“March 14, 1884) was the President of the Dominican Republic five times. ...

The voluntary colony and the Restoration republic

General Gregorio Luperón, Restoration Hero.

In 1861, after silencing or exiling many of his opponents and mainly due to political and economic reasons, Santana signed a pact with the Spanish Crown and reverted the Dominican nation to a colonial status,^[20] the only Latin American country to do so. Opponents launched the War of the Restoration in 1863, led by a group of men including Santiago Rodríguez and Benito Monción among others; General Gregorio Luperón distinguished himself at the end of the war. Haitian authorities, fearful of the re-establishment of Spain as colonial power on their border, gave refuge and logistics to Dominican revolutionaries to re-establish independence.^[20] The United States, then fighting its own Civil War, vigorously protested the Spanish action. After two years of fighting, the Spanish troops abandoned the island.^[20] The Restoration was proclaimed on August 16, 1863. Gregorio LuperÃ³n (September 8, 1839 - May 21, 1897), was a Dominican military and state leader who is better remembered as the main leader in the restoration of the Dominican Republic after the Spanish annexation in 1863. ... The Dominican Restoration War was a guerrilla war between 1863 and 1865 in the Dominican Republic between nationalists and Spain, who had recolonized the country 17 years after its independence. ... Santiago RodrÃguez is a province of the Dominican Republic. ... Gregorio LuperÃ³n (September 8, 1839 - May 21, 1897), was a Dominican military and state leader who is better remembered as the main leader in the restoration of the Dominican Republic after the Spanish annexation in 1863. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Political strife again prevailed in the years that followed; warlords ruled, military revolts were extremely common, and the nation amassed debt. In 1869 it was the turn of Báez to act on his plan of annexing the country to the United States,^[16] with a payment of 1.5 million dollars by the U.S. as part of the deal, in order to alleviate the Dominican Republic's debts.^[21]^[3] U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant supported this plan, but the United States Senate refused on June 30, 1870,^[16] albeit by just one vote. President Grant thought that former American slaves could go to the Dominican Republic and live in peace, free of harassment by Southern whites.^[22] Ulysses S. Grant,[2] born Hiram Ulysses Grant (April 27, 1822 â€“ July 23, 1885), was an American general and the eighteenth President of the United States (1869â€“1877). ... is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1870 (MDCCCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Ulises 'Lilís' Heureaux, President of the Dominican Republic 1882-84, 1886-99.

Báez was toppled in 1874, returned, and was toppled for good in 1878. A new generation was now entirely in charge, with the passing of Santana (he died in 1864) and Báez from the scene. Relative peace came to the country in the 1880s,^[23] which saw the coming to power of General Ulises Heureaux. Image File history File links Heureaux2. ... Image File history File links Heureaux2. ... Ulises Heureaux (October 21, 1845 â€“ July 26, 1899) was president of the Dominican Republic from 1 September 1882 to 1 September 1883, from 6 January to 27 February 1887 and again from 30 April 1889 until his assassination, maintaining power between his terms. ... This page contains a list of presidents of the Dominican Republic. ... Ulises Heureaux (October 21, 1845 â€“ July 26, 1899) was president of the Dominican Republic from 1 September 1882 to 1 September 1883, from 6 January to 27 February 1887 and again from 30 April 1889 until his assassination, maintaining power between his terms. ...

The new president was initially popular.^[24] He was, however, "a consummate dissembler", who put the nation deep into debt while using much of the proceeds for his personal use and to maintain his police state.^[24] Heureaux's rule became more despotic with time and he all the more unpopular.^[25]^[24] In 1899 he was assassinated. However, the unprecentedly long calm over which he'd presided allowed for some improvement in the Dominican economy. The sugar industry was modernized,^[26] and the country attracted foreign workers and immigrants, both from the Old World and the New. The Old World consists of those parts of Earth known to Europeans, Asians, and Africans before the voyages of Christopher Columbus; it includes Europe, Asia, and Africa (collectively known as Africa-Eurasia), plus surrounding islands. ... Frontispiece of Peter Martyr dAnghieras De orbe novo (On the New World). Carte dAmÃ©rique, Guillaume Delisle, 1722. ...

From 1902 on, short-lived governments were again the norm and provincial leaders held much of the power. Furthermore, the national government was bankrupt and, unable to pay its debts, faced the threat of military intervention by France and other European powers seeking repayment.

