Reuters AlertNet - Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

$Small country map\n© Microsoft Virtual Earth$

Capital:	Santo Domingo
Area size:	48380 sq. km Slightly larger than Denmark
Time zone:	GMT -4
Currency:	Dominican peso
Area code:	(+) 809
Driving:	Right
Climate description:	Warm tropical climate; two rainy seasons, the heaviest from May to August, the lightest from November to December; the southwest is the driest region. Between 1962 and 1990 the island lost a significant portion of its woodlands because of deforestation and the coral reef surrounding the island has suffered from pollution.

People

Standard of living

Economy & aid

Health

Disasters, conflict & migration

Language
Spanish
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2007	9.7 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	9.6 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	9.5 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	9.3 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	9.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	9.0 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	8.9 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	8.7 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
12.7 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2006)

Ethnic groups
Mostly of Spanish and African descent, with a small Native American component
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Roman Catholic 91 percent, other 9 percent
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	68.3 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	67.6 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	66.8 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	65.9 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	65.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	64.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	63.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	62.4 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1942
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
78 (2006)
Source: UNESCO

Percentage of population under 15

2005	33.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	33.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	33.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	32.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	33.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	33.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Average life expectancy

2005	71.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	67.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	67.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	66.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	66.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	67.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male

2005	68.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	64.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	63.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	64.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	64.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	64.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female

2005	74.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	71.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	71.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	69.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	69.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	70.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality

2006	25 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	26 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	27 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	29 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	32 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	41 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	42 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2006	29 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	31 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	32 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	35 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	38 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	99 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004	99 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003	99 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	98 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	96 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	96 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality

2005	150 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000	150 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	79	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	94	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	95	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	98	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	94	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	94	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)

2000-2006	5 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005	5 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004	5 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
1995-2003	5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2000	25 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of undernourished population

2002-2004 average	29 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	27 percent	FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water

2006	95 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	95 percent	UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002	93 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	86 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation

2006	79 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	78 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002	57 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	67 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Literacy - average

2004	87.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	87.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	84.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	84.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	83.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male

2004	86.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	88.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	84.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	84.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	83.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female

2004	87.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	97.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	84.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	84.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	83.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones

2006	99 per 1,000 people	International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2007
2005	101 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2004	107 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2003	105 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2002	106 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2001	118 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2000	112 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007

Cellular telephone subscribers

2006	511 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2005	407 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2004	288 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2003	245 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2002	199 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2001	157 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2000	88 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007

Internet users

2006	222 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2005	168 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2004	91 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2003	75 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2002	58 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2001	49 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007
2000	41 per 1,000 people	ITU 2007

Transparency International corruption ranking (1=least corrupt, 179=most corrupt)

2008	102 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	99 (joint)	Transparency International 2007
2006	99 (joint)	Transparency International
2005	85 (joint)	Transparency International
2004	87 (joint)	Transparency International
2003	70 (joint)	Transparency International
2002	59 (joint)	Transparency International
2001	63 (joint)	Transparency International
2000	Not ranked

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Signed but not yet ratified (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Signed but not yet ratified (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

International humanitarian aid flows
Access the Financial Tracking Service, a global real-time database which records all reported humanitarian aid - including that for NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent Movement, bilateral aid, in-kind aid and private donations - searchable by country.
Source: Financial Tracking Service, ReliefWeb

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day

1990-2005	2.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	2.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	<2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	<2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2001	<2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2006	2910 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	2310 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	1910 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	1980 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	2260 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	2180 current US$	WorldBankDataProfileTables2008
2000	2050 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country�s exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2006	31.8 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	29.5 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	18.5 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	16.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	21.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	21.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	19.8 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual GDP growth

2006	10.7� percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	9.3� percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	2.0� percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	-1.9� percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	4.4� percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	3.6� percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	8.1� percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2006	7.6� percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	4.2� percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	51.5� percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	27.4� percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	5.2� percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	8.9� percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	7.7� percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
1.4 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
41.1 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Physicians

2000-2004	188 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	188 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	190 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	216 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)

2007	1.1 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2006	1.1 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2005	1.1 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2004	1.1 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2003	1.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008

Malaria
Low risk from P.falciparum throughout the year in the rural areas of the western provinces. No evidence of P.falciparum resistance to any antimalarial drug.
Source: WHO

TB cases

2006	89 per 100,000 people	WHO 2008
2005	91 per 100,000 people	WHO 2008
2004	94 per 100,000 people	WHO 2008
2003	96 per 100,000 people	WHO 2008
2002	99 per 100,000 people	WHO 2008
2001	102 per 100,000 people	WHO 2008
2000	105 per 100,000 people	WHO 2008

Chronology of natural disasters
Access EM-DAT, a database of natural disasters from 1900 to the present - death tolls and numbers of affected people - searchable by country.
Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium

Number of refugees originating here

2007	358	UNHCR
2006	150	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	67	UNHCR
2004	97	UNHCR
2003	92	UNHCR
2002	83	UNHCR
2001	46	UNHCR
2000	47	UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here

2007	No data available
2006	No data available
2000	510	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

	No data available

No data available

Landmine casualties per year

2004	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military

2005	0.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	0.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	No data available percent

Percentage of GDP spent on education

2002-2005	1.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004	1.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002	2.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001	2.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000	2.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	1.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	2.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	2.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	2.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	1.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

AlertNet makes every effort to ensure statistics are updated from the relevant sources as soon as they are available.

Unlike some other content on this website, the written content in this article may be republished or redistributed by any means free of charge. Any use of photographs and graphics on this website is expressly prohibited. You must check whether written content contained in other articles on this website may be republished or redistributed without the express permission of Reuters or the relevant third party provider.

Breaking stories

Americas