Editing Dominican Republic (section)

==Economy==
{{Main|Economy of the Dominican Republic}}
<!--The Dominican Republic is the largest economy<ref name="gdp rank" /> (according to the U.S. State Department and the World Bank)<ref name="ussdnote" /><ref name="Dominican Republic">{{cite web|url=http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/dominicanrepublic|title=Dominican Republic|publisher=[[World Bank]]|access-date=April 29, 2016}}</ref> in the Caribbean and Central American region. It is an upper middle-income [[developing country]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-classifications/country-and-lending-groups|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110318125456/http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-classifications/country-and-lending-groups|archive-date=March 18, 2011|title=Data&nbsp;– Country Groups |access-date=October 20, 2008 |publisher=[[World Bank]]}}</ref> with a 2020 GDP per capita of [[US$]]20,625, in [[Purchasing power parity|PPP]] terms. Over the last 25 years, the Dominican Republic has had the fastest-growing economy in the Americas – with an average real GDP growth rate of 5.53% between 1992 and 2018.<ref name="Dominican Republic" /> GDP growth in 2014 and 2015 reached 7.3 and 7.0%, respectively, the highest in the Western Hemisphere.<ref name=":0" /> In the first half of 2016, the Dominican economy grew 7.4%.<ref name=":1" /> {{As of|2015}}, the average wage in nominal terms is US$392 per month (RD$17,829).<ref name="Average2">{{cite web|url=http://www.ilo.org/ilostat/faces/home/statisticaldata/ContryProfileId?_afrLoop=391426682824720#%40%3F_afrLoop%3D391426682824720%26_adf.ctrl-state%3Dt2bvk9hac_171|title=Average Wage|access-date=July 24, 2016|author=International Labour Organization|at=Exchange rate: [https://www.dgii.gov.do/informacionTributaria/publicaciones/avisosInformativos/Documents/03-16.pdf 45.4691 DOP per USD]|author-link=International Labour Organization}}</ref> The country is the site of the second largest [[gold mine]] in the world, the [[Pueblo Viejo mine]].<ref name="investingnews.com" /><ref name="lawrieongold.com" />-->
[[File:SantoDomingoedit.JPG|thumb|right|View of [[Santo Domingo]], the Dominican Republic's capital city]]
During the last three decades, the Dominican economy, formerly dependent on the export of agricultural commodities (mainly sugar, cocoa and coffee), has transitioned to a diversified mix of services, manufacturing, agriculture, mining, and trade. The service sector accounts for almost 60% of GDP; manufacturing, for 22%; tourism, telecommunications and finance are the main components of the service sector; however, none of them accounts for more than 10% of the whole.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bancentral.gov.do/estadisticas_economicas/real/|title=Sector Real|publisher=[[Central Bank of the Dominican Republic]] (Banco Central de la República Dominicana)|access-date=April 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416153819/http://www.bancentral.gov.do/estadisticas_economicas/real/|archive-date=April 16, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Dominican Republic has a stock market, [[Bolsa de Valores de la República Dominicana]] (BVRD).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bvrd.com.do/quienes-somos|title=¿Quiénes Somos?|publisher=[[Bolsa de Valores de la República Dominicana]]|access-date=March 3, 2016|archive-date=March 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307204956/http://www.bvrd.com.do/quienes-somos|url-status=live}}</ref> and advanced telecommunication system and transportation infrastructure.<ref name="consulate" /> High unemployment and income inequality are long-term challenges.<ref name="CIADemo">{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/dominican-republic/|title=Central America :: Dominican Republic|website=[[CIA World Factbook]]|publisher=[[Central Intelligence Agency]]|access-date=February 19, 2020|archive-date=July 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730042746/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/dominican-republic/|url-status=live}}</ref> International migration affects the Dominican Republic greatly, as it receives and sends large flows of migrants. Mass illegal Haitian immigration and the integration of Dominicans of Haitian descent are major issues.<ref name="pinadep" /> A large Dominican diaspora exists, mostly [[Dominican Americans (Dominican Republic)|in the United States]],<ref name="s0201">{{cite web
 |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/IPTable?_bm=y&-reg=ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201:405;ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201PR:405;ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201T:405;ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201TPR:405&-qr_name=ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201&-qr_name=ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201PR&-qr_name=ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201T&-qr_name=ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201TPR&-ds_name=ACS_2008_1YR_G00_&-TABLE_NAMEX=&-ci_type=R&-redoLog=true&-charIterations=541&-geo_id=01000US&-geo_id=NBSP&-format=&-_lang=en
 |title=United States&nbsp;– Selected Population Profile in the United States (Dominican (Dominican Republic))
 |access-date=January 10, 2010
|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau
 |work=2008 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212035022/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/IPTable?_bm=y&-reg=ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201:405;ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201PR:405;ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201T:405;ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201TPR:405&-qr_name=ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201&-qr_name=ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201PR&-qr_name=ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201T&-qr_name=ACS_2008_1YR_G00_S0201TPR&-ds_name=ACS_2008_1YR_G00_&-TABLE_NAMEX=&-ci_type=R&-redoLog=true&-charIterations=541&-geo_id=01000US&-geo_id=NBSP&-format=&-_lang=en
 |archive-date=February 12, 2020
}}</ref> contributes to development, sending billions of dollars to Dominican families in remittances.<ref name="CIADemo" /><ref name="ussdnote">{{cite web |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35639.htm |title=U.S. Relations With the Dominican Republic |date=October 22, 2012 |publisher=[[United States Department of State]] |access-date=May 21, 2019 |archive-date=June 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604183842/https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35639.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Remittance]]s in Dominican Republic increased to US$4571.30 million in 2014 from US$3333 million in 2013 (according to data reported by the Inter-American Development Bank). Economic growth takes place in spite of a chronic energy shortage,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cne.gov.do/Page.asp?key=89 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116034631/http://www.cne.gov.do/Page.asp?key=89 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 16, 2009 |title=Fernández Zucco anuncia celebración Semana Internacional de la Energía |access-date=October 20, 2008 |language=es }}</ref> which causes frequent blackouts and very high prices. Despite a widening merchandise [[Balance of trade|trade deficit]], tourism earnings and remittances have helped build [[foreign exchange reserves]]. Following economic turmoil in the late 1980s and 1990, during which the gross domestic product (GDP) fell by up to 5% and consumer price inflation reached an unprecedented 100%, the Dominican Republic entered a period of growth and declining inflation until 2002, after which the economy entered a [[recession]].<ref name="ussdnote" />