U.S. intervention

It was this situation that U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt sought to prevent, in great part in order to protect the vicinity of the Panama Canal, which was then under construction.^[24] He made a small military intervention to ward off the European powers, proclaimed his famous Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, and in 1906 the Dominican Republic and the United States entered into a 50-year treaty giving control of customs administration to the United States.^[3] In exchange the United States agreed to use the customs proceeds to help reduce the immense foreign debt of the Dominican Republic,^[3] and even assumed responsibility for said debt.^[24] For other persons named Theodore Roosevelt, see Theodore Roosevelt (disambiguation). ... The Panama Canal is a waterway in Central America which joins the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. ... A political cartoonists commentary on Roosevelts big stick policy The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine was a substantial alteration (called an amendment) of the Monroe Doctrine by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. ... U.S. President James Monroe The Monroe Doctrine is a U.S. doctrine which, on December 2, 1823, proclaimed that European powers were to no longer colonize or interfere with the affairs of the newly independent nations of the Americas. ...

In 1914, the United States, due to extreme political internal instability in the Dominican Republic (inability to elect a president), expressed concern and stated that a leader must be elected, or the United States would impose one.^[27] As a result, Ramón Báez Machado was elected provisional president on August 27, 1914.^[27] Presidential elections held on October 25 returned Juan Isidro Jimenes Pereyra to the presidency. Despite his victory, however, Jimenes felt impelled to appoint leaders and prominent members of the various political factions to positions in his government in an effort to broaden its support. The internecine conflicts that resulted had quite the opposite effect, weakening the government and the President and emboldening Secretary of War Desiderio Arias to take control of both the armed forces and the Congress, which he compelled to impeach Jimenes for violation of the constitution and the laws. Although the United States ambassador offered military support to his government, Jimenes opted to step down on May 7, 1916. is the 239th day of the year (240th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Juan Isidro Jimenes Pereyra (1846 - 1919) was a Dominican political figure. ... In the Dominican Republic legislative power is vested in the National Congress (Congreso Nacional), a bicameral legislature comprising a Senate (32 senators), and a Chamber of Deputies (150 deputies). ... is the 127th day of the year (128th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

Arias never assumed the presidency formally. The United States government, apparently tired of its recurring role as mediator, had decided to take more direct action. By this time, U.S. forces were occupying Haiti. The initial military administrator of Haiti, Rear Admiral William Caperton, had actually forced Arias to retreat from Santo Domingo by threatening the city with naval bombardment on May 13, 1916. is the 133rd day of the year (134th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

U.S. occupation

The first Marines landed three days later, on May 19, 1916. Although they established effective control of the country within two months, the United States forces did not proclaim a military government until November. Most Dominican laws and institutions remained intact under military rule, although the shortage of Dominicans willing to serve in the Cabinet forced the military governor, Harry Shepard Knapp, to fill a number of portfolios with United States naval officers. The press and radio were censored for most of the occupation, and public speech was limited. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing force projection from the sea,[1] using the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces and is one of seven uniformed services. ... is the 139th day of the year (140th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Harry Shepard Knapp (27 June 1856 â€“ 6 April 1928) was a Vice Admiral of the United States Navy, Military Governor of Santo Domingo, and Military Representative of the United States in Haiti. ... USN redirects here. ...

The surface effects of the occupation were largely positive. The Marines restored order throughout most of the republic (with the exception of the eastern region); the country's budget was balanced, its debt was diminished, and economic growth resumed. Infrastructure projects produced new roads that linked all the country's regions for the first time in its history. A professional military organization, the Dominican Constabulary Guard, replaced the partisan forces that had waged a seemingly endless struggle for power. Most Dominicans, however, greatly resented the loss of their sovereignty to foreigners, few of whom spoke Spanish or displayed much real concern for the welfare of the republic.

