tative democracy
Capital: Santo Domingo
Administrative divisions: 29 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona,
Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo,
Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La
Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte
Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez
Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago,
Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde
Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution: 28 November 1966
Legal system: based on French civil codes
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons
regardless of age
note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
Executive branch: chief of state: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA
Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros
ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez
(since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since
16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year term; election last held 16 May 2000
(next to be held NA May 2004)
election results: Raphael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez elected
president; percent of vote - Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (PRD)
49.87%, Danilo MEDINA (PLD) 24.95%, Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 24.6%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies
or Camara de Diputados (149 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA May
2002); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held
NA May 2002)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - PRD 24, PLD 3, PRSC 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are elected
by a Council made up
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