This recession followed the collapse of the second-largest [[commercial bank]] in the country, [[Banco Intercontinental|Baninter]], linked to a major incident of fraud valued at US$3.5 billion. The Baninter fraud had a devastating effect on the Dominican economy, with GDP dropping by 1% in 2003 as inflation ballooned by over 27%. All defendants, including the star of the trial, [[Ramón Báez Figueroa]] (the great-grandson of President [[Buenaventura Báez]]),<ref name="NYTimes_TonySmith">{{cite news|author=Tony Smith|title=Fallen Banker Courted in Jail Cell|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/27/business/worldbusiness/27DOMI.html|access-date=May 11, 2014|date=May 23, 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422121502/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/27/business/worldbusiness/27DOMI.html|archive-date=April 22, 2014|newspaper=The New York Times|location=Santo Domingo}}</ref> were convicted.

According to the 2005 Annual Report of the United Nations Subcommittee on Human Development in the Dominican Republic, the country is ranked No. 71 in the world for resource availability, No. 79 for human development, and No. 14 in the world for resource mismanagement. These statistics emphasize national government corruption, foreign economic interference in the country, and the rift between the rich and poor.

The Dominican Republic has a noted problem of [[child labor]] in its coffee, rice, sugarcane, and tomato industries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/ocft/PDF/2011TVPRA.pdf|title=List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor|publisher=U.S. Department of Labor|year=2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140115034958/http://www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/ocft/PDF/2011TVPRA.pdf|archive-date=January 15, 2014}}</ref> The labor injustices in the sugarcane industry extend to forced labor according to the [[United States Department of Labor|U.S. Department of Labor]]. Three large groups own 75% of the land: the State Sugar Council (Consejo Estatal del Azúcar, CEA), [[Vicini|Grupo Vicini]], and Central Romana Corporation.<ref name="Country Studies-Library Congress">{{cite book|title=Dominican Republic and Haiti : country studies|date=December 1999|publisher=Federal Research Division, Library of Congress|location=Washington, DC|isbn=978-0-8444-1044-9 |editor=Helen Chapin Metz |editor-link=Helen Chapin Metz |url=https://archive.org/details/dominicanrepubli00libr}}{{dead link|date=October 2016}}
*{{cite book |title=Dominican Republic - A Country Study |publisher=Library of Congress |url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/dotoc.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991111062126/http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/dotoc.html |archive-date=November 11, 1999}}</ref>

