Aminet 6/Aminet 6 - June 1995.iso/Aminet/docs/misc/wfbook93_texi.lha/texi/68.data

Text File | 1995-03-27 | 10.7 KB | 384 lines

@node Geography (Dominican Republic)
@section Geography (Dominican Republic)

@display

Location:
  in the northern Caribbean Sea, about halfway between Cuba and Puerto Rico
Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  48,730 km2
 land area:
  48,380 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries:
  total 275 km, Haiti 275 km
Coastline:
  1,288 km
Maritime claims:
 contiguous zone:
  24 nm
 continental shelf:
  200 nm or the outer edge of continental margin
 exclusive economic zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  6 nm
International disputes:
  none
Climate:
  tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
  rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
Natural resources:
  nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Land use:
 arable land:
  23%
 permanent crops:
  7%
 meadows and pastures:
  43%
 forest and woodland:
  13%
 other:
  14%
Irrigated land:
  2,250 km2 (1989)
Environment:
  subject to occasional hurricanes (July to October); deforestation
Note:
  shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (western one-third is Haiti, eastern
  two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)



@end display

@node People (Dominican Republic)
@section People (Dominican Republic)

@display

Population:
  7,683,940 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  1.86% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  25.68 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  6.38 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  -0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  53.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  67.98 years
 male:
  65.87 years
 female:
  70.21 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  2.89 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Dominican(s)
 adjective:
  Dominican
Ethnic divisions:
  mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%
Religions:
  Roman Catholic 95%
Languages:
  Spanish
Literacy:   age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
 total population:
  83%
 male:
  85%
 female:
  82%
Labor force:
  2,300,000 to 2,600,000
 by occupation:
  agriculture 49%, services 33%, industry 18% (1986)



@end display

@node Government (Dominican Republic)
@section Government (Dominican Republic)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Dominican Republic
 conventional short form:
  none
 local long form:
  Republica Dominicana
 local short form:
  none
Digraph:
  DR
Type:
  republic
Capital:
  Santo Domingo
Administrative divisions:
  29 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito);,   Azua, Baoruco,
Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El,   Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor,
Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La
  Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata,
  Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San
  Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro De Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez,
  Valverde
Independence:
  27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
Constitution:
  28 November 1966
Legal system:
  based on French civil codes
National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Political parties and leaders:
 Major parties:
  Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo; Dominican
  Liberation Party (PLD), Juan BOSCH Gavino; Dominican Revolutionary Party
  (PRD), Jose Franciso PENA Gomez; Independent Revolutionary Party (PRI),
  Jacobo MAJLUTA
 Minor parties:
  National Veterans and Civilian Party (PNVC), Juan Rene BEAUCHAMPS Javier;
  Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic (PLRD), Andres Van Der HORST;
  Democratic Quisqueyan Party (PQD), Elias WESSIN Chavez; National Progressive
  Force (FNP), Marino VINICIO Castillo; Popular Christian Party (PPC), Rogelio
  DELGADO Bogaert; Dominican Communist Party (PCD), Narciso ISA Conde;
  Dominican Workers' Party (PTD), Ivan RODRIGUEZ; Anti-Imperialist Patriotic
  Union (UPA), Ignacio RODRIGUEZ Chiappini; Alliance for Democracy Party
  (APD), Maximilano Rabelais PUIG Miller, Nelsida MARMOLEJOS, Vicente BENGOA
 note:
  in 1983 several leftist parties, including the PCD, joined to form the
  Dominican Leftist Front (FID); however, they still retain individual party
  structures
Other political or pressure groups:
  Collective of Popular Organzations (COP), leader NA
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory or married persons regardless of
  age
 note:
  members of the armed forces and police cannot vote



@end display

@node Government (Dominican Republic 2. usage)
@section Government (Dominican Republic 2. usage)

