The Republic of Dominican Republic is a state located in the Caribbean, in the eastern part of the island of Haiti. The country occupies 74 percent of the island's area and borders on the west with the Republic of Haiti. The area of the country is 48,730 square kilometers, the population is 9.65 million people. The state is one of the most visited resorts in this region. It is very popular among Russian tourists due to its reasonable pricing policy.
General data
For starters, let's say that the Dominican Republic and the Dominican Republic are the same country. It is located on an island that is part of the Antilles archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean, and occupies most of it. Previously, these lands were called the West Indies, and they were inhabited mainly by Creoles - mixed descendants of Aborigines and Europeans. From an administrative point of view, the Dominican Republic is divided into 32 districts, each of which has a main city. The capital is Santo Domingo, and the main resort centers are Punta Cana, La Romana, Saona, San Felipe de Puerto Plata and others.
Country climate
And where is the Republic of Dominican Republic in relation to the latitudinal zonality of our planet? It is located in the tropical climate zone. And, since it is surrounded by the sea on three sides, the air here is always humid. It is worth noting that the continent has a mountainous surface (with the exception of the coastlines), so clouds often form just above the hills. The average summer temperature is about 28 degrees. In winter, it drops to 23 degrees. Note that during the hot season it often rains here, which bring the trade winds from the ocean, waves rise and tropical short-term showers often occur. Therefore, in the summer, mainly windsurfers come here. In winter, the air becomes a little cooler, showers and winds stop, so the rest becomes more comfortable.
Population and languages
The Republic of the Dominican Republic, like many countries in Latin America, was colonized by immigrants from Spain several centuries ago. Since then, European settlers have assimilated with local Indians of various tribes. As a result, the current inhabitants of the state are predominantly mestizos and creoles who have forgotten their Indian languages and speak only Spanish. Creole in its original form is extremely rare here. Also note that some residents speak English.
Flora and fauna of the region
The nature of the Dominican Republic is represented by several types of forests at once, since the island itself lies instrip of the tropics, but it has zones of altitudinal zonation. So, at the foot of the mountains, on the shores of the sea and in all other lowlands, tropical evergreen jungles predominate. Popular royal palm, ferns and more. The higher the mountains, the more coniferous plants. There are pines, and spruces, and junipers, as well as fir and arborvitae of various kinds.
But the Dominican Republic is not as generous with the animal world as it is with the flora. Here you can meet mongooses, coati, kakomitli, agouti. The livestock that is available is completely imported from Spain. A lot of birds flying over a tropical paradise. The most beautiful bird is the flamingo. Unlike the poor terrestrial world, the marine fauna is simply teeming with diversity. There are the most exotic species of fish and marine animals found nowhere else.
Capital of Santa Domingo
The Republic of Dominican Republic was discovered in 1496 by the famous navigator H. Columbus. He landed on the banks of the current capital of the state and named it New Isabella. Soon the name was changed to Santo Domingo, which means "Holy Sunday". The city is divided into two parts by the Osama River. To the west are business centers, government houses, other modern buildings and parks for recreation. In the east, the door to the colonial era opens before us. There are houses and churches in the Victorian style, the oldest streets founded by the Spaniards immediately after the development of the land, the citadels. The capital is also a resort town. True, herealways noisy, the beaches are crowded and not always clean.
What do they eat in the Dominican Republic?
But the cuisine of this country is a real find for lovers of something new and unusual. It is a mixture of European, Indian and African traditions, therefore it is based mainly on beans, bananas, seafood and vegetables. It is worth trying the traditional Dominican dish Bandera. It includes fried bananas, meat, rice, beans and lettuce. From alcohol, rum is preferred here - it is considered the national drink in the Dominican Republic. Coffee is also popular, as it is grown here. The aroma is very strong, and the taste is unusual, so all tourists will certainly try it and be sure to admire the drink.