According to the 2016 [[Global Slavery Index]], an estimated 104,800 people are enslaved in the modern day Dominican Republic, or 1.00% of the population.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Kevin Bales|display-authors=etal|title=Dominican Republic|url=https://www.globalslaveryindex.org/country/dominican-republic/|website=The Global Slavery Index 2016|publisher=The Minderoo Foundation Pty Ltd|access-date=March 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314001134/https://www.globalslaveryindex.org/country/dominican-republic/|archive-date=March 14, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Dominican Republic sugar cane slave ring exposed by priest|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/5456337243001/?#sp=show-clips|access-date=March 14, 2018|agency=Fox News|date=June 1, 2017|archive-date=March 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314042839/http://video.foxnews.com/v/5456337243001/#sp=show-clips|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Turnham|first1=Steve|title=Is sugar production modern day slavery?|url=http://edition.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/blog/2006/12/is-sugar-production-modern-day-slavery.html|website=CNN|access-date=March 14, 2018|archive-date=March 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313214127/http://edition.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/blog/2006/12/is-sugar-production-modern-day-slavery.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Currency===
{{Main|Dominican peso}}
The Dominican peso (abbreviated $ or RD$; [[ISO 4217]] code is "DOP")<ref name="XE">{{cite web|url=http://www.xe.com/currency/dop-dominican-peso|title=(DOP/USD) Dominican Republic Pesos to United States Dollars Rate|publisher=XE.com|access-date=November 28, 2010|archive-date=December 1, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201172420/http://www.xe.com/currency/dop-dominican-peso|url-status=live}}, {{cite web|url=http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=DOP&To=JPY&image.x=39&image.y=9&image=Submit|title=Peso to Yen|publisher=XE.com|access-date=October 15, 2015|archive-date=September 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903220409/http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=DOP&To=JPY&image.x=39&image.y=9&image=Submit|url-status=live}} and {{cite web|url=http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi?Amount=1&From=DOP&To=EUR&image.x=18&image.y=6&image=Submit|title=Peso to Euro|publisher=XE.com}}{{Dead link|date=February 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> is the national currency, with the [[United States dollar]], the [[Euro]], the [[Canadian dollar]] and the [[Swiss franc]] also accepted at most tourist sites. The exchange rate to the U.S. dollar, liberalized by 1985, stood at 2.70 pesos per dollar in August 1986,<ref name="pons" />{{rp|p417, 428}} 14.00 pesos in 1993, and 16.00 pesos in 2000. {{as of|2018|September}} the rate was 50.08 pesos per dollar.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=USD&To=DOP|title=XE: Convert USD/DOP. United States Dollar to Dominican Republic Peso|access-date=September 14, 2019|archive-date=September 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902220903/https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=USD&To=DOP|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Tourism===
{{Main|Tourism in the Dominican Republic}}
[[File:Punta Cana Beach Cabeza De Toro 1.jpg|thumb|Cabeza de Toro beach, [[Punta Cana]]]]
<!--The Dominican Republic is the [[world Tourism rankings|most visited destination]] in the Caribbean. The year-round golf courses are major attractions.<ref name="consulate" /> A geographically diverse nation, the Dominican Republic is home to both the Caribbean's tallest mountain peak, [[Pico Duarte]], and the Caribbean's largest lake and point of lowest elevation, [[Lake Enriquillo]].<ref name="Baker 2008 190" /> The island has an average temperature of {{convert|26|°C|°F|1}} and great climatic and biological diversity.<ref name="consulate" /> The country is also the site of the first cathedral, castle, monastery, and fortress built in the Americas, located in Santo Domingo's [[Ciudad Colonial (Santo Domingo)|Colonial Zone]], a [[World Heritage Site]].<ref name="Colonial City of Santo Domingo" /><ref name="unesco.org" />-->

Tourism is one of the fueling factors in the Dominican Republic's economic growth. The Dominican Republic is the most popular tourist destination in the [[Caribbean]]. With the construction of projects like [[Cap Cana]], San Souci Port in Santo Domingo, [[Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic|Casa De Campo]] and the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (ancient Moon Palace Resort) in [[Punta Cana]], the Dominican Republic expects increased tourism activity in the upcoming years.

