Part 62
22.39 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
Death rate:
5.28 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
Net migration rate:
-2.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Urbanization:
urban population: 69% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.96 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 83 male: 28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.7 years country comparison to the world: 99 male: 71.88 years
female: 75.6 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.76 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 51
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
62,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 59
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups:
mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
Languages:
Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87%
male: 86.8%
female: 87.2% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
3.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 126
Government ::Dominican Republic
Country name:
conventional long form: Dominican Republic
conventional short form: The Dominican
local long form: Republica Dominicana
local short form: La Dominicana
Government type:
democratic republic
Capital:
name: Santo Domingo
geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Bahoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, El Seibo, Elias Pina, 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, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Sanchez Ramirez, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde
Independence:
27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution:
28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002
Legal system:
based on French civil codes; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age; note - members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held 16 May 2008 (next to be held in May 2012)
election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ reelected president; percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ 53.6%, Miguel VARGAS 41%, Amable ARISTY less than 5%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Diputados (178 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010); House of Representatives - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 22, PRD 6, PRSC 4; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 96, PRD 60, PRSC 22
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the National Judicial Council comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and an additional non-governing party congressional representative)
Political parties and leaders:
Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Ramon ALBURQUERQUE]; National Progressive Front [Vincent CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ANTUN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Foundation for Institution-Building and Justice (FINJUS)
International organization participation:
ACP, BCIE, Caricom (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, SICA (associated member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto SALADIN
chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280
FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057
consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Sun Valley (California)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador P. Robert FANNIN
embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo
mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500
telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171
FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437
Flag description:
a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon
Economy ::Dominican Republic
Economy - overview:
The Dominican Republic has enjoyed strong GDP growth since 2005 and continued to post sound gains through mid-2008. The global recession, however, had a significant impact on GDP growth in the latter half of the year as tourism and remittances, two of the Dominican Republic's most important economic contributors, showed signs of slowing. The economy is highly dependent upon the US, the destination for about two-thirds of exports. Remittances from the US amount to about a tenth of GDP, equivalent to almost half of exports and three-quarters of tourism receipts. The country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco but in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. Although 2007 saw inflation around 6%, the rate grew to over 12% in 2008. High food prices, driven by the effects of consecutive tropical storms on agricultural products, and education prices were significant contributors to the jump. The effects of the global financial crisis and the US recession are projected to negatively affect GDP growth in 2009 with a rebound expected in 2010. Although the economy is growing at a respectable rate, high unemployment and underemployment remains an important challenge. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) came into force in March 2007, which should boost investment and exports and reduce losses to the Asian garment industry.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$78.19 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $74.25 billion (2007 est.)
$68.43 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$44.44 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 8.5% (2007 est.)
10.7% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $7,900 (2007 est.)
$7,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.8%
industry: 22.9%
services: 66.3% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
4.119 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 14.6%
industry: 22.3%
services: 63.1% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
14.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 15.6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
42.2% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.5%
highest 10%: 38.7% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
49.9 (2005) country comparison to the world: 25 47.4 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Budget:
revenues: $7.46 billion
expenditures: $9.027 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
37.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 61.1% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 6.1% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
19.95% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 39 15.83% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$3.619 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 62 $4.074 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$5.902 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 61 $5.631 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$17.37 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 62 $15.92 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs
Industries:
tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:
1.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119
Electricity - production:
14.02 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 80
Electricity - consumption:
12.7 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181
Oil - consumption:
119,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
Oil - imports:
116,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl country comparison to the world: 179
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188
Natural gas - consumption:
470 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 188
Natural gas - imports:
470 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Current account balance:
