DominicanRepublicJosh

toc ** Dominican Republic - Theriault**

**Dominican Republic** **Country Flag**



Flag Definition - The red stands for the blood shed, and independence of RD. The blue stands for liberty.

__**Maps of RD**__

Geographical Map


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 * = Capital: ||= Santo Domingo ||
 * = Population: ||= 9,953,000 ||
 * = Location: ||= Eastern Caribbean ||
 * = Full name: ||= Dominicana Republica ||
 * = Language spoken ||= Spanish, and English ||
 * = Life expectancy ||= 73 years of age ||
 * = Religion: ||= 90% roman catholic. 10% freedom of religion ||
 * = <span style="font-size: 1.4em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">Government: ||= <span style="font-size: 1.4em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">Representative Democracy ||
 * = <span style="font-size: 1.4em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">President: ||= <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">Leonel Fernandez ||
 * = <span style="font-size: 1.4em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">Top Import/export relationship ||= <span style="font-size: 1.4em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">RD and the US ||

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__Anthem of RD__
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Dominican Republic Original Spanish Words

Quisqueyanos valientes alcemos

nuestro canto con viva emoción

Y del mundo a la faz ostentemos

Nuestro invicto glorioso pendón

Salve el pueblo que intrepido y fuerte

A la guerra a morir se lanzó

Cuando en belico reto de muerte

Sus cadenas de esclavo rompio.

Ningun pueblo ser libre merece

Si es esclavo, indolente y servil,

Si en su pecho la llama no crece

Que templo el heroismo viril.

Mas Quisqueya dla indomita y brava

Siempre altiva la frente alzará,

Que si fuere mil veces esclava

Otras tantas ser libre sabra.

English Translation!

Brave men of Quisqueya,

Let us sing with strong feeling

And let us show to the world

Our invincible, glorious banner.

Hail, O people who, strong and intrepid,

Launched into war and went to death!

Under a warlike menace of death,

You broke your chains of slavery.

No country deserves to be free

If it is an indolent and servile slave,

If the call does not grow loud within it,

Tempered by a virile heroism.

But the brave and indomitable Quisqueya

Will always hold its head high,

For if it were a thousand times enslaved,

It would a thousand times regain freedom.

Country History

 * 1492- Christopher Columbus visits the island, and names it Hispaniola “little Spain.” **


 * 1496- First Spanish colony in the western hemisphere was established **


 * 1697- Treaty of Ryswick gives western part of Hispaniola to France(present to Spain)**


 * 1795- Spain cedes its part of Hispaniola from France**


 * 1808- Spain retakes Santo Domingo after the Spanish creoles**


 * 1822- Haitian president marches its army into Santo Domingo and annexes it**


 * 1844- Santo Domingo declares its independence and becomes the Dominican Republic(RD)**


 * 1916-24- US forces occupy the RD fallowing internal disorder**


 * 1924- US forces withdraw**


 * 1961- Trujillo assassinated**


 * 1965- 30,000 US troops invade RD**


 * 1978- Silvestre Antonio Guzman is elected, and releases 200 prisoners**


 * 1979- Two hurricanes leave 20,000 people homeless(Accompanied by bad economy)**


 * 1982- Jorge Blanco was elected**


 * 1986- Balaguer was re-elected**


 * 1998- Hurricane George causes devastation**


 * 2000- Hipolito Mejio was elected as president**


 * 2001- US jet crashes on its way to RD, killing 225 people on board**


 * 2002- Former president dies at 95 years old**


 * 2003- Deadly clashes between police and protesters**


 * 2005- Over 130 inmates die in a prison fire(caused by a riot)**

**<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;"> 2008- President Leonel Fernandez is re-elected **
 * 2005- A free trade treaty was signed between the US and RD**

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Famous Countryman/ Country Woman

 * **Mariasela Alvarez** - Miss World 1982
 * **Denny Mendez** - Miss Italy 1996
 * **Ruth Ocumarez** - Miss Dominican Republic 2001, actor/TV personality
 * **Amelia Vega** - Miss Universe 2003
 * **Claudia Cruz** - Miss World 2004 (1st runner up)
 * **Renata Soñé** - Miss Universe 2005 (2nd runner up)


 * Fabio Fiallo** - A poet and storyteller


 * Pedro Julio Mir Valentín** 1913-2000 - Poet laureate of the DR


 * Julia Alvarez** - A prolific writer and poet.

