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Geography
Area: 48,442 sq. km. (18,704 sq. mi.), about the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined.
Cities: Capital--Santo Domingo (pop. 2.4 million). Other city--Santiago de los Caballeros (690,548).
Terrain: Mountainous.
Climate: Maritime tropical.

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Dominican(s).
Population (2001): 8.6 million.
Annual growth rate: negative 0.4 % (2003).
Ethnic groups: European 16%, African origin 11%, mixed 73%.
Religion: Roman Catholic 95%.
Language: Spanish.
Work force: 60.2% services (tourism, transportation, communications, finances, others), 15.5% industry (manufacturing), 11.5% construction, 11.3% agriculture, 1.5% mining.

Government
Type: Representative democracy.

Economy (2003)
GDP: $16.12 billion.
Growth rate: -0.4%.
Per capita GDP: $1,896.
Nonfuel minerals (1% of GDP): Nickel, gold, silver.
Agriculture (12% of GDP): Products--sugar, coffee, cocoa, bananas, tobacco, rice, plantains, beef, flowers.
Industry (31% of GDP): Types--sugar refining, pharmaceuticals, cement, light manufacturing, construction. Services, including tourism and transportation: 47% of GDP.

Trade: Exports ($5.2 billion (FOB), including processing zones: textiles, sugar, coffee, ferronickel, cacao, tobacco, meats and medical supplies. Markets--U.S. (80%), Canada, western Europe. Imports--$8.9 billion: food stuffs, petroleum, industrial raw materials, capital goods. Suppliers--U.S. (48%), Japan, Germany, Venezuela, Mexico.

The U.S. Embassy is located at Calle C�sar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo (tel. 809-221-2171).

American Chamber of Commerce in the Dominican Republic
Torre Empresarial, 6to.
Piso, Ave. Sarasota No. 25,
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Tel: (809) 381-0777
Fax: (809) 381-0303
E-mail: amcham@codetel.net.do
Home Page: http://www.amcham.org.do