Abstract
In 1492 Columbus discovered the island of Hispaniola, which he called La Isla Española, and which for a time was also known as Santo Domingo. The city of Santo Domingo, founded by his brother, Bartholomew, in 1496, is the oldest city in the Americas. The western third of the island—now the Republic of Haiti—was later occupied and colonized by the French, to whom the Spanish colony of Santo Domingo was also ceded in 1795. In 1808 the Dominican population routed the French at the battle of Palo Hincado. Eventually, with the aid of a British naval squadron, the French were forced to return the colony to Spanish rule, from which it declared its independence in 1821. It was invaded and held by the Haitians from 1822 to 1844, when the Dominican Republic was founded and a constitution adopted.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Further Reading
Black, J. K., The Dominican Republic: Politics and Development in an Unsovereign State. London, 1986
Schoenhals, K., Dominican Republic. [Bibliography] ABC-Clio, Oxford and Santa Barbara (CA), 1990
National Statistical Office: Oficina Nacional de Estadística, Av. México esq. Leopoldo Navarro, Edificio Oficinas Gubernamentales ‘Juan Pablo Duarte’ Pisos 8 y 9 Gazcue, Santo Domingo.
Website (Spanish only): http://www.one.gov.do/
Editor information
Copyright information
© 2006 Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Turner, B. (2006). Dominican Republic. In: Turner, B. (eds) The Statesman’s Yearbook 2007. The Statesman’s Yearbook. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230271357_161
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230271357_161
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-4039-9276-5
Online ISBN: 978-0-230-27135-7
eBook Packages: Palgrave Political & Intern. Studies CollectionPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)