By Matthew Fortuna
The Dominican Republic is a
Caribbean nation on the island of Hispaniola. It is a Spanish-speaking country bordered by Haiti that achieved its independence in 1844. A nation of just under 10 million people, it is the top tourist destination in the Caribbean. The country and capital, Santo Domingo, share an interesting history.
Firsts
The Dominican Republic featured many firsts for the Americas: the first cathedral, the first university and the first castle.
Music
The Dominican Republic is credited with creating and developing the merengue style of music. It is a fast-paced, rhythmic dance music.
Pico Duarte
Pico Duarte in the Cordillera Range is the highest point in the Caribbean, and it is higher than any point in the Americas outside of the ranges of the western United States.
Baseball
The national sport of the Dominican Republic is baseball. Dominicans make up a larger percentage of players in Major League Baseball than any country outside of North America.
Santo Domingo
The oldest permanent settlement in the Western Hemisphere is the capital city of Santo Domingo, founded in 1496.
Flag
The flag of the Dominican Republic is the only national flag in the world to feature the image of a bible.
Population
Santiago, the second most populated city in the Dominican Republic behind the capital, has less Dominicans living there than New York City.
About the Author:
Matthew Fortuna is a full-time freelance writer with a journalism degree from Wayne State University, living in the Detroit metropolitan area. He has written about a wide range of topics across varying publications, including Demand Studios, wiseGEEK.com and Suite101.com, among others. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Wayne State University.
