Level of Development within the Dominican Republic

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1.0 Introduction

The following report examines the extent of development within the Dominican Republic in relation to economic, social and political development. It shall also examine some of the problems that are preventing further development within the Dominican Republic.

1.1 Location

The Dominican Republic is located in the Caribbean, between Cuba and Puerto Rico on the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti to the west. With an extension of 48,442 square kilometres, the Dominican Republic is the second largest country in the Antilles.

1.2 History

Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became the base for the expansion of the Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognised French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years. It finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. The United States saw trouble in the Caribbean as opportunity for expansion, and in 1916, US troops moved in. However they lost interest with the island when it became clear that the Germans were not going to attack the Panama Canal, making the Dominican Republic less strategically important. In 1924 America stepped back. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of its subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin Balaguer became president

1.3 Topography

Mountain ranges divide the Dominican Republic into three regions, Northern, Central, and Southwestern. There are seven major drainage b...

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...ic growth, modest inflation, reduction in government debt and a manageable external position. However growth may slow down in 2004 with low growth in the US economy, the source of 87% of export revenues. There have been many negative Political developments such as corruption within the Dominican Republic however the current president Mejia is taking positive steps to eradicate this widespread corruption. The indicators of welfare in the Dominican Republic have improved significantly over recent years, however the economic developments have not sufficiently trickled down to the poorest segments of the population. In conclusion it is clear from the findings of the report that development is not completely stable within the Dominican Republic. It is relatively well developed compared to the other Caribbean countries however as we have seen, figures can be deceptive.

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