Dominican Republic
Local name: República Dominicana
Zoomed ×4.5
- Capital
- Santo Domingo
- Population
- 11.5 million
- 84th in the world (2025)
- Area
- 48,671 km²
- 128th in the world
- Density
- 237 people/km²
- 44th in the world
In brief
The Dominican Republic is a country in the Caribbean. Its capital is Santo Domingo. With 11.5 million inhabitants in 2025, it ranks 84th in the world by population, out of the 195 countries recognised by the UN. Its area is 48,671 km². It shares land borders with Haiti.
GDP per capita stands at $11,059 (2025), 79th in the world. Life expectancy at birth is 73.9 years (2024). 73% of the population lives in cities.
History of the Dominican Republic
Founded by the Spanish at the end of the 15th century, Santo Domingo is the oldest continuously inhabited European city in the Americas, with their first cathedral. Occupied by Haiti from 1822 to 1844, the country declared independence on 27 February 1844. It then saw a Spanish return, two US occupations and the long dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961), responsible for the massacre of thousands of Haitians in 1937. Democracy has gradually taken hold. Baseball is the national sport.
Geography of the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two thirds of the island of Hispaniola. Pico Duarte (3,098 m) is the highest peak in the Caribbean; Lake Enriquillo, a salt lake home to crocodiles, is its lowest point. Its beaches, such as Punta Cana, draw millions of tourists.
Map of the Dominican Republic
Flag of the Dominican Republic
The flag of the Dominican Republic is red, white and blue. Its official proportions are 2:3 (height to width).
- Red35%
- Blue35%
- White29%
Share of the flag’s surface taken by each colour.
What the flag stands for
A white cross divides blue and red quarters; in the centre, the coat of arms bears an open Bible, making it the only national flag to show one, and the motto “Dios, Patria, Libertad”.
Sources: Wikipedia, articles “Dominican Republic” and “Flag of the Dominican Republic”.
See also: flags with a cross.
Download the flag (SVG) All 33 red, white and blue flags All the flags of the world
Fact file
| Official name | Dominican Republic |
|---|---|
| Capital | Santo Domingo |
| Official language | Spanish |
| Currency | Dominican peso (DOP, $) |
| Demonym | Dominican |
| Continent | Americas, the Caribbean |
| Access to the sea | Yes |
| Area | 48,671 km² |
| Calling code | +1 |
| Internet domain | .do |
| UN status | Member state |
Economy and society
GDP per capita
$11,059
79th in the world (2025)
Life expectancy
73.9 years
at birth (2024)
Urban population
73%
Sources: World Bank (2025) for population and economy, Natural Earth for the map, mledoze/countries and Wikidata for reference data. Method.