ntributed to exchange rate stabilization, reduced inflation, and
relatively strong GDP growth in 1995. Output growth was concentrated
in the tourism and free trade zone (ftz) sectors while sugar and
non-ftz manufacturing declined last year. Drought in early 1995 hurt
agricultural production but favorable world prices for export
commodities helped mitigate the impact. Sugar refining was
devastated by a disastrous harvest resulting from the drought and
ongoing problems at the state-owned sugar company. Unreliable
electric supplies continue to hamper expansion in manufacturing;
small and medium-sized retail firms also suffer due to the dismal
power situation. A presidential election scheduled for May 1996
could lead to increased government spending before and in the
immediate aftermath of the vote, raising the potential for rising
inflation and increased pressure on the Dominican peso.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $26.8 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 3.5% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $3,400 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 32%
services: 55% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.5% (1995)

Labor force: 2.3 million to 2.6 million
by occupation: agriculture 50%, services and government 32%,
industry 18% (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate: 30% (1995 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.8 billion
expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1994 est.)

Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold
mining, textiles, cement, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (1995 est.)

Electricity:
capacity: 1,450,000 kW
production: 5.4 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 651 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice,
beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, meat,
eggs

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs
destined for the US and Europe

Exports: $837.7 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, coffee, cocoa
partners: US 47.5%, EC 22%, Puerto Rico 8.4%, Asia 6.7% (1994)

Imports: $2.867 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals
and pharmaceuticals
partners: US 60% (1993)

External debt: $4.6 billion (1994)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $21 million (1993)

Currency: 1 Dominican peso (RD$) = 100 centavos

Exchange