Dominican Republic Facts

Interesting Facts about the Dominican Republic for Kids

Here are some interesting Dominican Republic Facts which were chosen and researched by kids especially for kids.

Population: 10.6 million people live in the Dominican Republic (2021)
Name: República Dominicana (Dominican Republic)
Capital: Santo Domingo with 3.4 million inhabitants
Government: Presidential republic
Motto: “Dios, Patria, Libertad” (God, Homeland, Freedom)
Language: Spanish
Literacy: More than 93% of the people can read and write.
Religion: mainly Christians (about 70% of these mainly Catholics 48%)
Currency: 1 Peso Dominicano = 100 centavos
National Symbols: Palmchat (national bird), red, white and blue (national colours)
National Anthem: “Quisqueyanos Valientes“
National Day: 27 February (Independence Day)

History: The Taíno lived on Hispaniola island long before the Spanish colonisers settled on the island. Christopher Columbus explored the island on his first voyage in 1492. Due to smallpox and other imported diseases many of the Taíno people died during the colonisation. The Spanish established sugar cane plantations and in the 17th century the French mainly settled in the western parts of the island, where they started tobacco plantations. The Dominican Republic was first known as Santo Domingo and only in 1844 declared independence from Haiti. Then the first constitution was established after the Dominican Republic’s Independence War and the republic only gained independence again in 1865.