30 Interesting And Unique Facts From The Dominican Republic
1. The Dominican Republic has positioned itself as one of the main tourist destinations in America, the main attraction is still its beaches, especially the beaches of Bavaro Punta Cana and the golden beach in Puerto Plata, the tourism sector is one of the main sources of foreign exchange for the country, contributing to the country’s economy over 10 percent of its nominal gross domestic product
2. The island of Santo Domingo or the Spanish was discovered by Christopher Columbus on December 5, 1492, during his first trip to the American continent is one of the first islands discovered by this navigator
3. The Dominican Republic has an area of 48 thousand 670 square kilometers and with almost 10 million five hundred thousand inhabitants, making it the second-largest country in the Antilles only surpassed by Cuba in both lines
4. The name of the capital of the Dominican Republic is Santo Domingo, it owes its name to Santo Domingo de Guzmán, creator of the Dominican order, and is also known for being the first European city in America and for being the first seat of the Spanish colonial government in the new World
5. In the Dominican Republic, its inhabitants are very devoted to the Virgin of Altagracia, which is a Catholic Marian invocation considered as the protective and spiritual mother of the Dominican people. Her employer’s holiday is on January 21, a non-working holiday in the Dominican Republic in which many faithful devotees to the virgin come from throughout the Dominican territory to the basilica of Higüey in the province of Altagracia this is one of the oldest Marians advocations of the new world starting approximately since the year 1502
6. The Dominicans are the precursors of two of the most popular and representative genres of Latin America culture, bachata and merengue, both genres being very danced and heard even today throughout Latin America, both bachata and merengue, have been declared as heritage Intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO.
7. Baseball in the Dominican Republic is more than a sport for the Dominicans, it is considered a way of life, from this country many of the best players in the big leagues where the best baseball players worldwide take part
8. In the Dominican Republic, the first colonial institutions in all of America were founded, such as the first university, the first court of justice or royal audience, the first cathedral, the first monastery, the first hospital, the first military fortress and it was the model of how they would be the other cities of the new world making its historic center one of the most valuable in America and also considered as a historical heritage of Humanity
9. The Santo Domingo Metro is the most extensive metropolitan rail system in Central America and the Caribbean comprises two lines and plans to build more, line 1 with 14.5 kilometers long and 15 stations along line 2 that is 34 kilometers long. Long and 14 stations
10. The Dominican Republic holds the record of having the longest cable-stayed railway bridge in the world with 270 meters higher than the Italian that reaches 240 meters
11. Among the approximately 500 kilometers of beach that the Dominican Republic has, we can find various types of less frequented beaches where the vegetation remains intact at the time of the hand of the man to more popular and visited but that does not cease to have its charms for which I visit them
12. The island of the Dominican Republic has had many names from pre-Columbian times until its independence was first called Quisqueya by the Taíno Indians and then with the arrival of Cristobal Colon was baptized as the Hispaniola
13. Despite the voracious way in which other Latin America countries exploit their forests and jungles, the Dominican Republic is one of the few countries that instead of reducing its forest cover is increasing the year 2003 forest cover of the country was 32 percent of its surface but for the year 2011 the coverage became almost 40% of its territory and all this thanks to the awareness and government programs that plant trees for millions each year the challenge is still great because they are still being cut down but this country is showing that if a change can be achieved
14. In the Dominican Republic is the highest mountain in the Antilles, the Duarte peak that is at an altitude of 3 thousand 100 meters above sea level with its three mountain systems that give this country a very varied climate
15. Lake Enriquillo is the largest in the Dominican Republic and the Antilles with 375 square kilometers, although its area is not constant, its waters are shared by the provinces of Independence and Bahoruco this body of water is part of the national park Lake Enriquillo and Isla Cabritos and of the Bahoruco enriquillo jaragua biosphere reserve, Enriquillo Lake is the natural habitat of the American Crocodile, it is the only place on the island where you can see this species in its natural habitat, the lake is a protected area
16. In the Dominican Republic, February is the month of the carnival the best places to go to celebrate are the Cibao region in Santiago and the Vega, the Vega festival being the most prestigious and important, although those of Santo Domingo and Montecristi also enjoy great popularity
17. The Dominican shield of flag is the only one in the world that carries a bible in the center, the bible is open in the Gospel of St. John Chapter 8 verse 32 which quotes and “you will know the truth and the truth will set you free”
