Dominican Republic Country & Tourist Information

Location
Caribbean, island of Hispaniola, east of Cuba.

Area
48,072 sq km (18,696 sq miles).

Population
9.2 million (2006).

Population Density
191.4 per sq km.

Capital
Santo Domingo.
Population: 2.2 million (2006).

Government
Republic. Gained independence in 1865, after successive attempts.

Language
Spanish is the official language. Some English and French are spoken.

Religion
Almost all Christian, with 95% Roman Catholic; there are small Protestant and Jewish minorities.

Time
GMT - 4.

Electricity
110 volts AC, 60Hz. American-style two-pin plugs are in use.

Head of State
President Leonel Fernandez since 2004 (second non-consecutive term).

Telephone
Country code: 1 809. CODETEL (owned and operated by Verizon), Dominican Republic’s telecommunications company, has produced the Comunicard, which enables tourists visiting the country to phone anywhere abroad from any touch-tone phone.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with a number of international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good along most coastal areas and around towns but patchy elsewhere. There is a 3G network.

Internet
The number of Internet cafes is rapidly growing as the Dominican Republic embraces the Internet.

Media
The ownership of newspapers, TV channels and radio stations remains concentrated in the hands of the few economically or politically powerful. There are several terrestrial TV channels and some 30 multichannel cable TV operators. Most of the 200-plus radio stations are commercial. Press freedom is protected by law. Consequently media outlets carry diverse political views although some subjects, such as the Catholic Church and the army, are generally avoided.

Post
Airmail takes about 10 days to reach western Europe. It is advisable to post all mail at the central post office in Santo Domingo to ensure rapid handling.

Press
• All daily papers are in Spanish and include El Caribe, Hoy, Listín Diario and El Nacional. The English-language Santo Domingo News is published weekly on Wednesday and may be obtained in hotels.
• There is an online English-language news service (website www.dr1.com).

Radio
• Cadena de Noticias (CDN) Radio is a news station.
• Radio Television Dominicana is government owned.
• Rumba FM is typical of Santo Domingo’s earful of merengue and salsa music stations.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period.

2007
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
6 Jan Epiphany.
21 Jan Our Lady of Altagracia.
26 Jan Duarte’s Birthday.
27 Feb Independence Day.
6 Apr Good Friday.
1 May Labor Day.
7 Jun Corpus Christi.
20 Aug Restoration Day.
24 Sep Our Lady of las Mercedes.
5 Nov Constitution Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
6 Jan Epiphany.
21 Jan Our Lady of Altagracia.
26 Jan Duarte’s Birthday.
27 Feb Independence Day.
21 Mar Good Friday. 
1 May Labor Day.
22 May Corpus Christi.
Aug* Restoration Day.
24 Sep Our Lady of las Mercedes.
Nov* Constitution Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

*Date to be confirmed.

Contact Information:

Embassy of the Dominican Republic in the UK
139 Inverness Terrace, Bayswater, London W2 6JF, UK
Tel: 09065 508 945.
Website: www.dominicanembassy.org.uk
Consular opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1400.

Dominican Republic Tourist Board in the UK
18-21 Hand Court, High Holborn, London WC1V 6JF, UK
Tel: (020) 7242 7778.
Website: www.godominicanrepublic.com 

Caribbean Tourism Organization in the UK
22 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1BP, UK
Tel: (020) 8948 0057.
Website: www.doitcaribbean.com

Embassy and Consulate of the Dominican Republic in the USA
1715 22nd Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 332 6280.
Website: www.domrep.org

Dominican Republic Tourist Board in the USA
136 East 57th Street, Suite 803, New York, NY 10022, USA
Tel: (212) 588 1012/14.
Website: www.godominicanrepublic.com 


Next Page »

Related Dominican Republic Content