Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies

Transportation and Communications
Roads: Most roadways of 17,200-kilometer network narrow and
flood easily. Worsening conditions prompted World Bank (see
Glossary) and Inter-American Development Bank to finance
better maintenance systems. Major road construction program
initiated in late 1990s to develop intercity routes and urban
projects in Santo Domingo.
Railroads: 1,600-kilometer railroad system, one of longest in
Caribbean, most of which owned by state sugar enterprise.
Several private rail companies also serve sugar industry.
Ports: Of fourteen ports, only five are major. Largest, Santo
Domingo, handles 80 percent of imports; has cruiseliner berth
enlarged in 1997. Other major ports include Haina, Boca
Chica, and San Pedro de Macoris on south coast, and Puerta
Plata on north coast.
Airports: Five international airports: Santo Domingo, Puerta
Plata, Punta Cana, La Romana, and Barahona. Sixth airport
under construction at Samana in late 1990s. Puerto Plata and
Punta Cana main airports for charter flights; Las Americas near
Santo Domingo for scheduled flights. American Airlines
dominant carrier, with routes to many United States cities,
chiefly Miami and New York.
Telecommunications: Industry fastest growing element of
economy, doubling share of GDP to 4.6 percent since
government opened sector to competition in 1990. In first half
1998, grew by 20.8 percent. Telephone system includes direct
domestic and international dialing, toll-free access to United
States through 800 numbers, high-speed data transmission
capabilities, fiber-optic cables, and digital switching.
Government and Politics
Government: Republic with elected representative
governmental system. Executive is dominant branch.
Presidents serve four-year terms and, following a 1994
constitutional reform, cannot be reelected immediately.
Legislature, known formally as Congress of the Republic,
consists of Senate and Chamber of Deputies. Judicial power
exercised by Supreme Court of Justice and by other courts
created by 1966 constitution and by law. Following a 1994
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