27th February: Dominican Republic Independence Day

Dominican Republic became independent from Haiti, this date in 1844. 10 things you might not know about the Dominican Republic.

1. The Dominican republic is one of two separate nations on the island of Hispaniola (the other being Haiti) making Hispaniola the only island in the world that houses two sovereign and independent nations.
2. It is the location of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas. The capital and largest city, Santo Domingo, is the oldest continuously inhabited city and the first seat of the Spanish colonial rule in the New World, founded by the brother of Christopher Columbus.
3. The Dominican Republic is home to the tallest mountain peak, (Pico Duarte) and the the largest lake and lowest elevation (Lake Enriquillo) in the Caribbean.
4. It is the only country in the world to have a Bible depicted on its flag.
5. Nearly 70% of the people are Roman Catholics and nearly 20% are Protestant. There is a very small Jewish population (0.01%) most of whom live in the city of Sosúa, which was founded by a group of Jews fleeing from the Nazis during the second world war.
6. In the national anthem, the term "Dominican" is not used. Instead the word "Quisqueyans" is used. Quisqueyanos is a poetic name for the country often used in songs, and is a word from the language of the first inhabitants, the Taino Indians. It means, "Mother of all Lands".
7. World famous fashion designer Oscar de la Renta was born in the Dominican Republic in 1932, although he became a US citizen in 1971.
8. The Dominican Republic is the most popular tourist destination in the Caribbean.
9. During colonial times, Spain created a system of racial stratification, known as casta. The Spaniards considered people of Spanish and other European lineage to have a higher social status. The effects of this are still felt today, with most of the richest people there being of Spanish descent.
10. The national flower is the Bayahibe Rose; the national tree is the West Indian Mahogany and the national bird is the Cigua Palmera or Palmchat ("Dulus dominicus").

Bonus fact - Dominican Republic is mentioned in my novel Death and Faxes. Two characters plan to go there for their honeymoon.

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