Location: Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti.

Area: 18,791 square miles (48,670 square kilometers). Slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire.

Population: 9,956,648 (July 2011 est.)

Capital: Santo Domingo

Geography: Shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.

Climate: Tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall.

Government: Democratic republic

Head of State and Government: President Leonel Fernandez Reyna (since 16 August 2004)

Language: Spanish (official)

Religion: Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Time Zone: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Learn more about the Dominican Republic and other countries in our daily postcard e-letter.

Simply enter your email address below and we’ll send you a FREE REPORT - Dominican Republic: The “Fairest Land Under Heaven” Gives Tax incentives to Retiring Expats.

This special guide covers real estate, retirement and more in the DR and is yours free when you sign up for our postcards below. (We value your privacy. You can unsubscribe at any time).