cket by popular
vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2000 (next to be
held NA May 2004) election results: 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: 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 of members of the legislative and executive branches
with the president presiding)

Political parties and leaders: Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel
FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hatuey DE CAMPS];
Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Collective of Popular
Organizations or COP

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo
GUILIANI Cury consulate(s): Houston, Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce
(Puerto Rico) consulate(s) general: Philadelphia, San Francisco, 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
[1] (809) 221-7121 FAX:
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 is at the center of the cross

Economy Domin