The most intense opposition to the occupation arose in the eastern provinces of El Seibo and San Pedro de Macorís. From 1917 to 1921, the United States forces battled a guerrilla movement in that area known as the "gavilleros". The guerrillas enjoyed considerable support among the population, and they benefited from a superior knowledge of the terrain. The movement survived the capture and the execution of its leader, Vicente Evangelista, and some initially fierce encounters with the Marines. However, the gavilleros eventually yielded to the occupying forces' superior firepower, air power (a squadron of six Curtis Jennies), and determined (often brutal) counter-insurgency methods. El Seibo, alternatively spelt El Seybo, is a province of the Dominican Republic. ... San Pedro de MacorÃs is a port city in the Dominican Republic, the capital of San Pedro de MacorÃs Province, and home of the Universidad Central del Este. ... 1st Aero Squadron on the Mexican US border, 1916 A veteran reconditioned Standard J-1, which is often confused with the Curtiss JN-4 Printed upside-down in error, the Curtiss JN-4 appears on a famous stamp; the stamp is known as the Inverted Jenny. The Curtiss JN-4... Counter-insurgency is the combating of insurgency, by the government (or allies) of the territory in which the insurgency takes place. ...

After World War I, public opinion in the United States began to run against the occupation. U.S. President Warren G. Harding, who succeeded Woodrow Wilson in March 1921, had campaigned against the occupations of both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In June 1921, United States representatives presented a withdrawal proposal, known as the Harding Plan, which called for Dominican ratification of all acts of the military government, approval of a loan of US$2.5 million for public works and other expenses, the acceptance of United States officers for the constabulary — now known as the Guardia Nacional (National Guard) — and the holding of elections under United States supervision. â€œThe Great War â€ redirects here. ... Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 â€“ August 2, 1923) was an American politician and the 29th President of the United States, from 1921 to 1923. ... Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856â€”February 3, 1924), was the twenty-eighth President of the United States. ...

Popular reaction to the plan was overwhelmingly negative. Moderate Dominican leaders, however, used the plan as the basis for further negotiations that resulted in an agreement allowing for the selection of a provisional president to rule until elections could be organized. Under the supervision of High Commissioner Sumner Welles, Juan Bautista Vicini Burgos assumed the provisional presidency on October 21, 1922. In the presidential election of March 15, 1924, former President Horacio Vásquez Lajara handily defeated Francisco J. Peynado. Vásquez's Alliance Party (Partido Alianza) also won a comfortable majority in both houses of Congress. With his inauguration on July 13, control of the republic returned to Dominican hands. He gave the country six years of good government, in which political and civil rights were respected and the economy grew strongly, in an atmosphere of peace.^[28] Sumner Welles (October 14, 1892 â€“ 1961) was Under Secretary of State in US 1937-1943 during the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration. ... Juan Bautista Vicini (Burgos) (18XX - 1924) was a Dominican political figure. ... is the 294th day of the year (295th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 74th day of the year (75th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the rap album, see 1924 (album). ... Horacio Vasquez (1860 - 1936) was a Dominican general and political figure. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Trujillo era

Rafael Trujillo

The Dominican Republic was ruled by dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo from 1930 until his assassination in 1961. Trujillo ruled with an iron fist, persecuting anyone who opposed his regime. There was considerable economic growth during his rule, although a great deal of the wealth went to the dictator and other regime elements. He also renamed many towns and provinces after himself and members of his family, including the capital city Santo Domingo, renamed Ciudad Trujillo (Trujillo City). Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Rafael Trujillo Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina (October 24, 1891â€“May 30, 1961) ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 until his assassination in 1961. ...

In 1937 Trujillo (who was himself one-quarter Haitian),^[29] in an event known as the Parsley Massacre or in the Dominican Republic as El Corte (The Cutting),^[30] ordered the Army to kill Haitians on the Dominican side of the border. An estimated 17,000 to 35,000 Haitians were killed over approximately five days, from the night of October 2, 1937 through October 8, 1937. Haitians were cut down with machetes.^[29]^[16] The soldiers of Trujillo would go out and interrogate anyone with dark skin, hold up a sprig of perejil (parsley) and pronounce what they were holding up. Haitians who spoke French and/or Kreyol said the "r" in perejil with a flat long pronunciation, while Dominicans said it with a trilled "r" sound.^[30] This massacre was alleged to have been an attempt to seize money and property from Haitians living on the border.^[31] As a result of this massacre the Dominican Republic agreed to pay Haiti $750,000.00, which was later reduced to US$525,000.^[32]^[20] The Dominican government headed by Trujillo for a long time was supported by the USA,^[33] the Catholic Church, and the Dominican elite; even after the death of Dominicans in the political opposition and over 17,000 Haitians.^[30] Trujillo was assassinated on May 30, 1961 in Santo Domingo. In October of 1937, Dominican dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina ordered the execution of the Haitian population living within the borderlands with Haiti. ... is the 275th day of the year (276th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Haitian Creole (kreyÃ²l ayisyen) is a creole language It is spoken in Haiti by about 8. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Post-Trujillo

