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General
Climate
The
Dominican Republic has primarily a tropical climate,
with more diurnal and local variations in temperature
than seasonal ones, and with seasonal variability
in the abundance of rainfall. The average annual
temperature is 25° C, ranging from 18°
C at an altitude of over 1,200 meters to 28°
C at an altitude of 10 meters. Highs of 40°
C are common in protected valleys, as are lows
of zero in mountainous areas. In general, August
is the hottest month, and January and February
are the coldest ones.
Seasons,
however, vary more as a function of rainfall than
of temperature. Along the northern coast, the
rainy season lasts from November through January.
In the rest of the country, it runs from May through
November; May is the wettest month. The dry season
lasts from November through April; March is the
driest month. The average annual rainfall for
the country as a whole is 150 centimeters. This
varies, however, from region to region, and ranges
from 35 centimeters in the Valle de Neiba to 274
centimeters in the Cordillera Oriental. In general,
the western part of the country, including the
interior valleys, receives the least rain.
Tropical
cyclones--such as tropical depressions, tropical
storms, and hurricanes--occur on the average of
once every two years in the Dominican Republic.
Over 65 percent of the storms strike the southern
part of the country, especially along the Hoya
de Enriquillo. The season for cyclones lasts from
the beginning of June to the end of November;
some cyclones occur in May and December, but most
take place in September and October. Hurricanes
usually occur from August through October. They
may produce winds greater than 200 kilometers
per hour and rainfall greater than 50 centimeters
in a twenty-four-hour period.
Current Weather
Puerto Plata (North)
Santo Domingo (South)
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DR
At A Glance
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Language:
Spanish is the official language of the island. English
is widely spoken in tourist's areas as well as German,
Italian, and French.
Government:
Representative democracy
Capital:
Santo Domingo
Size:
48,730 sq km, 1,288 km coastline
Location:
Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola,
between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
east of Haiti
Climate:
Tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation;
seasonal variation in rainfall. Average daily temperature
of 82°F (25°C)
Electricity:
110 volts, the same as in North America
Currency:
Dominican peso (DOP)
Driving:
Driving is on the right hand side and the speed limit
is 60 kph in the cities and 80 kph or 100 kph on the highways,
unless otherwise indicated.
Rentals: Major
car rental companies have airport and city locations,
such as Honda, National, Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar,
Nelly Rent-a-Car, Dollar and many others. A valid driver's
license and major credit cards are required to rent a
car for up to 90 days.
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