General demographic data for the Dominican population (estimated for 2005)

The main productive sectors of the Dominican economy at the urban level are industry, trade and services, as well as construction and telecommunications.  At the rural level, the most important sectors are agriculture and cattle raising, with agriculture playing a more significant role.

The main foreign currency generator sectors in the Dominican Republic are tourism, remittances and free trade zones.

Tourism is one of the principal sources of employment in the country. Thanks to paradisiacal beaches, remarkable natural parks, the diversity of mountains and rivers where extreme sports are practiced, the growth of eco and cultural tourism, and above all, due to the hospitality of the population and the enchanting nature of Dominican culture, the number of visitors and hotels in the country continues to grow. The Dominican Republic receives annually more than 3 million foreign tourists and supplies approximately 60,000 hotel rooms (2005). According to the Central Bank of Dominican Republic, tourism represented the sector that attracted the most Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from 1995 to 2005. In 2005, 36% of the total FDI received by the country was directed to tourism (approximately US$300 millions). Tourism activities in 2005 represented more than US$3,500 million dollars in income for the country and employed more than 175,000 workers.

As for remittances, the Dominican Diaspora, mainly located in the United States, sent US$2,410 millions of dollars in 2005 to their families and friends in the Dominican Republic. According to the U.S. Census (2000) approximately 800,000 Dominicans live in the United States, more than half of them in New York City.

Agriculture has always been a basic element of Dominican economic production. The principal products are sugar cane, coffee, cocoa and tobacco, all export products since the 19th century.

The Industrial Duty-Free Zones began in the country in 1969 with the first installation of its kind in the city of La Romana. They progressively expanded in such a way that today there are almost 600 companies of this type, established in more than 55 industrial parks. They constitute one of the main sources of employment for the country, generating today around 200,000 positions of direct labor. Together with tourism and remittances, they are an axis of the Dominican economy.

Due to the reduced capacity of the Dominican economy to permanently incorporate a large part of the population in the industrial and commercial activities of the urban areas, various social groups have entered the productive process through the informal sector. Estimates affirm that around 30% of the Dominican population works at informal jobs. Among these activities, micro businesses are the most common.

At present, the Dominican Republic enjoys a system of democratic, representative and presidential government in which power is divided into three independent branches: Executive, Legislative and Judicial Powers, ruled by the Constitution. The Dominican Republic has three majority parties and many minority parties. The Dominican population is known for being very politically active.

For more information, visit:

Portal Dominicanaonline.org

CIA Fact Book: Dominican Republic