Base Ball Players-
 * Osvaldo 'Ozzie' Virgil**


 * Felipe Alou**


 * Juan Marichal**


 * Rico Carty**


 * Pedro Borbon**

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**__Video Fun__**
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__ Holidays! __

 * January 1st- New Years Day- The start of each new year.
 * January 6th- Epiphany- This is a Christian gathering to celebrate the nature of Jesus and essence of Christianity.
 * January 26th- Duarte's day- The birthday of national hero Juan Pablo Duarte. Also known as the official remembrance of RD.
 * February 27th- Independence day- A day to celebrate the separation and independence of Dominican Republic.
 * April 22nd- Good Friday- A Christian holiday to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
 * August 16th- Restoration day- This is a day to remember the achievements that were reached in the Restoration war in 1863.
 * November 7th- Constitution day- This is a day to remember and celebrate the constitution of a country.
 * December 25th- Christmas day- This day is to celebrate the day of Christ's birth.
 * April 22nd- Good Friday- A Christian holiday to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
 * August 16th- Restoration day- This is a day to remember the achievements that were reached in the Restoration war in 1863.
 * November 7th- Constitution day- This is a day to remember and celebrate the constitution of a country.
 * December 25th- Christmas day- This day is to celebrate the day of Christ's birth.
 * November 7th- Constitution day- This is a day to remember and celebrate the constitution of a country.
 * December 25th- Christmas day- This day is to celebrate the day of Christ's birth.
 * December 25th- Christmas day- This day is to celebrate the day of Christ's birth.

**__Attractions!__**

 * Cruises around the main land, to and from other Caribbean countries.


 * Party like you have never before with many old tradition festivals, like music and food!


 * Go to a sports event!, theres plenty around the country!


 * Shop in the ancient streets of Santo Domingo!, Who know what you will buy!


 * Go scuba diving in the warm, tropical waters off the coast!


 * If your to tired then go to the spa, and relax at one out of hundreds of hotel and resorts!


 * Finally if you want some companionship, go for a ride on horseback across the beach!

Small gift shop near the beach. Meteorite hole in one of the coves Collage of attractions in RD

Sports in Dominican Repubic
BaseBall =

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 * Baseball is by far the most popular sport in the Dominican Republic today. After the United States, the Dominican Republic has the second-highest number of baseball players in Major League Baseball. Some of the Dominican players have been regarded as among the best in the game.
 * The Dominican Republic also has its own baseball league, the Dominican Winter Baseball League

Boxing

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 * Boxing is an important sport, and the country has produced scores of world-class fighters and world champions, both professionals and amateurs, among them [|Carlos Teo Cruz], [|Leo Cruz] , [|Julio César Green] , [|Joan Guzmán] , and [|Juan Carlos Payano].

Football (Soccer)
 * Association football is also a popular sport in the Dominican Republic. The governing body is is the [|Federación Dominicana de Fútbol] . The [|Primera División de Republica Dominicana] is the top division of the Federación Dominicana de Fútbol.

Olympics

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 * The first Olympic participation was in 1964 with just one athlete, Alberto Torres de la Mota in Track and Field (100m). The first medalist was the boxer Pedro Julio Nolasco who won the bronze medal in the 1984 Olympic Games. The first gold medal, and second medal, came by the two-time world champion 400 m hurdles [|Félix Sánchez] in 2004. In the Beijing 2008 games boxer [|Manuel Félix Díaz] and the [|taekwondo] practitioner [|Gabriel Mercedes] won golden and silver medals respectively.