@display

Elections:
 Chamber of Deputies:
  last held 16 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994); results - percent of vote
  by party NA; seats - (120 total) PLD 44, PRSC 41, PRD 33, PRI 2
 President:
  last held 16 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994); results - Joaquin BALAGUER
  (PRSC) 35.7%, Juan BOSCH Gavino (PLD) 34.4%
 Senate:
  last held 16 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994); results - percent of vote
  by party NA; seats - (30 total) PRSC 16, PLD 12, PRD 2
Executive branch:
  president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consists of an upper chamber
  or Senate (Senado) and lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara de
  Diputados)
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
Leaders:
 Chief of State and Head of Government:
  President Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo (since 16 August 1986, fifth elected term
  began 16 August 1990); Vice President Carlos A. MORALES Troncoso (since 16
  August 1986)
Member of:
  ACP, CARICOM (observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM,
  ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), LORCS, NAM (guest), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Jose del Carmen ARIZA Gomez
 chancery:
  1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
 telephone:   [phone]
 consulates general:
  Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans,
  New York, Philadelphia, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
 consulates:
  Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville,
  Minneapolis, Mobile, Ponce (Puerto Rico), and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Robert S. PASTORINO
 embassy:
  corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo
  Domingo
 mailing address:
  APO AA 34041-0008
 telephone:
  [phone] and 541-8100
 FAX:
  [phone]
Flag:
  a centered white cross that extends to the edges, divides the flag into four
  rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, the bottom ones are
  red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms is at the center of the
  cross



@end display

@node Economy (Dominican Republic)
@section Economy (Dominican Republic)

@display

Overview:
  The economy is largely dependent on trade; imported components average 60%
  of the value of goods consumed in the domestic market. Rapid growth of free
  trade zones has established a significant expansion of manufacturing for
  export, especially wearing apparel. Over the past decade, tourism has also
  increased in importance and is a major earner of foreign exchange and a
  source of new jobs. Agriculture remains a key sector of the economy. The
  principal commercial crop is sugarcane, followed by coffee, cotton, cocoa,
  and tobacco. Domestic industry is based on the processing of agricultural
  products, oil refining, minerals, and chemicals. Unemployment is officially
  reported at about 30%, but there is considerable underemployment.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $8.4 billion (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  5% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
  $1,120 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
  30% (1992 est.)
Budget:
  revenues $1.4 billion; expenditures $1.8 billion, including capital
  expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)
Exports:
  $600 million (f.o.b., 1992)
 commodities:   ferronickel, sugar, gold, coffee, cocoa
 partners:
  US 60%, EC 19%, Puerto Rico 8% (1990)
Imports:
  $2 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.)
 commodities:
  foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
 partners:
  US 50%
External debt:
  $4.7 billion (1992 est.)
Industrial production:
  growth rate -1.5% (1991); accounts for 20% of GDP
Electricity:
  2,283,000 kW capacity; 5,000 million kWh produced, 660 kWh per capita (1992)
Industries:
  tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement,
  tobacco
Agriculture:
  accounts for 15% of GDP and employs 49% of labor force; sugarcane is the
  most important commercial crop, followed by coffee, cotton, cocoa, and
  tobacco; food crops - rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; animal output -
  cattle, hogs, dairy products, meat, eggs; not self-sufficient in food
Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-89), $575 million; Western (non-US)
  countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $655 million
Currency:
  1 Dominican peso (RD$) = 100 centavos



@end display

@node Economy (Dominican Republic 2. usage)
@section Economy (Dominican Republic 2. usage)

@display

Exchange rates:
  Dominican pesos (RD$) per US$1 - 12.7 (1992), 12.692 (1991), 8.525 (1990),
  6.340 (1989), 6.113 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year



@end display

@node Communications (Dominican Republic)
@section Communications (Dominican Republic)

@display

Railroads:
  1,655 km total in numerous segments; 4 different gauges from 0.558 m to
  1.435 m
Highways:
  12,000 km total; 5,800 km paved, 5,600 km gravel and improved earth, 600 km
  unimproved
Pipelines:
  crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km
Ports:
  Santo Domingo, Haina, San Pedro de Macoris, Puerto Plata
Merchant marine:   1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT
Airports:
 total:
  36
 usable:
  30
 with permanent-surface runways:
  12
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  4
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  8
Telecommunications:
  relatively efficient domestic system based on islandwide microwave relay
  network; 190,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 120 AM, no FM, 18 TV, 6
  shortwave; 1 coaxial submarine cable; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth
  station



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Dominican Republic)
@section Defense Forces (Dominican Republic)

@display

Branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 2,064,244; fit for military service 1,302,644; reach
  military age (18) annually 80,991 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $110 million, 0.7% of GDP (1993 est.)



@end display