25 facts about Dominican Republic

1. The Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean country.

2. Official language of the country is Spanish, although in tourist areas English, Italian, French and German are also popular.

3. Dominican land was a colony of Spain during three centuries. In 1821, the country gained its independence, but a year later came under the control of Haiti. From 1861 to 1865 Dominican Republic was again a Spanish colony, and from 1916 to 1924 it was occupied by U.S. troops.

4. The Dominican Republic is the only country in the world, which depicted the Bible on the national flag.

5. Dominican Republic is the only place in the world/ where the larimar is mined. It’s a semiprecious stone that looks like turquoise, from light blue to dark blue shades.

6. The northern coast of the Dominican Republic is called the Amber Coast. The world's largest deposits of amber are located here, so the amber jewelry is a popular Dominican souvenir.

7. The capital of the Dominican Republic – Santo Domingo City – in 1990 was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

8. The colonial Santo Domingo is the oldest city in the Western Hemisphere: it was founded in 1496 by Bartholomew Columbus, the brother of Christopher Columbus.

9. In Santo Domingo, the oldest cathedral is the New World is situated. The first stone of the cathedral was laid in 1514 by the son of Christopher Columbus.

10. The population of the country is basically people of mixed race (mulatto). They reflect a long history of occupation, because their number is about 73%. Nearly 16% of population are the white Europeans (mainly Spanish and French), and the rest 11% are black (mostly from Africa).

11. The national bird of the Dominican Republic is a palmchat, which lives only in this country, and the national flower is a flower of West Indies Mahogany.

12. Dominicans are very friendly people. That’s why the pretty female tourist should not be surprised by the compliments that they will receive from the local men at every turn. The compliments won’t be improper!

13. The Dominicans are scarcely smoking, although the country is the largest exporter of tobacco. The reason for this phenomenon is the high price of cigarettes.

14. A Dominican male can marry after 16 and a Dominican female – after 15 years, but only on condition that the parents agree with the desire of children.

15. When in Athens, on the 2004 Olympic Games, the athlete from the Dominican Republic won the gold medal, he was officially awarded with the title of national hero at home.

16. The Dominican Republic has become famous all over the world thanks to the invention of a new style of music – merengue.

17. In winter in the Dominican Republic a new moon has its horns up.

18. One of the world's largest salt water lakes – the Lake Enriquillo – is located in the Dominican Republic. Around 400 species of the American crocodile live in this lake.

19. The iguanas Ricordi (Cyclura ricordi) which have red eyes live only in the Dominican Republic. There are only 2000 individuals in here.

20. Along the coast of the Dominican Republic the manatees are found.

21. The Amber Museum in the city of Puerto Plata in the north of the Dominican Republic stores the amber, which was shown in "Jurassic Park". Its cost is 120 thousand dollars, and the age is about 30 million years.

22. The first Latin American actress who began her career in Hollywood movies was Maria Montez, with the Dominican origin. She was born in city of Barahona in the south of country.

23. The weather in Dominican Republic does not propose the snow, so Dominicans invented the palma-board, local likeness of the snowboard. You need to find a dried leaf of royal palm and, putting the front foot on the sharp end, slide down the mountain.

24. Dominicans are very musical people. They can sing on the street and even at work, not being shy.

25. Almost on the border with Haiti the Dominican town with a funny name Come-to-see (Vengan a Ver in Spanish) is situated.