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The Dominican Republic (pronounced /d?m??n?k?n r?'p?bl?k/&_160;( listen); Spanish República Dominicana, pronounced&_160;[re'pußlika ðomini'kana]) is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries. Both by area and population, the Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation (after Cuba), with 48,442&_160;square kilometres (18,704&_160;sq&_160;mi) and an estimated 10 million people.[2][7] Inhabited by Taínos since the seventh century, the territory of the Dominican Republic was reached by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and became the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas, namely Santo Domingo, the country's capital and Spain's first capital in the New World. In Santo Domingo stand, among other firsts in the Americas, the first university, cathedral, and castle, the latter two in the Ciudad Colonial area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[2][8] After three centuries of Spanish rule, with French and Haitian interludes, the country became independent in 1821 but was quickly taken over by Haiti. Victorious in the Dominican War of Independence in 1844, Dominicans experienced mostly internal strife, and also a brief return to Spanish rule, over the next 72 years. The United States occupation of 1916–1924, and a subsequent, calm and prosperous six-year period under Horacio Vásquez Lajara, were followed by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina until 1961. The civil war of 1965, the country's last, was ended by a U.S.-led intervention, and was followed by the authoritarian rule of Joaquín Balaguer, 1966–1978. Since then, the Dominican Republic has moved toward representative democracy,[1] and has been led by Leonel Fernández for most of the time after 1996. The Dominican Republic has the second largest economy in the Caribbean.[9][10] Though long known for sugar production, the economy is now dominated by services.[1] The country's economic progress is exemplified by its advanced telecommunication system.[11] Nevertheless, unemployment,[1] government corruption, and inconsistent electric service remain major Dominican problems. The country also has "marked income inequality".[1]
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Dominican Republic Subcategories
Dominican Republic Articles
Punta CAna, Dominican Republic Superb Honeymoon Tips Villas Discounts Food Plus Much Much More
by Roshunda Leicester
Apr 18, 2010
Heaven in Punta Cana Hotels
Located in a beautiful part of Punta Cana is the Paradisus Punta Cana, the only resort hotel which offers ten restaurants and seven bars. It brags of stylish and delightful ambiance, thanks to its location near th...
Going For The All Inclusive Travel Packages
by Tom Herry
Jul 27, 2009
If you are going on vacation, one of the options that you may have is getting all inclusive travel packages. It’s not everyday that people get vouchers for travel, so while you are still waiting for yours to arrive, you can settle for all inclusive t...
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