Short facts about the government of Dominican Republic
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: Dominican Republic
conventional short
form: none
local long form: Republica
Dominicana
local short form:
none |
| Government
type: |
representative
democracy |
| Administrative divisions: |
29 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon,
Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor,
Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez,
Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata,
Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris,
Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde |
| Independence: |
27 February 1844 (from
Haiti) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day, 27 February
(1844) |
| Constitution: |
28 November
1966 |
| Legal
system: |
based on French civil
codes |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age, universal and
compulsory; married persons regardless of age
note: members of
the armed forces and police cannot vote |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August 2000);
Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president
is both the chief of state and head of government
head of
government: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August
2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the
president
elections: president and vice president elected on the
same ticket by popular vote for four-year term; election last held 16 May 2000
(next to be held NA May 2004)
election results: Raphael Hipolito
MEJIA Dominguez elected president; percent of vote - Rafael Hipolito MEJIA
Dominguez (PRD) 49.87%, Danilo MEDINA (PLD) 24.95%, Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC)
24.6% |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral National Congress or Congreso
Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de
Diputados (149 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: Senate - last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held
NA May 2002); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA
May 2002)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - PRD 24, PLD 3, PRSC 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC
17 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges
are elected by a Council made up of members of the legislative and executive
branches with the president presiding) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Dominican Liberation Party or PLD
[Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hatuey DE
CAMPS]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Joaquin BALAGUER
Ricardo] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Collective of Popular Organizations or
COP |
| International organization participation: |
ACP, Caricom (observer), ECLAC, FAO,
G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA
(observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Roberto Bienvenido
SALADIN-SELIN
chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280
FAX: [1] (202)
265-8057
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto
Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan
(Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Houston, Jacksonville, Mobile, and
Ponce (Puerto Rico) |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Charles T. MANATT
embassy: corner of
Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo
Domingo
mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA
34041-5500
telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171
FAX: [1]
(809) 686-7437 |
| Flag
description: |
a centered white cross that extends to
the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist
side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat
of arms is at the center of the cross | Source: World Factbook |
