General Information about the Dominican Republic

Already Columbus, when he discovered the island, described it as a "natural wonder", saying that "All these islands are remarkably fertile, especially the latter one (island of Hispaniola), and the trees there are as beautiful as those back home in Spain during the month of May."

To this date the island has not lost any of its beauty. Luxuriant evergreen forests, a wide variety of birds and unique scenery never fail to enthrall visitors to the Dominican Republic.

The newcomer to the island is immediately attracted by the tremendous joie de vivre of the Dominican people. Friendliness, open-mindedness and helpfulness toward visitors from Europe or the United States are taken for granted by Dominicans, and their contagious joie de vivre is right away passed on to the foreign visitors. Unlimited security in all areas is guaranteed by political stability based on a democratic government headed by a President patterned after the U.S. model.

About the Island, its Location and Size

The territory of the Dominican Republic covers an area of 48,734 km2, i.e. almost two thirds of the island of Hispaniola, the second largest of the Greater Antilles, located between 17º 36' and 19º 58' latitude north and 68º 20' 74º 38' longitude west. The largest north-south distance by air in the Dominican Republic is 270 km, while the west-east distance is 380 km. The coastline is 1,575 km. long. The western neighbor of the Dominican Republic is Haiti, separated from the D. R. by 362 km of border. To the west, the island of Hispaniola is separated from Cuba by the Windward Passage and to the east by the Mona Canal from Puerto Rico. The capital of the Dominican Republic is Santo Domingo de Guzmán or Santo Domingo for short.

The mild climate with its year round pleasant temperatures contributes greatly to everybody's wellbeing. There are no strong seasonal temperature changes. Worth mentioning is that the clear air here contains 18 % more oxygen than in Europe. The transparent ocean water with temperatures between 26º and 28º C throughout the year turn swimming into a wonderful experience. Nothing stands between you and your unlimited enjoyment of the sun, the beach and the ocean.

The whole island is full of gorgeous scenery: mountains and valleys, plains, palm groves and more than 500 km of idyllic beaches.

The name Hispaniola

Thee indigenous people called their island Quisqueya, meaning "Mother of all Land". When Columbus discovered the island on December 5, 1492, and claimed it for the Spanish Crown, he called it "La Isla Española". In time this name evolved into Hispaniola. In 1508 King Ferdinand of Spain named the island "Isla de Santo Domingo", but eventually the name Hispaniola prevailed. The settlement of "Nueva Isabela", which had been founded in the 16th century by Spanish colonists at the mouth of the Ozama River, was later called "Santo Domingo de Guzmán".

Climate

The Dominican Republic enjoys a typically Caribbean climate with lots of sunshine and always pleasant temperatures. Throughout the year this mild Caribbean climate hardly ever varies, and there are no strong seasonal changes. August with temperatures of approx. 30º C is the hottest month, and January with approx. 21º C is the coldest month of the year. In the summer, the temperatures on the north coast remain pleasant, thanks to the refreshing Trade Winds. Extended periods of bad weather hardly ever occur, and unexpected downpours are quickly followed by clear skies.

Flora and Fauna

In spite of its relatively small surface area, the Dominican Republic boasts many different types of vegetation. Generally speaking, there are nine different zones of vegetation and seven transitional zones, ranging from coniferous forests on the slopes of "Pico Duarte" and "Pico la Pelona", the highest peaks in the Caribbean, to evergreen rain forests (which meet our idea of the jungle), all the way to the desert-like areas near Lago Enriquillo. The vegetation and climate zones range from cool/humid to warm/dry, depending on the natural surface configuration, the shape of the island and the north-east Trade Winds. In the rain forests, mahogany trees and royal palms predominate, but precious wood is no longer abundant. The genuine original jungle with its typical vegetation and trees of different heights growing in tiers still continues to thrive in the many nature reserves, where you will also a variety of wild orchids.
The underwater fauna includes many different species of fish, especially in the coral reefs. Even humpback whales meet off the coast of Puerto Plata on their way to the Virgin Islands. Many different types of birds are present everywhere. You will find water-fowl, such as pelicans, flamingos or gannets, a variety of birds of prey, as well as colorful parrots and humming-birds. There are no venomous snakes.

We at Hispaniola Real Estate, your trustworthy local partner, will help you to safely realize your dream of becoming a legal property owner in the Caribbean.