Columbus discovered the island of Hispaniola (which he called La Espaniola) in 1492 and established it as his main base for the further exploration of the region. Today, the
Dominican Republic shares the island with Haiti, a former French colony. Most tourists who come to the island are initially attracted by the magnificent golden sand
beaches along its 1,400km (870-mile) coastline. The island’s northern, Atlantic side contains the majority of tourist attractions, hotels and resorts, particularly in the 64km (40-mile) zone between Puerto Plata and Cabarete.
Santo Domingo, in the south,
features the very first monuments of the American continent: the first
cathedral, the first hospital, the first chapel and the first
university. In the center of the country, the three main
mountain ranges run roughly parallel to each other in an easterly/westerly direction. The Cordillera Central is the highest mountain range on the island. It includes Pico Duarte, the
highest mountain in the Caribbean at a height of 3,098m (over 10,000ft).
Western influence can be seen in the
numerous colonial buildings of the capital Santo Domingo while the
African heritage, introduced by African slaves brought to the island by the Spanish, is reflected in its music. The popular song and dance, the
merengue, blends both heritages and is celebrated in several
festivals which draw large numbers of national and international musicians.
GeographyThe Dominican Republic shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with Haiti and constitutes the eastern two-thirds of land. The landscape is forested and mountainous, with valleys, plains and plateau. The soil is fertile with excellent beaches on the north, southeast and east coasts, rising up to the mountains.
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