Dominican Republic

State in the West Indies, occupying two-thirds of the island of Haiti, which it shares with the State of Haiti. In the north, it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, in the east - by the Strait of Mona, which separates it from Puerto Rico, in the south - by the Caribbean Sea, and in the west it borders with Haiti. Dominicans preserve mostly Spanish traditions and are of mixed African and European descent, while Haitians preserve French traditions, and predominantly African blood flows in their veins. The Dominican Republic covers an area of 48.4 thousand square meters. km.

In addition to the main territory on the island of Haiti (Hispaniola), the Dominican Republic owns many small islands. The largest of them:
Saona - off the southeast coast of the island of Haiti
Beata - off the southwest coast

The Dominican Republic has magnificent nature, hundreds of kilometers of beautiful beaches protected by coral reefs, clear turquoise waters of lagoons, rivers, lush forests and majestic mountains with the highest peak in the Caribbean - Peak Duarte.

The Dominican Republic will greet you with the amazing warmth of the hearts of its inhabitants and the famous Dominican rum!
Government - Presidential Republic
The capital is the city of Santo Domingo (from 1936 to 1961 Ciudad Trujillo; 2193 thousand inhabitants in 1995).

The official language is Spanish. French remains on the border with Haiti. In mountainous areas where former slaves from the southern states of the United States once immigrated, English is spoken, for example in San Pedro de Macoris and Samana. Most Dominicans in the tourism business speak English, German, or Italian.
Religion - Catholicism
Traditions and customs

Holidays and non-working days: January 1, 6, 21, 26, February 27 (Independence Day, every year this day is celebrated with a carnival procession and many other festivities), May 1, July 16, August 16, September 24, October 12 and 24, November 1, December 25, religious (Catholic) holidays.
Climate
Moderate tropical climate. The rainy season lasts from late spring to early autumn, when frequent but short showers are possible. The water temperature in winter is 26-27C, in summer - 29-31C. A favorable time to visit is from December to April.
Population
Population - 9.79 million (as of July 2010).
Transport
The network of bus routes is well developed, buses are air-conditioned.
The most accessible transport is taxi. Collective taxis "kappo public" run on certain routes (very cheap). there is also "moto-koncho" (taksi-motor cycle) and "gyagyac" (public transport).
Car rentals are very high (for people over the age of 25), you must have an international driver's license valid for 90 days and a credit card.
Tip
Tipping is partially included in the cost of hotel services. In restaurants, it is customary to leave a tip in the amount of 10% of the order value. A maid or porter would be grateful for $ 1-2.
Time
Time lags behind Kiev by 6 hours, in summer - by 7 hours.
Telephones
Telephony is well developed and allows you to contact anywhere in the world. You can pay for your phone calls with cash, credit cards, which can be purchased from the telephone company. The offices of the national telephone company are located in almost every village. The code of the Dominican Republic is +1809. You can rent a cell phone.
Mains voltage
110 V, current frequency 60 Hz. Flat plug adapters required.
Souvenirs and shopping
The country's tourist zones offer tourists numerous boutiques and souvenir shops where you can buy various products made of wood, bone, amber, larimar, ceramics, coffee, rum, cigars, souvenirs from the Tainos Indians, and Creole dolls. Cassettes with meringue and salts melodies are also highly recommended. In Santo Domingo, there are the largest commercial centers where you can buy clothes, shoes, light industry products from national and foreign firms of good quality and at affordable prices. When buying, you can bargain.