Full country name: Dominican Republic

Area: 48,730 sq km

Population: 8.71 million

Capital City: Santo Domingo

People: 73% mulatto, 16% European descent, 11% African descent

Language: Spanish

Religion: 95% Roman Catholic

Government: representative democracy

Head of State: President Leonel Fernández Reyna

GDP: US$43.7 billion

GDP per capita: US$5,400

Annual Growth: 8.3%

Inflation: 5.1%

Major Industries: Tourism, sugar refining, nickel and gold mining, cement, tobacco.

Major Trading Partners: USA, Venezuela, Belgium, Mexico, Japan