Dominican Republic

Claiming to be the oldest city in the New World, with its quaint cobble streets and stonework houses, the Dominican Republic is a recognized tourist destination, with magnificent beaches and resorts, vast expanses of white sand and clear, sparkling waters, with it’s impressive mountain ranges veined with spectacular rivers and waterfalls, and saltwater lakes teeming with exotic wildlife. However the Dominican Republic offers much more than the typical Caribbean attractions of sun, sand and sea. This beautiful island is steeped in history and culture, with an abundance of historical sites, museums, colonial architecture, the first hospital, first sugar mill, first Catholic church this side of the world. Whether you're looking to party, relax or explore, the Dominican Republic has a lot to offer.

Understanding The Geography

The Dominican Republic is a country located on the eastern two-thirds of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, bordering Haiti. Hispaniola is the second largest of the Greater Antilles islands, and lies west of Puerto Rico and east of Cuba and Jamaica. The capital of the country is the city of Santo Domingo, located in the Southern part of the island.

The country has three major mountain ranges: The Central Mountains (Cordillera Central), which originate in Haiti and span the central part of the island, ending up in the south. This mountain range boasts the highest peak in the Antilles, Pico Duarte (3,087 m / 10,128 ft above sea level). The Septentrional Mountains, running parallel to the Central Mountains, separate the Cibao Valley and the Atlantic coastal plains. The highest point here is Pico Diego de Ocampo. The lowest and shortest of the three ranges is the Eastern Mountains, in the eastern part of the country. There are also the Sierra Bahoruco and the Sierra Neyba in the southwest.

This is a country of many rivers, including the navigable Soco, Higuamo, Romana (also known as 'Rio Dulce'), Yaque del Norte, Yaque del Sur, Yuna, Yuma, and Bajabonico. Puerto Plata's Mount. Isabela is famous for the Cuban plane that crashed there in 1992.

Climate Conditions

The country is a Tropical maritime nation, with a wet season from May to November, and periodic Hurricanes between June and November. Most rain falls in the Northern and Eastern regions. The average rainfall is 1346 mm, with extremes of 2500 mm in the Northeast and 500 mm in the West. The mean annual temperature ranges from 21°C in the mountainous regions to 25°C on the plains and the coast. The average temperature in Santo Domingo in January is 23.9°C, and 27.2°C in December

Understanding The Culture

The Dominican Republic is a Hispanic country, therefore, as with all Hispanic countries in the Americas, its culture and people is derived predominantly from Spain, though heavily blended with African traditions and indigenous American cultural elements. The Spanish cultural heritage is most evident in the national language and predominant religion—Roman Catholicism. African cultural elements are most prominent in musical expressions and the carnival vibe of life, testimony to the rich African heritage that existed before and after slavery, but was not allowed to be practiced during it. More recent Antillean and Anglo-American influences also exist. Near the border between Haiti and Dominican Republic, some people practice voodoo.