The Dominican Republic (DR) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. The western three-eighths of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands, along with Saint Martin, that are shared by two sovereign states. The Dominican Republic is the second-largest Caribbean nation by area (after Cuba) at 48,671 square kilometers (18,792 sq mi), and third by population with 10,349,295 people (estimated 2019). It is a middle-income developing country with an upper-middle income economy as of 2018. The Dominican Republic is the largest economy in the Caribbean and Central American region.

The Dominican Republic is a founding member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States, and other international organizations. The country is also the site of the Organization of American States’ headquarters. The Dominican Republic is the most visited destination in the Caribbean. The year-round golf courses are major attractions. A geographically diverse nation, the Dominican Republic is home to both the Caribbean’s tallest mountain peak, Pico Duarte, and the Caribbean’s largest lake and point of lowest elevation, Lake Enriquillo. The island has an average temperature of 26 °C (79 °F) and great climatic and biological diversity.

The country is also the site of the first cathedral, castle, monastery, and fortress built in the Americas, located in Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone, a World Heritage Site. Music and sport are of great importance in the Dominican culture, with Merengue and Bachata as the national dance and music, and baseball as the favorite sport.