elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May
2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held
NA May 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PRD 29, PLD 2, PRSC 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 73, PLD 41, PRSC 36

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by a the
National Judicial Council comprised of the President, the leaders of
both chambers of congress, the President of the Supreme Court, and
an opposition or non-governing party member)

Political parties and leaders:
Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna];
Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Vicente Sanchez BARET]; Social
Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ATUN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Citizen Participation
Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Foundation for
Institution-Building (FINJUS)

International organization participation:
ACP, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Flavio Dario Espinal JACOBO
consulate(s): Mobile
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New
Orleans, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280
chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL
embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo
Navarro, Santo Domingo
mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500
telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171
FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

Flag description:
a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag
into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red,
and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of
arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a
palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield
a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA,