65 Interesting Facts About Dominican Republic

Last updated on April 13th, 2023

56. Santo Domingo also had the privilege of being chosen as the cultural capital of the Americas for 2010.

57. The Dominican Republic is Latin America’s ninth largest economy followed by Guatemala, with Brazil leading at the top.

58. As per the UN (2014), an estimated 69,000 people living in the Dominican Republic are affected by HIV and AIDS. And there are almost 38.4 million [33.9–43.8 million] people in the world that are affected by this deadly condition.

59. The Dominican Restoration War led to the withdrawal of Spanish forces from the country. The war was fought between 1863 and 1865.

Ripe Bananas from Dominican Republic. DR facts.
Facts about Dominican Republic: A bunch of ripe bananas. Image credit – Pierre Janineh

60. Over 55% of the global banana market depends on Dominican Republic. Banana production is mainly done in the Northwestern provinces including Dajabon, Valverde, Santiago Rodriguez, and Monte Cristi; as well as the Southern areas of Barahona and Azua.

61. During World War II, Dominican Republic welcomed Jewish refuges that run away from Nazi Germany. The government implemented programs for the refugees to be part of land development. The Dominican Republic Settlement Association plan was implemented to fund those programs which included the distribution of plots and cattle in Sosua, an old fruit plantation located 18 km off Puerta Plata. The refugees started dairy farms and became the pioneers of Producto Sosua that is today recognized as a premier producer of sausage, cheese, and milk in the country.

62. Dominican dishes are majorly Hispanic-based. The food is always tastier when enjoyed at the motherland. For seafood-heavy dishes, visit Punta Cana or Boca Chica beach where there is plenty of fish. The residents even have a patriot dish referred to as Bandera, which means ‘the flag’. It is prepared with rice, red beans, and served with stewed meat (the colors depict the flag of the county). It is the most preferred meal for lunch in Dominican households. Suspiritos is the other traditional meal and a simple-made dessert that combines egg whites, powdered sugar, and lime juice. It is eaten immediately and regularly served at baby showers and birthday parties.

Mamajuana: the drink of the Dominican Republic.
The drink of the Dominican Republic: rum (or wine) steeped with herbs and honey. . Image credit – Melanie Wynne

63. The favorite Dominican drink among the locals is known as Mamajuana or Mama Juana. It is a combination of red wine, rum, herbs, tree bark, and honey. The flavor is similar to that of port wine. The best part of Mama Juana is its aphrodisiac and medicinal qualities. It is believed to help with blood cleansing, kidneys, digestion, flu, and liver.

64. Beautiful beaches dominate the Dominican Republic. The number of beaches accredited with the Blue Flag certification is more than in any other Caribbean country. The designation simply means that the island meets international standards for cleanliness, environmental safety, and quality.

65. There are over 300 bird species within the country borders. The best bird-watching sites are in Barahona and Bahoruco. Examples of endemic birds you cannot find anywhere else except in the Dominican Republic are Hispaniolan Trogon, Bicknell’s Thrush, Hispaniolan Emerald, Broad-billed Tody, and Parakeet.

About the flag of the Dominican Republic

dominican republic flag
Flag of the Dominican Republic.

1. Design and Symbolism

The flag of the Dominican Republic is a symbol of the country’s values. It has a thick white cross of salvation in the middle that touches all edges, effectively dividing the field into four sections. The upper left and the lower right are blue to signify liberty. Meanwhile, the remaining red quarters represent the blood of heroes.

At the center of the cross is the national coat of arms. The shield echoes the design of the flag. On top of it are religious symbols such as a small gold cross and an open bible. Three spears appear on each side.

The shield supports are a bay laurel branch and a palm frond. Above it is a blue ribbon bearing the national motto: Dios, Patria, Libertad (God, Fatherland, Liberty). Underneath it is a red ribbon with the tips pointing upward. The words “Republica Dominicana” are written in gold letters.

2. Adoption

The Dominican Republic adopted the flag on November 6, 1863, based on the design of Juan Pablo Duarte, founding father and military leader during the Dominican War of Independence.

3. Technical Details

The flag has a ratio of 2:3. The hexadecimal values are 002D62 for blue, CE1126 for red, and FFFFFF for white.

4. History

Flag of the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo

Christopher Columbus landed on the island and claimed it for the crown of Castile in 1492. The colony became the first permanent European settlement in the Americas. Its flag features the Cross of Burgundy: a red sawtoothed diagonal cross on a white field.

Flag of the Republic of Spanish Haiti

Spanish rule lasted for over three hundred years. An independence movement led by Jose Nuñez de Caceres defeated the colonists in 1821. They established the Republic of Spanish Haiti with a horizontal tricolor flag. The top half is yellow, while the bottom is half blue and half red. Five white stars form a semicircle on the blue band.

The first Dominican Republic

In 1844, the first Dominican Republic came after expelling the Haitians. Their flag is similar to the current design, except the top sections are blue, and the bottom quarters are red. The center of the cross is empty.

Dominican Restoration War

In 1863, Spain reestablished a colony on the island. Dominican guerillas fought against them and eventually restored the republic. They used a version of the flag designed by Juan Pablo Duarte. The founding father spent his remaining years in exile in Venezuela. The coat of arms experienced minor modifications over the years, including rearranged elements like the supports and ribbons.

5. Flag Facts

The Bible on the coat of arms shows the pages for John 8:32. It reads, “And the truth shall make you free.”

The flag of the Dominican Republic is among 28 flags with overt Christian symbols.

It is also one of seven national flags that mirrors the design within its elements, as in the shield pattern in the coat of arms.

The Dominican Republic – country at a glance

Independence27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
Capital CitySanto Domingo
(19°00′N 70°40′W)
Largest CitySanto Domingo
(19°00′N 70°40′W)
Total area48,670 sq km
Population10,694,700 (2022 est.)
Suffrage18 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
Government typePresidential Republic
PresidentLuis Abinader
Vice PresidentRaquel Peña de Antuña
DemonymDominican
Official LanguageSpanish
Literacy93.8%
BordersHaiti (only land border)
CurrencyPeso (DOP)
National holidayIndependence Day, 27 February (1844)
National anthem"Himno Nacional" (National Anthem)
National symbolpalmchat (bird)
National colorsred, white, blue
Climatetropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Terrainrugged highlands and mountains interspersed with fertile valleys
Mean elevation424 m
Lowest pointLago Enriquillo -46 m
Highest pointPico Duarte 3,098 m
Natural resourcesnickel, bauxite, gold, silver, arable land
Agricultural land51.5%
Life expectancy72.56 years (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.
Birth rate18.03 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Sex ratio1.02 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Industriestourism, sugar processing, gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco, electrical components, medical devices
Exports$14.44 billion (2020 est.)
gold, medical instruments, cigars, low-voltage protection equipment, bananas (2019)
Imports$20.19 billion (2020 est.)
refined petroleum, cars, jewelry, natural gas, broadcasting equipment (2019)
GDP - per capita (PPP)$17,000 (2020 est.)
Time ZoneStandard Time Caribbean (UTC – 4:00)
Internet country code:.do
Calling Code+1-809, +1-829, +1-849
Drives on theRight
Table last updatedAugust 10, 2022