Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean nation occupying the eastern part of Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti. Its capital is Santo Domingo.
Spanish colonization of the Americas: Spain’s conquest, settlement, and rule across much of the Americas from the late fifteenth century onward. Spanish colonization established Santo Domingo as an early colonial center on Hispaniola.
Hispaniola: A Caribbean island divided between Haiti in the west and the Dominican Republic in the east. The Dominican Republic occupies the island’s eastern portion.
Tourism in the Dominican Republic: Travel to the Dominican Republic, especially for its beaches, resorts, historic cities, and natural landscapes. Tourism is a major service industry and a prominent source of foreign visitors.
Haiti: A Caribbean nation occupying the western part of Hispaniola, neighboring the Dominican Republic. The two countries share an island but developed distinct languages, states, and histories.
Rafael Trujillo: Dominican dictator who ruled from 1930 until his assassination in 1961. His authoritarian rule reshaped state institutions and left a lasting political legacy.
Captaincy General of Santo Domingo: The Spanish colonial jurisdiction that governed Santo Domingo and nearby territories on Hispaniola. It was the colonial administration preceding the Dominican Republic.
Dominican–Haitian border: The international boundary separating Haiti from the Dominican Republic on Hispaniola. It marks the country’s land boundary and structures cross-border movement.
Punta Cana: A resort region on the Dominican Republic’s eastern coast, known for beaches and hotels. It is one of the country’s best-known international tourism destinations.
Cuba: The largest island country in the Caribbean, located west of Hispaniola. Cuba offers a regional comparison in colonial history, government, and island geography.
Parsley massacre: The 1937 massacre in which Dominican forces killed thousands of Haitians and Haitian Dominicans near the border. The killings remain central to debates about nationalism and relations with Haiti.