Dominican Republic Real Estate by Coral Bay Useful information on the economy and background of the Dominican Republic, including a political map, key exports and population of the Dominican Republic..

A beautiful 200-acre ranch converted into Caribbean country estates, Haciendas El Choco is located in splendid seclusion on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. Read more Property to $US200,000 Property to $US350,000 Property to $US500,000 Property over $US500,000 Dominican Republic Villas Apartments to $US200,000 Apartments over $US200,000 Bavaro/Punta Cana Cabarete Real Estate Cabrera Real Estate Puerto Plata Real Estate Samana Real Estate Sosua Real Estate Caribbean building land Top picks Properties  Looking for more information on Cabarete Real Estate ,Sosua Real Estate , Costambar Real Estate or Cabrera Real Estate? Have a look through our descriptions of the area and see which one suits you.   Comming soon...details of the 'founders package' available at the new Sea Horse Ranch golf course. Contact us now for more details on this unique northcoast Dominican Republic development. Hurry!...  Need a good quality rental car at prices below National, Avis & Hertz? We have partnered up with a number of agencies in the area to source the best prices and cars for you. Read More  Support our link partners that support our site. Worldwide Property Links Other Useful Links Web Resources Links

About the Dominican Republic Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola 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 was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of its subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin BALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has had one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the past decade. Dominican Republic Flag Political Map. Click on the map for a larger image. More maps of the Dominican Republic Quick Facts about the Dominican Republic Area: 18,815 sq mi (48,730 sq km) Population (2004 est.): 8,833,634 (growth rate: 1.3%); birth rate: 23.6/1000; infant mortality rate: 33.3/1000; life expectancy: 67.6; density per sq mi: 470 Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Santo Domingo, 2,851,300 (metro.area), 2,252,400 (city proper) Ethnicity/race: white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73% Monetary unit: Dominican Peso Other large city: Santiago de los Caballeros, 501,800 Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2003 est.): $52.16 billion; per capita $6,000. Agriculture: sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs. Labor force: 2.3 million to 2.6 million (2000 est); services and government 58.7%, industry 24.3%, agriculture 17% (1998 est.). Major trading partners: U.S., Canada, UK, Venezuela, Mexico, Spain. Ports and harbors: Barahona, La Romana, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo. Literacy rate: 85% (2003 est.) Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco. Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver. Exports: $5.524 billion (f.o.b., 2003 est.): ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods.