Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean. With a population of 10.6 million, the country is well known for its beautiful beaches and rich vegetation. In a 2014 population survey, 70.4% self-identified as mixed race, 15.8% as black, 13.5% as white, and 0.3% as ‘other’ (CIA World Factbook, 2014). The country gained independence in 1844 and is ruled by President Luis Abinader.  

The Dominican Republic has much in common with the countries of Latin America (with which it is often grouped), and some writers have referred to the country as a microcosm of that region. Dominicans have experienced political and civil disorder, ethnic tensions, export-oriented booms and busts, and long periods of military rule, including a Haitian occupation (1822–44), the oppressive dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo (1930–61), and military interventions by the United States (1916–24 and 1965–66). Dominican Republic with nearby Haiti have long held strategic importance because of their proximity to the United States and their positions on major sea routes leading to the Caribbean and the Panama Canal. 

Today Dominican Republic is inhabited mostly by people of mixed European and African origins. The African heritage is reflected most noticeably in the music, the merengue.  

In Dominican Republic International Needs UK partners with Ruben Garcia who works for the Nest of Love Foundation and is the Principal for the Juan Calvino Christian School to support vulnerable school children with education delivery and associates school costs.