Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. It shares the island with Haiti. The Dominican Republic is known for its beautiful beaches, merengue music, and amazing baseball players.

Land and People

About 11 million people live in the Dominican Republic. The capital is Santo Domingo, the oldest European city in the Americas. The country has mountains, valleys, and long coastlines with turquoise water.

Map of the native chiefdoms on the island long ago.
Map of the native chiefdoms on the island long ago. (República Dominicana (Dominican Republic) / Wikimedia Commons)

Culture and Fun Facts

Dominicans are passionate about baseball and many top players in the major leagues come from there. Merengue and bachata are popular music and dance styles. People eat rice, beans, and meat called la bandera, meaning the flag.

Fun Facts

  • Santo Domingo was the first European settlement in the Americas.
  • More Major League Baseball players come from the Dominican Republic than from any other country outside the United States.
  • The Dominican Republic has the tallest mountain in the Caribbean.

Did You Know?

The Dominican Republic has sent more baseball players to the Major Leagues than any country besides the United States. Many towns have baseball academies where young kids train to become future stars.