The Dominican Republic (which is not the same as Dominica) is a country on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti.
Dominican Republic Basics
It’s the second largest country in the Antilles by area at 18,792 square miles or 48,671 kilometers. With a population around 11.4 million people, it’s also the second largest by population. The capital and largest city is Santo Domingo.
Christopher Columbus landed on Hispaniola on his first voyage in 1492 and claimed the island for Castile, and Santo Domingo became the first permanent European settlement in the Americas. The native Taino people already lived there.
Spain recognized French control of the western part of the island in 1697, which became the First Empire of Haiti in 1804. The Dominican Republic declared independence from Spain in 1821 but was annexed by Haiti the next year and didn’t become independent until 1844. After that wars, political assassinations and coups marked the country’s rule, though it now has a representative democracy with a president and two-chambered legislature.
The name comes from Saint Dominic, the patron saint of astronomers, who founded the Dominican Order. The Dominicans established the first university in the new world. In English the country is often referred to as the DR, but it is rarely called that in Spanish.
The Dominican Republic has the largest economy in the Caribbean and the fastest-growing economy in the Western Hemisphere. It’s the most visited destination in the Caribbean as well.
Spanish is the official language, and the majority of the population (71 percent) is mixed race.
Dominican Republic National Symbols
The Dominican flag features a white St. George’s cross that divides the flag into four rectangles, which are blue and red on the top and red and blue on the bottom. In the center of the flag is the coat of arms, which has the flag on a shield with a Bible, cross and spears; a laurel branch and a palm frond. The words Dios, Patria Libertad (God, peace, liberty) and República Dominicana appear on ribbons above and below the coat of arms.
The national anthem is “Quisqueyanos Valientes,” or “Valian Quisqueyans.” Quisqueya derives from the Ciguayo language, one of the languages spoken on Hispaniola at the time Europeans arrived, and it means “mother of the lands” and can be used as another name for the country or instead of calling the people Dominicans.
The national flower is the rose of Bayahibe, a flowering cactus with pink or rose colored petals that only lives in a small area of the country and is critically endangered because of deforestation.
The national tree is the mahogany, which is a nationally protected tree in both Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Palmchat or cigua palmera is the national bird. It’s a songbird known for its loud and frequent chattering.
Dominican Republic Activities for Kids
Learn about Pico Duarte, the Caribbean’s tallest mountain at 10,127 feet, or 3,098 meters.
Check out Lake Enriquillo, which is the largest lake and also the lowest point in the Caribbean. Its surface covers 135 square miles, or more than 350 square kilometers, and is more than 140 feet/43 meters below sea level.
Watch a tour of the Catedral Santa Maria la Menor, the oldest cathedral built in the Americas. It’s part of Santo Domingo’s colonial zone, which is a World Heritage Site.
Learn about merengue, a style of dance music that has become known around the world. Merengue is also a dance, which you can see (and learn how to do) here.
Grab some resources to teach about the Dominican Republic in Spanish from Srta Spanish.
Twinkl has a set of slides, coloring sheets, an emergent reader book and facts worksheet (paid resource but you can get a free trial). Education.com also has a printable fact sheet. You’ll find more worksheets at KidsKonnect. Kids Activities Blog has some print and color fact sheets for learning more.
Learn more about the Dominican Republic and find more activity ideas at Local Passport Family.
Get more resources for learning about the Dominican Republic from Teachers Pay Teachers.
While there’s no official national dish, Dominicans will tell you the dish they eat most often is la bandera, also known as the Dominican flag. It’s a combination of beans, meat, rice and sometimes vegetables on the side. Get the recipe from The Turquoise Table and learn about other popular Dominican foods at DominicanCooking.com.
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