18. The export of cigars in the Dominican Republic leaves the country over 350 million euros annually. This country is the world’s leading producer of quality cigars and has earned the nickname of “country of cigars” the careful management of crops and attitude Innovative producers have made the cigars of the Dominican Republic receive many compliments from cigar lovers around the world
19. The Columbus lighthouse is a great monument in homage to Christopher Columbus to the new world. This huge concrete construction does not look like a typical lighthouse. The monument is illuminated at night on special occasions where over 150 lights point up and they form a cross in the sky that can be seen from the island of Puerto Rico
20. The amber that is in the Dominican Republic considered the most valuable in the world for being the most transparent and for its color that in addition to the yellow that is the most common can be found in intense red color and unusual colors such as black gray and blue the museum of Dominican amber in the city of Puerto Plata, as well as the world amber museum in Santo Domingo, have some of the best collections of amber samples in the world
21. Larimar is a rare variety of pentolite or semi-precious rocks found only in the Dominican Republic. Its coloration varies in a range that contains light blue greenish-blue and deep blue, it is quite present in the national and international jewelry
22. Unlike most Latin American countries in the Dominican Republic, women’s volleyball is very popular among the population, in fact, their women’s volleyball team is affectionately dubbed as the queens of the Caribbean because they are the only Caribbean team in the top 10 teams world volleyball
23. In spring, summer and autumn humpback whales live in the cold waters of the North Atlantic, but in the winter months they start a long journey to the tropical seas to mate and give birth to their young so that every year around that time the whales they arrive at the bay of Samaná an area that next to the silver bank and the Christmas bank in the north formed a marine mammal sanctuary that covers 12,700 square miles
24. The Dominican Republic is one of the best-gifted countries hydrographically among its main rivers we can mention the Yaque River from the North, the longest river in the Republic, the Yaque River from the South, the Yuna River, the second-longest in the country, the Nice River, one of the most important because it has four dams, the Samana river that is the most abundant, camón river, mao river that is the most visited for aquatic activities, chavón river, and the soap river
25. The Dominican Republic is also characterized by its export of mangoes, the Dominican soil, especially from the province of Baní, produces the sweetest mango in the world according to its inhabitants. What has given it the name of the mango capital, in the city of Bani the mango fair is also held every year, the bani mango is precious in the Dominican Republic, in fact, the export of mango from across the country It has generated revenues worth tens of millions of dollars in recent years
26. The Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit of the Congos of Villa Mella is a cultural group proclaimed as Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. This tradition with over 500 years is one of the many folk expressions with greater cultural importance. The Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit comprises musicians, dancers and people who fulfill the ceremony held in the brotherhood
27. In January 1982 at the Sports palace of Santo Domingo, before over 14 thousand people. Jack Veneno defeated the American wrestler Ric Flair for the world wrestling championship. Jack Veneno is so far the most famous professional wrestler in the country and one of the best known Dominicans. He was once the champion of the National Wrestling Alliance, six-time World Semi-complete World Champion of the missing company “Dominican Spectacles, Jack Veneno with the wrestler Lightning Hernandez, his rival, took the wrestling in the country to levels never reached, turning to the Dominican Republic in an important place worldwide in Professional Wrestling
28. The Dominican Republic maintains a world record for merengue dance, 422 Dominican couples danced to the rhythm of Merengue in the Plaza España, in the National District, to overcome the world record certified by the Guinness World Record book to the largest number of couples dancing simultaneously Merengue, who belonged to Russia since 2013 with 330 couples
29. The Colon Park, located in the colonial city of Santo Domingo, has been considered the best urban space in Santo Domingo, it is the oldest model of the European city in the Americas, in the center of the park is the statue of Columbus and Anacaona work done by the French sculptor Ernesto Guilbert (1887)
30. La Mamajuana is a popular alcoholic beverage originating in the Dominican Republic. Its artisanal elaboration comprises the bottling of roots, leaves, and barks of endemic trees and also of shellfish, to which red wine, rum, and honey are added, which are then removed of a process of “maceration” of about seven to ten days, to give way to the rum of your choice. The resulting liquor thus gains an aromatic sweet taste, irresistible to be taken again and again.
If you are interested to know more about The Mamajuana I wrote a much more detailed topic.
