Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

Introduction

The name of the Dominican Republic was established by the constitution of 1844 which begins: "The members of the peoples of the old Spanish part of the island of Santo Domingo decree". Its origin is in the name of the capital, Santo Domingo, itself named in honor of Saint Dominic de Guzman.

The Dominican Republic has no official name short. However, there are several informal:

"Santo Domingo", by extending the name of the country's capital, since it is the noun which derives" dominicaine". This name, however, also been used in the past to describe the French colony that occupied the western third of the island (called Hispaniola) and which was succeeded by the Republic of Haiti . The "Dominicanie," a term used mostly by Haitians and Haitian occupation date.

DiscussionPopulation

The population is largely of early European immigrants, mostly of Spanish origin and African slaves from. Unlike Haiti presented the descendants of slaves not the majority of the population; in 1790 were of 125,000 inhabitants, 15000 slaves.

Minority populations:

The official population of about half a million people of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic, to illegal about another half a million Haitians. In Sosúa settled during the Second World War, around 600 German Jews settled. In the mountains of the Cordillera Central at Constanza and in the vicinity of Lago Enriquillo, there are Japanese colonies, also near the Haitian border to the north of the country near Dajabón, also exist in the Dominican Republic a few Hungarian-born people.

Especially in cities and towns close to tourist areas (eg, Puerto Plata, Sosua, Cabarete, Rio San Juan, Samana and Las Terrenas) up to about 20% of people are coming from the United States, Canada and Europe, partly Cubans, Chileans and other nationalities.

Urban population: 67%

Population growth rate: 1.33%

Fertility rate: 2.6 births per woman.

Languages

The official language is Spanish. In the Dominican Republic of Haitian descent lives many people, the Haitian Creole and partly French speaking. In the north-east of the country lives in the town of Samana an English-speaking minority of about 8,000 people. These are descendants of former slaves of the United States, who settled here in 1824. In south (San Pedro de Macoris), there is also an English-speaking minority.

Of the languages spoken in Spain Spanish language differs in many cases from the Dominican Republic and has some words and phrases from Spanish colonial times maintained. On the other hand, the language is strongly mixed with Anglo-American expressions.Ethnic Groups

Catholicism is in the Dominican Republic after a concordat with the Vatican state religion, even if there is religious freedom. So, still belonged to the late 1980s, over 80% of the inhabitants of the Roman Catholic Church, which is divided into an archdiocese, 8 dioceses and 250 parishes. Of the more than 500 Catholic priests in the country about 70% belonged to different orders. The German Foreign Office is in its publications share of about 75% Catholic, Protestant 4%, Adventist 1.5%, 2% other Christian churches (such as the New Apostolic Church, with about 5,000 members) and 16% no religious affiliation at. Many declared "Catholic" but in practice a kind ...