CAMBIO CLIMATICO

PRIMERA COMUNICACIÓN NACIONAL
this rise, the humid air cools down and produces
condensation, or orographic rain, that is produced
only on the windward side of the mountain;
on the opposite, or leeward side, precipitation
is scarce.
1.1.7 Demography
At the present time the Dominican Republic has
a population estimated at 8 million inhabitants,
with the highest concentrations in the principal
cities of Santo Domingo, Santiago, San
Cristóbal, La Vega, Duarte, San Juan, Puerto
Plata, Espaillat, El Seibo, and Peravia.
Between 1920 and 1993, the population of the
country grew eightfold, from 894,665 to
7,293,390 inhabitants. The period from 1981 to
1993 saw the lowest growth rate of 2.4%. In
other inter-census periods, with the exception of
the one between 1960 and 1970, the annual
increase was above 3%.
In terms of area, the city of Santo Domingo
exhibits the largest growth and the greatest population
density of 1,565.6 inhabitants per km2;
the population of the capital went from 20% in
1970 to 30% in 1993. The population of the city
of Santiago, second to that of Santo Domingo,
maintained a constant proportion of 9.6%, 9.7%,
and 9.8% for the census periods 1970, 1981, and
1993.
1.1.8 General Aspects of the
Economy
In the period from 1990 to 1994, the Dominican
Republic fell into chaos, characterized by economic
stagnation, foreign debt, and inflation in
the midst of the implementation of neoliberal
adjustments. In the year 1990, the country was
shaken by the so-called “adjustments” of the
International Monetary Fund (IMF), which provoked
a 60% to 70% reduction in the investment
in health, while the investment in education
went from 2.1% to 1% of the Gross Domestic
Product (GDP). This made poverty the most serious
problem in the country, according to the
UN’s own agencies, and caused international
emigration at all levels of society.
In fact, in 1990 the Dominican economy collapsed,
with the combining of a downswing of
5.5% of the real GDP, an inflation rate of almost
80%, a 23% rise in the unemployment rate, and an
11.1% decrease in the real minimum wage. The
economic policy lay in the elimination of the fiscal
deficit, monetary restriction, and in the elimination
of public price controls and subsidies.
The effects were felt immediately, as the inflation
rate fell from 79.92% to 7.9%, the rate of exchange
stabilized at 12.50 pesos to the dollar, and the real
per capita GDP experienced a recovery that was
translated into a growth rate of 8% in 1992.
For the period 1990-1999, the GDP data by sector
of origin submitted by the Central Bank of the
Dominican Republic showed sustained growth,
with the total GDP for 1990 being 3,952.5 million
Dominican pesos at 1970 prices, the largest
contributions coming from the manufacturing
sector with RD$671.1 million, from the agricultural
sector with RD$501.6 million, and from
the commercial sector with RD$458.8 million,
representing 41.27% of the total contribution.
The growth rate for the period 1990/1989 was
negative at –5.9%.
1.2 THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
AND THE FRAMEWORK
CONVENTION ON CLIMATE
CHANGE
The Dominican Republic is highly committed to
protecting the world environment, and during
the last decade has been a signatory of international
agreements toward this goal.
Among the instruments ratified and negotiated
is the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Declaration, which
established the principles that should guide
the behavior of States and societies in achieving
sustainable development. This declaration
was signed by the country and ratified in
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