[[Ecotourism]] has also been a topic increasingly important, with towns like [[Jarabacoa]] and neighboring [[Constanza, Dominican Republic|Constanza]], and locations like the [[Pico Duarte]], [[Bahía de las Águilas]], and others becoming more significant in efforts to increase direct benefits from tourism. Most residents from other countries [[Visa policy of the Dominican Republic|are required to get a tourist card]], depending on the country they live in. In the last 10 years the Dominican Republic has become one of the world's notably progressive states in terms of recycling and waste disposal.

===Transportation===
{{Main|Transportation in the Dominican Republic}}
[[File:Gualey Santo Domingo Dominican Republic.jpg|thumb|[[Teleférico de Santo Domingo]]]]
[[File:27 de febrero av. Santo Domingo.jpg|thumb|right|27 de Febrero Avenue in [[Santo Domingo]]]]
The country has three national trunk highways, which connect every major town. These are [[DR-1]], [[DR-2]], and [[DR-3]], which depart from Santo Domingo toward the northern (Cibao), southwestern (Sur), and eastern (El Este) parts of the country respectively. These highways have been consistently improved with the expansion and reconstruction of many sections. Two other national highways serve as spur ([[DR-5]]) or alternative routes ([[DR-4]]).

In addition to the national highways, the government has embarked on an expansive reconstruction of spur secondary routes, which connect smaller towns to the trunk routes. In the last few years the government constructed a 106-kilometer toll road that connects Santo Domingo with the country's northeastern peninsula. Travelers may now arrive in the Samaná Peninsula in less than two hours. Other additions are the reconstruction of the DR-28 (Jarabacoa&nbsp;– Constanza) and [[DR-12]] (Constanza&nbsp;– Bonao). Despite these efforts, many secondary routes still remain either unpaved or in need of maintenance. There is currently a nationwide program to pave these and other commonly used routes. Also, the [[Santiago light rail]] system is in planning stages but currently on hold.

===Bus services===
There are two main bus transportation services in the Dominican Republic: one controlled by the government, through the Oficina Técnica de Transito Terrestre (OTTT) and the Oficina Metropolitana de Servicios de Autobuses (OMSA), and the other controlled by private business, among them, Federación Nacional de Transporte La Nueva Opción (FENATRANO) and the Confederacion Nacional de Transporte (CONATRA). The government transportation system covers large routes in metropolitan areas such as Santo Domingo and Santiago.

There are many privately owned bus companies, such as Metro Servicios Turísticos and Caribe Tours, that run daily routes.

===Santo Domingo Metro===
[[File:Stodgo metro.jpg|thumb|A pair of 9000 series are tested on the Santo Domingo Metro.]]
{{Main|Santo Domingo Metro}}
The Dominican Republic has a [[rapid transit]] system in [[Santo Domingo]], the country's capital. It is the most extensive metro system in the insular [[Caribbean]] and Central American region by length and number of stations. The Santo Domingo Metro is part of a major "National Master Plan" to improve transportation in Santo Domingo as well as the rest of the nation. The first line was planned to relieve traffic congestion in the [[DR-1|Máximo Gómez]] and [[DR-13|Hermanas Mirabal Avenue]]. The second line, which opened in April 2013, is meant to relieve the congestion along the [[DR-13|Duarte-Kennedy-Centenario]] Corridor in the city from west to east. The current length of the Metro, with the sections of the two lines open {{as of|2013|August|lc=y}}, is {{convert|27.35|km|mi}}. Before the opening of the second line, 30,856,515 passengers rode the Santo Domingo Metro in 2012.<ref name="SD-stats">{{cite web|url=http://opret.gob.do/Documentos/Estad%C3%ADsticas%20Institucionales/Estad%C3%ADsticas%20de%20peaje%20y%20tiempo%20de%20recorrido%20al%202013.pdf|title=Estadísticas de peaje y tiempo de recorrido al 2013|trans-title=Statistics of tolls and times of route 2013|language=es|work=opret.gob.do|page=2|date=September 2013|access-date=September 17, 2013|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304023429/http://opret.gob.do/Documentos/Estad%C3%ADsticas%20Institucionales/Estad%C3%ADsticas%20de%20peaje%20y%20tiempo%20de%20recorrido%20al%202013.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> With both lines opened, ridership increased to 61,270,054 passengers in 2014.

