DOMINICAN REPUBLIC COUNTRY OVERVIEW

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The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, roughly at a 2:1 ratio.  Both by area and population, the Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation (after Cuba).  With its beautiful white sand beaches, impressive mountain ranges veined with spectacular rivers and waterfalls, pristine blue waters, and tropical climate, the Dominican Republic has become the Caribbean’s second largest tourist destination after Puerto Rico, attracting many wealthy tourists who stay at the many beachfront resorts.  However, by extreme contrast, the vast majority of the national population live is distressed conditions.  In the most southern regions of the Dominican Republic, nearest the border of Haiti, poverty runs rampant and families live in squalor.