The Dominican Republic is the most visited tourist destination in the Caribbean Sea so we had no other chance than telling you our most interesting facts we have on file for this great country. Have you ever heard why the country was named “Dominican Republic” or why the island of Hispaniola is so special? We tell you all these Dominican Republic facts and many more so definitely check out the following list. If you like that article, make sure to share it with your friends and if you are hungry for more random facts, we also have many other facts list.
1. Between 1992 and 2018 the Dominican Republic has had the fastest-growing economy in the Western Hemisphere. The country had on average a real GDP growth rate of 5.3 perecent per year.
2. Larimar or also known as “Stefilia’s Stone” is a rare blue variation of the silicate mineral pectolite and found only in the Dominican Republic.
3. The first university, castle, cathedral, fortress and monastery in the New World were all build in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
4. Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic and also the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas. The cities motto is therefore “Ciudad Primada de América” which is Spanish for “First City of America”.
5. The Dominican Republic is home to both the highest and the lowest point in the Caribbean. With 10,164 feet (3,087 meters) Pico Duarte is the highest peak and Lake Enriquillo is the lowest point, falling 151 feet (46 meters) below sea level. It is even the lowest point among all island countries.
6. The Cathedral of Santa María la Menor in the Dominican Republic is the oldest cathedral in the Americas, begun in 1514 and completed in 1541.
7. From 1822 to 1844 the Dominican Republic and Haiti were a unified country known as “Hispaniola”.
8. The Dominican Republic has its name by Santo Domingo de Guzmán who was the founder of the Order of the Dominicans.
9. There is a disease in which boys are born with testicles, but these remain inside the body after birth. The child’s penis is also so underdeveloped that the genitals resemble a vagina. Regular male genitals do not develop until puberty. 90 percent of all those affected live in the Dominican Republic, where the disease is also known as “Guevedoces”, which roughly translates as “balls at twelve”.
Read More: 29 Incredible Fun Facts About Cuba
10. Hispaniola is one of only two islands in the Caribbean Sea, along with Saint Martin, that are shared by two sovereign states: Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
11. The Pueblo Viejo mine in the Dominican Republic is the largest gold mine in the Americas and the eighth largest gold mine in the world by production.
12. The Dominican Republic is the only country in the world to have an image of the Bible on its national flag.
What do you think about our facts about the Dominican Republic and which was your favorite fact? In case you know even more interesting facts about the Dominican Republic just write us a message and we will add it to our list. We also have similar list for every other country so make sure to check them out as well. However, if you prefer more general facts we can also highly recommend you our best fun facts. You can of course also follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter or Facebook or check out the books we have published for you.
General Facts about the Dominican Republic
Apart from be above listed fun facts about the Dominican Republic you might also be interested in some more general facts about that country. See them here:
| Capital | Santo Domingo |
| Largest City | Santo Domingo |
| Total Area | 18,792 sq mi (48,671 km²) |
| Population (2018) | 10,735,896 |
| President | Luis Abinader |
| Vice President | Raquel Peña Rodríguez |
| Currency | Peso |
Last Update: August 28,2020