A democratically-elected government under leftist Juan Bosch took office in 1963, but was overthrown later in the year. After nineteen months of military rule, a pro-Bosch revolt took place in 1965. US Marines arrived in the Dominican Republic to restore order in Operation Powerpack, later to be joined by forces from the Organization of American States.^[34] They remained in the country for over a year and left after supervising elections which led to the victory of Joaquín Balaguer, who had been Trujillo's last puppet president, over Bosch. Juan Bosch y GaviÃ±o Juan Emilio Bosch y GaviÃ±o (30 June 1909, La Vega â€“ 1 November 2001, Santo Domingo) was the first democratically elected president of the Dominican Republic after the assassination of dictator Rafael LeÃ³nidas Trujillo in 1961. ... Operation Power Pack was the American intervention in the Dominican Republic in 1965. ... Headquarters Washington, D.C. Official languages English, French, Portuguese, Spanish Membership 35 countries Leaders - Secretary General JosÃ© Miguel Insulza Chile (since 26 May 2005) Establishment - Charter first signed 30 April 1948 in effect 1 December 1951 Website http://www. ... JoaquÃn Balaguer JoaquÃn Antonio Balaguer Ricardo (September 1, 1906 â€“ July 14, 2002) was the President of the Dominican Republic from 1960 to 1962, from 1966 to 1978, and again from 1986 to 1996. ...

Balaguer remained in power as president for 12 years. His tenure was a period of repression of civil liberties, presumably to prevent pro-Cuba or pro-communist parties from gaining power in the country. His rule was also criticized for a growing disparity between rich and poor and praised for an ambitious infrastructural program which included housing, theaters, museums, aqueducts, roads, highways and the massive Columbus' Lighthouse which was completed in a subsequent tenure in 1992. This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ...

1978 to present

In 1978, Balaguer was succeeded in the presidency by opposition candidate Antonio Guzmán Fernández, of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD). From 1978 to 1986, the Dominican Republic experienced a period of relative freedom and basic human rights. Balaguer regained the presidency in 1986, and was re-elected in 1990 and 1994, defeating PRD candidate José Francisco Peña Gómez, a former mayor of Santo Domingo. Both the national and international communities generally viewed these elections as a major fraud, leading to political pressure for Balaguer to step down. Balaguer responded by scheduling another presidential contest in 1996, which was won by Bosch's Dominican Liberation Party for the first time, with Leonel Fernández as its candidate. In 2000, Hipólito Mejía won the electorate when opposing candidates Danilo Medina and a very old Joaquín Balaguer decided that they would not force a runoff after the first got 49.8% of the votes. In 2004, Leonel Fernández was elected again, with 57% of the votes, defeating then-incumbent president Mejía. Antonio GuzmÃ¡n FernÃ¡ndez (1911â€“July 4, 1982) was the President of the Dominican Republic from 1978 to 1982. ... The Dominican Revolutionary Party (Spanish: Partido Revolucionario Dominicano, or PRD) is one of the main political parties of the Dominican Republic. ... JosÃ© Francisco PeÃ±a GÃ³mez (born March 6, 1937 in Mao, Valverde, Dominican Republic, died May 10, 1998 in Cambita Garabitos, San Cristobal, Dominican Republic) was the leader of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) and former Mayor of Santo Domingo. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Dr. Leonel Antonio FernÃ¡ndez Reyna (born 26 December 1953) is a Dominican politician and the current president of the Dominican Republic. ... Rafael HipÃ³lito MejÃa DomÃnguez (born February 22, 1941, in Gurabo, Santiago Province ), was President of the Dominican Republic from August 16, 2000 to August 16, 2004. ... Danilo Medina was the presidential candidate of the Dominican Liberation Party in 2000. ... JoaquÃn Balaguer JoaquÃn Antonio Balaguer Ricardo (September 1, 1906 â€“ July 14, 2002) was the President of the Dominican Republic from 1960 to 1962, from 1966 to 1978, and again from 1986 to 1996. ...

