 DID YOU KNOW |
 1. Christopher Columbus |
La Hispaniola Island, where the Dominican Republic lies, was the first territory of the New World to be discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Columbus, together with his brother and son, ruled the island from his fortress in Santo Domingo. He loved the country as if it were his own, and he once described it as "the most beautiful land that human eyes had ever seen".
| 2. Sammy Sosa |
Sammy Sosa, one of the most popular Dominicans abroad, was born in San Pedro de Macorís. Sammy, who worked as a shoe polisher in his childhood, represents both the friendliness and the love for baseball of the Dominican people. He is considered the best baseball player ever after Babe Ruth, and he has beaten several records. For example, he is the only player to hit more than 60 home runs for three seasons in a row (1999-2001).
| 3. Trujillo |
Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, the dictator who ruled the country for three decades until his murder in 1961, was recently portrayed by the Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa in his novel "La fiesta del chivo". The book caused great controversy among the Dominicans because of the characterization of the cruelty and cowardice of some families of the upper class in the Dominican society of his time. Nonetheless it became a bestseller.
| 4. El Malecon |
El Malecon, the avenue that separates Santo Domingo from the sea, was also considered until recently the biggest discotheque in the world. On weekends, it was closed to the traffic and the cars were parked all along the street with their windows down and the music turned up loud. There, the people drank and danced until dawn.
| | 5. Cigars |
Dominican Republic was known as a second-class cigar producer until Carlos Fuente gave birth to his dream, a 100% Dominican tobacco cigar called Fuente Opus X. Since then, celebrities like Sylvester Stallone, Andy Garcia and other cigar lovers are fans of this very exclusive brand.
| 6. Merengue |
Merengue is the most popular music in the Caribbean and there are several theories as to its origins. Some say that it is a combination of the African dance and the French Minuet that the black slaves saw in the "Big Houses". In their own festivities, they started mimicking the masters' dances but they found them boring and staid. So over time, the slaves added a special upbeat that cheered it up.
| 7. Oscar de la Renta |
Without a doubt Oscar de la Renta is one of the most renowned of Dominican citizens. He is one of the world's most important fashion designers reigning over the great catwalks of Europe and America.
| 8. Amber |
The Dominican Republic is one of the few countries of the world producing Amber. The oldest existing sample of Amber worked by man in the country is a pair of ear ornaments from the Taino culture actually on exhibition in the Museum of Dominican mankind in Santo Domingo
| 9. Geo |
The Dominican Republic offers some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but that is not all. The country also is home to the highest mountain range in the entire Caribbean - Pico Duarte. Morning frost is common in these mountain regions. |
