The Dominican Republic, (Spanish: República Dominicana) 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. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative rule lasted for much of the 20th century; the move towards representative democracy has improved vastly since the death of military dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo in 1961. Dominicans sometimes refer to their country as Quisqueya, a name for Hispaniola used by the native Taíno Indians. The Dominican Republic is not to be confused with Dominica, another Caribbean country.
The capital of the country is the city of Santo Domingo -full name Santo Domingo de Guzman , located in the south part of the island. Originally a single city located within the province Distrito Nacional (National District), it has now been divided into a Province of Santo Domingo and the National District. The Province of Santo Domingo is comprised of several municipalities: Santo Domingo Norte(North Santo Domingo), Santo Domingo Este (East Santo Domingo- Provincial Capital), Santo Domingo Oeste(West Santo Domingo) and Boca Chica. The Ozama River serves a natural border between the National District and the Province of Santo Domingo. Thus the capital city of the Country is the City of Santo Domingo de Guzman, Province of National District. The second largest city is Santiago de los Caballeros, more commonly referred to as simply Santiago.
The island of Hispaniola, which includes the present-day Dominican Republic, was the first in the New World colonized by the Spaniards. These settlers brought with them diseases previously unknown to the native inhabitants, which combined with the exploitation by the colonists served to devastate the native population. To replace their workers, the colonists began importing slaves. The Dominican Republic's culture is said to have European, African and Native American roots. (Many Dominicans, however, prefer to think of themselves as European.)
While Dominicans may regard themselves as being one big Dominican family, there are vast differences in class and education that separate different groups. There are very rich people, and there are very humble, poor farmers and marginal urban barrio dwellers. The metropolitan culture available to the upper class and vanishing (due to economic turbulence as of late) middle class is often comparable to the life of city dwellers in the rich countries of Western Europe and the United States. But this metropolitan culture doesn't reach the poorest people, who may not have the most basic amenities—light, running water, sanitary facilities nor consumer electronics.
Some of the traits shared by all class groups are particularist interpersonal relations, folk Catholicism, and popular music.
Dominicans are known by outsiders to be gifted at the art of indirect communication. The phrases "no hay problema" and "es Ud. que sabe" are popular and heavily used manners of deflecting disagreement. In the small society which is "the Dominican Family," it is highly important that people not embarrass each other nor be seen to act with malice. Ideally, one wishes to develop "confianza" with as many people as possible. Who one knows is a much more important than any law or absolute standard of conduct.
As such, it is very important to be open, warm, and friendly. Foreigners can be surprised at the ease with which rural people will offer them food or coffee, as well as how social people are in public spaces. It is good to be willing to converse with anyone, and good form to inquire about the health of one's acquaintances' family, even if one does not know the family. In the rural poor areas, anyone can reasonably expect to walk in to a house and be offered coffee or a meal, though the large urban areas are quite a contrast to this form of life.
Things you should know when travelling to Dominican Republic
The security situation is stable, but demonstrations and protests occasionally occur. These are not targeted at foreigners and do not happen near the resorts. Canadians should exercise caution, monitor local news reports, and avoid large crowds and demonstrations. The crime rate is generally low, but violent crime, including assault, has affected a few foreigners. Petty crime is common. There have been incidents involving robbery, including in major resorts.
If you visit Dominican beach resorts, carefully assess the potential risk of recreational activities. You should be aware that sports and aquatic equipment may not meet Canadian safety and supervision standards and may not be covered with any accident insurance. Check that your own travel insurance covers these activities if you decide to rent equipment or take classes. Exercise caution at the beach. Swimmers should remain in well-marked areas, and children should be supervised closely. Most beaches and pools, including those at hotels, are unsupervised. Avoid swimming alone, after hours, or outside marked areas. Avoid deserted and unpatrolled beaches after dark.