Government and politics

Main article: Government of the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a representative democracy, with national powers divided among independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The President of the Dominican Republic appoints the cabinet, executes laws passed by the legislative branch, and is commander in chief of the armed forces. The president and vice president run for office on the same ticket and are elected by direct vote for 4-year terms. Legislative power is exercised by a bicameral Congress composed of the Senate (with 32 members) and the Chamber of Deputies (with 178 members). The Dominican Republic is a representative democracy whose national powers are divided among independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches. ... Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of popular sovereignty by the peoples representatives. ... A legislatureis a type of representative deliberative assembly with the power to ratify laws. ... This page contains a list of presidents of the Dominican Republic. ... The Military of the Dominican Republic consists of approximately 44,000 active duty personnel, about 30 percent of which are utilized for non-military operations, including security providers for government owned non-military facilities, toll security, prison guards, forestry workers and other state enterprises. ... The Senate (Senado) is the upper house of the Dominican Republics bicameral National Congress. ... The Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados) is the lower house of the Dominican Republics bicameral National Congress. ...

The Dominican Republic has a multi-party political system with national elections every 2 years (alternating between presidential elections and congressional/municipal elections). Presidential elections are held in years evenly divisible by four. Congressional and municipal elections are held in even numbered years not divisible by four. International observers have found that presidential and congressional elections since 1996 have been generally free and fair. Elections are supervised by a Central Elections Board (JCE) of 9 members chosen for a four-year term by the newly elected Senate. JCE decisions on electoral matters are final. Politics of the Dominican Republic Categories: Election related stubs | Elections in the Dominican Republic ...

Under the constitutional reforms negotiated after the 1994 elections, the 16-member Supreme Court of Justice is appointed by a National Judicial Council, which comprises the President, the leaders of both houses of Congress, the President of the Supreme Court, and an opposition or non-governing-party member. One other Supreme Court Justice acts as secretary of the Council, a non-voting position. The Supreme Court has sole authority over managing the court system and in hearing actions against the president, designated members of his cabinet, and members of Congress when the legislature is in session. The Dominican Republic is a representative democracy whose national powers are divided among independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches. ...

The Supreme Court hears appeals from lower courts and chooses members of lower courts. Each of the 31 provinces is headed by a presidentially appointed governor. Mayors and municipal councils to administer the 124 municipal districts and the National District (Santo Domingo) are elected at the same time as congressional representatives.^[35]

Politics

The Dominican Republic holds elections every four years at the congressional levels as well as every four years at the presidential levels. The country becomes highly politicized, as millions of dollars are spent in propaganda and campaigning. The political system is characterized by clientelism, which has corrupted the system throughout the years.^[36] This article is about the system of organization called a political machine. ...

There are many political parties and interest groups and, new in this scenario, civil organizations. The three major parties are the conservative Social Christian Reformist Party (Spanish: Partido Reformista Social Cristiano [PRSC]), in power 1966–78 and 1986–96; the social democratic Dominican Revolutionary Party (Spanish: Partido Revolucionario Dominicano [PRD]), in power in 1963, 1978–86, and 2000–04); and the increasingly conservative Dominican Liberation Party (Spanish: Partido de la Liberación Dominicana [PLD]), in power 1996–2000 and since 2004. Political parties in the Dominican Republic# lists political parties in this country. ... This article is about political advocates. ... NGO redirects here. ... Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favor tradition and gradual change, where tradition refers to religious, cultural, or nationally defined beliefs and customs. ... The Social Christian Reformist Party (Partido Reformista Social Cristiano, PRSC) is a party formed by Joaquín Balaguer and his political heirs in the Dominican Republic. ... Social democracy is a political ideology emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from supporters of Marxism who believed that the transition to a socialist society could be achieved through democratic evolutionary rather than revolutionary means. ... The Dominican Revolutionary Party (Spanish: Partido Revolucionario Dominicano, or PRD) is one of the main political parties of the Dominican Republic. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic maintains close relations with the nations of the Western Hemisphere and the principal nations of Europe. Relations with the U.S. are very close.^[37] The Dominican Republic has a close relationship with the United States and with the other states of the Inter-American system. ... The geographical western hemisphere of Earth, highlighted in yellow. ...

The country is a member of the following international organizations:^[2] ACP,

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