Study, Work or Volunteer in Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Grater Antilles. A group of Arawak migrants from the Orinoco delta in South America inhabited the islands of the Caribbean. It is the site of the first stable European settlement in the Americas. Dominican Republic has a tropical climate. Wet season is normally from May to November.

The government of the country is a representative democracy with a multi-party political system. National authorities are exercised by 3 independent branches – the executive, legislative, and judicial. National election is held every 2 years. The economy of the Dominican Republic is the largest in the Central American and Caribbean region. Earnings from tourism and Free Trade Zone are its fastest-growing export sectors. In 2007, real estate tourism contributed about $1.5 billion revenue.

Like its Caribbean neighbors, the culture of the country is a mix of the European, African, and Tainos influences. Almost 95% of the nation's population belongs to the Roman Catholic Church. Other religions include Spiritism, Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism. Their food is similar to other Latin American countries although the names are different. Lunch is typically the major and most important meal of the day which normally includes rice, some kind of meat, beans, and salad. A genre of music has gained popularity especially among the youth; the Dominican rap music is created by crews and solo performers. Successful rappers are Lapiz Conciente, Vakero, Toxic Crow, and R-1. No doubt that baseball is the most popular sports in the country. Dominican Republic has the 2nd most number of baseball players in Major League Baseball (MLB), second to the US.