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PEOPLE

Language
English (official); Creole (a local French patois with African elements) is widely spoken.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	0.1 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	0.1 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	0.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	0.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	0.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	0.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	0.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	0.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	0.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
0.1 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
Some 89 percent of Dominicans are of African descent. There are Carib, European and other minorities.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Roman Catholic 77 percent; the six largest Protestant groups account for 17 percent of the population.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	73.6 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	73.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	72.9 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	72.5 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	72.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	71.8 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	71.4 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	71.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1951
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available (2007)

Percentage of population under 15
No data available percent

USEFUL INFORMATION

Time zone
GMT -4

Climate description
Tropical; the island experiences heavy rains in the summer and moderate temperatures in the fall and winter due to northeast trade winds.

Currency
East Caribbean dollar

Telephone dialling code
(+) 767

Driving (left/right)
Left

STANDARD OF LIVING

Average life expectancy

2005	No data available years
2004	No data available years
2001	72.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	72.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male
No data available years

Life expectancy - female
No data available years

Infant mortality

2007	9 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	13 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	13 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	13 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	12 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	13 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	14 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	14 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	11 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	15 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	15 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	14 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2000	16 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality
No data available per 100,000 live births

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	71	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	68	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	70	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	95	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	68	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	61	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
No data available percent (1996-2005)

Percentage of undernourished population

2003-2005	<5 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average	8 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	8 percent	FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water

2006	No data available percent
2004	97 percent	UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002	97 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	97 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation

2006	No data available percent
2004	84 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002	83 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005

Literacy - average

2004	No data available percent
2001	96.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	96.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male
No data available percent

Literacy - female
No data available percent

Landlines telephones

2008	260 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	260 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	260 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	282 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	310 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	332 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	350 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	342 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	334 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers

2008	1328 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	1328 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	1063 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	771 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	619 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	351 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	179 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	114 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	18 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Internet users

2008	372 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	372 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	372 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	329 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	261 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	204 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	160 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	115 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	77 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	33 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	37	Transparency International 2007
2006	53	Transparency International
2002	Not ranked
2001	Not ranked
2000	Not ranked

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
No (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
No (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

ECONOMY & AID

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2007	No data available current US$
2006	4030 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	3970 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	3700 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	3390 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	3170 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	3360 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	3200 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	No data available current US$ billions
2006	0.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	0.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	0.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	0.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	0.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	0.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	0.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	4.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	3.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	25.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	2.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	-4.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	-3.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	0.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2007	No data available percent
2006	0.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	2.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	2.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	0.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	-0.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	1.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	0.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available

HEALTH

Physicians

2000-2004	No data available per 100,000 people
1990-2004	50 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	49 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	49 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
No data available percent

Malaria
No risk
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	13 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	13 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	13 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	14 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	14 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	14 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	14 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	14 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

CONFLICT & MIGRATION

Number of refugees originating here

2008	56	UNHCR
2007	58	UNHCR
2006	49	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	30	UNHCR
2004	25	UNHCR
2003	No data available
2002	No data available
2001	No data available
2000	No data available

Number of refugees residing here
No data available

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

	No data available

No data available

Landmine casualties per year

2004	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military
No data available percent

Percentage of GDP spent on education

2002-2005	No data available percent
2002-2004	No data available percent
1999-2001	5.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000	5.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	4.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	4.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	4.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	4.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	4.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003