===Communications===
{{Main|Telecommunications in the Dominican Republic}}
The Dominican Republic has a well developed [[Telecommunications in the Dominican Republic|telecommunications]] infrastructure, with extensive mobile phone and [[landline]] services. [[Cable Internet access|Cable Internet]] and [[Digital subscriber line|DSL]] are available in most parts of the country, and many [[Internet service provider]]s offer [[3G]] wireless internet service. Projects to extend [[Wi-Fi]] hot spots have been made in Santo Domingo.

The telecommunications regulator in the country is INDOTEL (''Instituto Dominicano de Telecomunicaciones''). The largest telecommunications company is [[Claro República Dominicana|Claro]]&nbsp;– part of [[Carlos Slim]]'s [[América Móvil]]&nbsp;– which provides wireless, landline, broadband, and [[IPTV]] services. In June 2009 there were more than 8 million phone line subscribers (land and cell users) in the D.R., representing 81% of the country's population and a fivefold increase since the year 2000, when there were 1.6 million. The communications sector generates about 3.0% of the GDP.<ref name="LD2009-06-05" /> There were 2,439,997 Internet users in March 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indotel.gob.do/component/option,com_docman/task,cat_view/gid,110/Itemid,757 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110226134642/http://www.indotel.gob.do/component/option%2Ccom_docman/task%2Ccat_view/gid%2C110/Itemid%2C757 |archive-date=February 26, 2011 |title=Indicadores Telefonicos 2009 |access-date=June 5, 2009 |work=Indotel |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In November 2009, the Dominican Republic became the first Latin American country to pledge to include a "gender perspective" in every information and communications technology (ICT) initiative and policy developed by the government.<ref>[http://elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=175919 Indotel garantiza igualdad de género en proyectos tecnológicos realiza en todo el país] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110503184609/http://elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=175919 |date=May 3, 2011 }}. elnuevodiario.com.do. November 16, 2009</ref> This is part of the regional [[eLAC Action Plans|eLAC2010]] plan. The tool the Dominicans have chosen to design and evaluate all the public policies is the APC [[Gender Evaluation Methodology (GEM)]].

===Electricity===
{{Main|Electricity sector in the Dominican Republic}}
Electric power service has been unreliable since the Trujillo era, and as much as 75% of the equipment is that old. The country's antiquated power grid causes transmission losses that account for a large share of billed electricity from generators. The privatization of the sector started under a previous administration of Leonel Fernández.<ref name="coha">{{cite web|first=Claudia|last=Patterson|url=http://www.coha.org/2004/10/president-leonel-fernandez-friend-or-foe-of-reform/|title=President Leonel Fernández: Friend or Foe of Reform?|work=Council on Hemispheric Affairs|date=October 4, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081107015518/http://www.coha.org/2004/10/president-leonel-fernandez-friend-or-foe-of-reform/|archive-date=November 7, 2008}}</ref> The recent investment in a 345 kilovolt "Santo Domingo–Santiago Electrical Highway"<ref name="DT2009-04-29" /> with reduced [[Electric power transmission#Losses|transmission losses]], is being heralded as a major capital improvement to the national grid since the mid-1960s.

During the Trujillo regime electrical service was introduced to many cities. Almost 95% of usage was not billed at all. Around half of the Dominican Republic's 2.1 million houses have no meters and most do not pay or pay a fixed monthly rate for their electric service.<ref name="DT2006-06-01" />

Household and general electrical service is delivered at 110 [[volt]]s alternating at 60&nbsp;[[Hertz|Hz]]. Electrically powered items from the United States work with no modifications. The majority of the Dominican Republic has access to electricity. Tourist areas tend to have more reliable power, as do business, travel, healthcare, and vital infrastructure.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120117175316/http://www.cdeee.gov.do/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=791%3Aedesur-agrega-3500-familias-a-24-horas-de-luz&catid=6%3Anoticias&Itemid=2 EDESUR agrega 3,500 familias a 24 Horas de Luz]. Cdeee.gov.do. Retrieved on September 22, 2011.</ref> Concentrated efforts were announced to increase efficiency of delivery to places where the collection rate reached 70%.<ref name="LD2007-04-11" /> The electricity sector is highly politicized. Some generating companies are undercapitalized and at times unable to purchase adequate fuel supplies.<ref name="ussdnote" />