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15 interesting facts about Dominican Republic

Today Bite my Vibes wants you to discover 15 interesting facts that you (maybe) don’t know about Dominican Republic.

  1. The Dominican Republic is the oldest country of the Americas and it was discovered by Christopher Columbus on his first trip in 1492.
  2. Santo Domingo is North and South America’s first capital city, the site of the first catholic cathedral, Catedral de Santa Maria La Menor and the first university, Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo.
  3. The Dominican Republic has the only national flag with The Holy Bible in it.
  4. The Dominican Republic is known as the „breadbasket” of the Caribbean because it grows, farms and catches almost everything that’s served for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
  5. Sugar, tobacco, cocoa and coffee are four of the Dominican Republic’s main agricultural exports.
  6. With distillation and aging processes perfected over the course of a few centuries, the Dominican Republic is known for its excellent rum. Brugal, Bermúdez and Barceló are some of the world’s most well-known brands of rum.
  7. Brewed in Santo Domingo, Presidente Beer is the country’s most popular and is served in just about every establishment in the country.
  8. Dominican born Oscar de la Renta is one of the best-known fashion designers of the 21st century. He was born on July 22, 1932, in Santo Domingo.
  9. Home to the highest point in the Caribbean, the Dominicn Republic’s Pico Duarte reaches 10,417 feet (3,175 meters) and the lowest point, Lake Enriquillo exceeds 129 feet (39 meters).
  10. The Dominican Republic is a leader in environmental and sustainable tourism. Approximately 25 percent of the country’s land and coastal shores are preserved as national parks, reserves and sanctuaries.
  11. The Amber Museum in Puerto Plata houses the famous amber stone with a prehistoric mosquito preserved inside, which can be seen in the box office hit, “Jurassic Park.” Amber is a fossil tree resin found in only a few places in the world.
  12. Merengue is a type of lively, joyful music and dance that comes from the Dominican Republic. Merengue means whipped egg whites and sugar in Spanish, similar to the English word meringue. It is unknown why this name became the name of the country’s national music and dance.
  13. The Dominican Republic is the only place in the world where the blue, semi-precious stone called Larimar is found.
  14. Drinking during the day, at night and on Sundays is completely normal. So, you can very much enjoy your drink at anytime during your visit to the country.
  15. It is the largest economy in the Caribbean and Central American region, and the tenth-largest economy in Latin America.
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