Population and Demographics

Approximately 73% of all Dominicans are of mixed ancestry, that is, of mixed European, African and Taino indigenous American ancestry. Around 16% of Dominicans are Spanish descent and about 11% are Black. Whites in the Dominican Republic are Germans, Italians, French, and white Americans. A smaller presence of East Asians (primarily ethnic Chinese and Japanese and Middle Easterners (primarily Lebanese) can also be found. The culturally indigenous Taino population is blended into the culture and considered to be the common tie that binds.

Economic problems have led to a vast migration of Dominicans to the United States, mainly to large east coast cities. New York City's Washington Heights in the borough of Manhattan so densely populated by Dominicans that it is sometimes referred to as Quisqueya Heights (Quisqueya is a popular name for Hispaniola that derives from the island's original Arawak name). Sizeable Dominican emigre communities also exist in Spain.

Population

The main population of the Dominican Republic is mostly found in Santo Domingo and in Santiago de los Caballeros which is the second largest city in the country containing more than 600,000 inhabitants.

Illegal Immigration

In recent decades, illegal immigration from Haiti has dramatically increased as the Dominican economy improves and the Haitian economy remains virtually moribund. Most Haitian immigrants work at low-paying, unskilled labour jobs, including construction work and household cleaning. Current estimates put the Haitian population in the Dominican Republic as high as 1 million.

Facts and Figures

• Population: 9,365,818
• Age Structure:
  • 0-14 years: 32.1% (male 1,532,813/female 1,477,033)
  • 15-64 years: 62.2% (male 2,971,620/female 2,851,207)
  • 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 247,738/female 285,407)
• Median Age:
  • Total: 24.5 years
  • Male: 24.3 years
  • Female: 24.6 years
• Population Growth Rate: 1.5%
  • Birth Rate: 22.91 births/1,000 population
  • Death Rate: 5.32 deaths/1,000 population
  • Net Migration Rate: -2.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population
• Sex Ratio:
  • At birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  • Under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female
  • 15-64 years: 1.042 male(s)/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.868 male(s)/female
  • Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female
• Infant Mortality Rate:
  • Total: 27.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Male: 30.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Female: 25.75 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life Expectancy at Birth:
  • Total population: 73.07 years
  • Male: 71.34 years
  • Female: 74.87 years
• Total Fertility Rate: 2.81 children born/woman
• HIV/AIDS:
  • Adult prevalence rate: 1.7%
  • People living with HIV/AIDS: 88,000
• Ethnic Groups:
  • Mixed 73%
  • White 16%
  • Black 11%
• Religions:
  • Roman Catholic 95%
  • Other 5%
• Languages: Spanish
• Literacy:
  • Total population: 84.7%
  • Male: 84.6%
  • Female: 84.8%