The history of the Dominican Republic is an interesting one. Both France and Spain have actually controlled the island at different points in time, and the United States actually held a presence in the country for a brief period as well. In 1508 it was named Island of Santo Domingo by Royal Privilege of King Ferdinand. Its aboriginal name Quisqueya in the Taino language means Mother of all lands. At the times of the discovery, the island was inhabited mostly by natives who called themselves “Tainos” (Pons, 1995), which in their own language means ‘the good ones’.
Most inhabitants live in the central part of the country, especially in the Cibao Valley and the Santo Domingo region. Poverty has forced many people to leave the countryside and move into the towns. As the site of the first European settlement in the New World, the Dominican Republic occupies a fascinating place in world history.
Consisting of valleys, plains, beaches, and mountains, the island presents a variety of topographies and a coastal zone that is blessed with a warm tropical climate, averaging about 80 degrees year-round. The Dominican Republic also has a rich political and cultural history, blending African, European, and American Indian influences, as seen in its food and people. Through its land, culture, and people, the Dominican Republic offers you a wonderful blend of Latin American cultures, past and present. Above all, Santo Domingo serves as the stage of a vibrant people that hope and struggle for a better future, while offering a diverse and exciting present for all to enjoy.
Merengue and Bachata have been popular in the Dominican Republic for many decades, and is a kind of national symbol. Bachata is a form of music and dance that originated in the countryside and rural marginal neighborhoods of the Dominican Republic. Its subjects are usually romantic especially prevalent are tales of heartbreak and sadness..............
