Dominican Republic

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The name Dominican originates from the Dominican Order, founded by Saint Dominic, rather than directly from the saint as patron of astronomers. For most of its history, up until independence, the colony was known simply as Santo Domingo. The residents were called 'Dominicans' (Dominicanos), the adjectival form of 'Domingo', and as such, the revolutionaries named their newly independent country the 'Dominican Republic'. In the national anthem, the poetic term 'Quisqueyans' (Quisqueyanos) is used instead of 'Dominicans'. The word 'Quisqueya' derives from the Ciguayo language, and means 'mother of the lands'.

In Their Own Story

The name Dominican honors Saint Dominic, founder of the Dominican Order, which established the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, the first university in the New World. While the country was historically known as Santo Domingo, revolutionaries named their new state the Dominican Republic. In the national anthem, citizens are referred to as Quisqueyans, a term derived from the Ciguayo language meaning 'mother of the lands.' The island's history is deeply rooted in its indigenous past; estimates for the 1492 population range wildly from tens of thousands to 2 million. By 1864, the last record of pure Taínos appeared, yet biological heritage survived through intermixing, with 1514 census records showing 40% of Spanish men married to Taíno women. Today, the country is geographically diverse, hosting Pico Duarte, the Caribbean's tallest peak, and Lake Enriquillo, its largest lake and lowest point.

Reader's Guide

The Dominican Republic has the largest economy in the Caribbean and the seventh-largest in Latin America. It has had the fastest-growing economy in the Western Hemisphere, with an average real GDP growth rate of 5.3% between 1992 and 2018. GDP growth in 2014 and 2015 reached 7.3 and 7.0%, respectively. Recent growth has been driven by construction, manufacturing, tourism, and mining. The country is the site of the world's third largest gold mine in terms of production, the Pueblo Viejo mine. The gold production was 31 metric tonnes in 2015. The Dominican Republic is the most visited destination in the Caribbean. It is home to both the Caribbean's tallest mountain peak, Pico Duarte, and the Caribbean's largest lake and lowest point, Lake Enriquillo. The island has an average temperature of 26 °C (78.8 °F). The country is also the site of the first cathedral, palace, monastery, and fortress built in the Americas, located in Santo Domingo's Colonial Zone, a World Heritage Site.

Did You Know?

• The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, one of only two islands in the Caribbean shared by two sovereign states (the other being Saint Martin).
• The Dominican Republic has a strong economy, though countries like Guyana and Panama have posted higher average growth rates in recent years.
• The country is home to the Caribbean's tallest mountain peak, Pico Duarte, and the Caribbean's largest lake and lowest point, Lake Enriquillo.
• The word 'Quisqueya' in the national anthem derives from the Ciguayo language and means 'mother of the lands'.