-$4.436 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 -$2.068 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$6.95 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 $7.16 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods
Exports - partners:
US 58.1%, Haiti 9.3%, Netherlands 2.9% (2008)
Imports:
$16.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $13.6 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners:
US 39.2%, Venezuela 7.7%, Mexico 5.4%, Colombia 4.9% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.288 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 $2.562 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$11.42 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 $10.21 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$15.59 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $12.71 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$59 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80
Exchange rates:
Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar - 34.775 (2008 est.), 33.113 (2007), 33.406 (2006), 30.409 (2005), 42.12 (2004)
Communications ::Dominican Republic
Telephones - main lines in use:
985,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 82
Telephones - mobile cellular:
7.21 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 70
Telephone system:
general assessment: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave radio relay network
domestic: fixed telephone line density is about 10 per 100 persons; multiple providers of mobile cellular service with a subscribership of roughly 75 per 100 persons
international: country code - 1-809; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
25 (2003)
Internet country code:
.do
Internet hosts:
280,457 (2009) country comparison to the world: 56
Internet users:
2.147 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 68
Transportation ::Dominican Republic
Airports:
35 (2009) country comparison to the world: 108
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 17 (2009)
Railways:
total: 1,784 km country comparison to the world: 77 standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,368 km 1.076-m, 0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges
note: 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076 m, 0.889 m, and 0.762-m gauges (2008)
Roadways:
total: 19,705 km country comparison to the world: 110 paved: 9,872 km
unpaved: 9,833 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 country comparison to the world: 149 by type: cargo 1
registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Boca Chica, Caucedo, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina, Santo Domingo
Military ::Dominican Republic
Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana, FAD) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,440,203
females age 16-49: 2,326,694 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,056,774
females age 16-49: 1,921,836 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 97,766
female: 93,922 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 147
Transnational Issues ::Dominican Republic
Disputes - international:
Haitian migrants cross the porous border into the Dominican Republic to find work; illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find better work
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: the Dominican Republic is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; a large number of Dominican women are trafficked into prostitution and sexual exploitation in Western Europe, Australia, Central and South America, and Caribbean destinations; a significant number of women, boys, and girls are trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation and domestic servitude
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, the Dominican Republic is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of not adequately investigating and prosecuting public officials who may be complicit with trafficking activity, and inadequate government efforts to protect trafficking victims; the government has taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts with children through criminal prosecutions (2008)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial money laundering activity in particular by Colombian narcotics traffickers; significant amphetamine consumption (2008)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
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@Ecuador (South America)
Introduction ::Ecuador
Background:
What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been marred by political instability. Protests in Quito have contributed to the mid-term ouster of Ecuador's last three democratically elected Presidents. In September 2008, voters approved a new constitution; Ecuador's twentieth since gaining independence. General elections, under the new constitutional framework, are expected in April 2009.
Geography ::Ecuador
Location:
Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Geographic coordinates:
2 00 S, 77 30 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 283,561 sq km country comparison to the world: 73 land: 276,841 sq km
water: 6,720 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Nevada
Land boundaries:
total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Coastline:
2,237 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500-m isobath
Climate:
tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
Terrain:
coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m
note: due to the fact that the earth is not a perfect sphere and has an equatorial bulge, the highest point on the planet furthest from its center is Mount Chimborazo not Mount Everest, which is merely the highest point above sea-level
Natural resources:
petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 4.81%
other: 89.48% (2005)
Irrigated land:
8,650 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
432 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 16.98 cu km/yr (12%/5%/82%)
per capita: 1,283 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
frequent earthquakes; landslides; volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
People ::Ecuador
Population:
14,573,101 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.1% (male 2,312,610/female 2,220,378)
15-64 years: 62.7% (male 4,506,908/female 4,636,703)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 432,144/female 464,358) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 25 years
male: 24.4 years
female: 25.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.497% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
Birth rate:
20.77 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 94
Death rate:
4.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Net migration rate:
-0.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119
Urbanization:
urban population: 66% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 20.9 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 103 male: 24.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.3 years country comparison to the world: 81 male: 72.37 years
female: 78.37 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.51 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 93
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
26,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,400 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 68
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian
Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
Languages:
Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91%
male: 92.3%
female: 89.7% (2001 census)
Education expenditures: