Welcome ! - Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic's appeal : The white sand beaches, impressive mountain ranges veined with spectacular rivers and waterfalls, and saltwater lakes teeming with exotic wildlife are just part of the Dominican Republic's appeal. Steer a small boat through endless mangrove forests in search of gentle manatees. Spy on lovesick humpback whales in the Bahía de Samaná. And once you've had your fill of this exquisite island's natural wonders, head back to civilisation and prepare to party.

Santo Domingo : Folks in the Americas' oldest European city, Santo Domingo, don't just spend their time admiring the fine colonial architecture gracing their home. Nope, this town has not one, but two complete Carnivals, complete with parades, elaborate floats, lots of live music and plenty of dancing in the streets. Pre-Lent Carnivals are celebrated in Santiago, Cabral, Monte Cristi and La Vega as well. If that's not enough, check out the country's two major merengue festivals, the annual Latin Music Festival and the national surfing and windsurfing championships. Whether you're looking to party, relax or explore, the Dominican Republic has a lot to offer.

The Island : The Dominican Republic (Spanish República Dominicana), is a republic of the West Indies, comprising the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola. The country is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean; on the east by the Mona Passage, which separates it from Puerto Rico; on the south by the Caribbean Sea; and on the west by Haiti. The Dominican Republic has an extreme length in an east to west direction of about 380 km (about 235 mi) and a maximum width, in the west, of about 265 km (about 165 mi). The frontier with Haiti is some 315 km (some 195 mi) long. The area is 48,734 sq km (18,816 sq mi). A number of adjacent islands, among them Beata and Saona, are possessions of the Dominican Republic. Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic as well as its largest city.

Population : Most of the population of the Dominican Republic is of mixed Spanish, black-African descent and native indians. The society is about 60 percent urban. In 2004 a projection of the preceding censuses gives a population of 8.833.634 inhabitants, involving a total density of 183 people per sq km.

Secretaria de Estado de Turismo - Presidencia de la República
Very interesting link in spanish - Study about the dominican people in french
Dominican Republic Travel Portal - Dominican republic in German