A Tale of Two Countries.
The Dominican Republic and Haiti
, together, make up an island known as Hispaniola, Cuba’s southeastern neighbour in the Caribbean Sea.
Why are there two countries on Hispaniola?
The political division of the island of Hispaniola is due in part to
the European struggle for control of the New World during the 17th century
, when France and Spain began fighting for control of the island. They resolved their dispute in 1697 by splitting the island into two colonies.
Why is Haiti so poor and Dominican Republic not?
Haiti is
the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere
. The population is predominantly French Creole-speaking descendants of African slaves brought here during the slavery time. If you’re born on this side of the border you are ten times poorer than if you are born in the Dominican Republic.
What was the original name of the Dominican Republic?
In 1844, Dominican independence was proclaimed and the republic, which was often known as
Santo Domingo
until the early 20th century, maintained its independence except for a short Spanish occupation from 1861 to 1865 and occupation by the United States from 1916 to 1924.
What are the 2 states that occupy the island of Hispaniola?
Hispaniola, Spanish La Española, second largest island of the West Indies, lying within the Greater Antilles, in the Caribbean Sea. It is divided politically into
the Republic of Haiti (west) and the Dominican Republic (east)
.
What is the name of the rare gemstone that is only found in the Dominican Republic?
Larimar
is a rare blue variety of the silicate mineral pectolite found only in the Dominican Republic, in the Caribbean. Its coloration varies from white, light-blue, green-blue to deep blue.
Which island is the largest in the Caribbean?
Cuba
is the largest island country in the Caribbean sea, with a total area of almost 111 thousand square kilometers, followed by the Dominican Republic, with nearly 49 thousand square kilometers.
What is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere?
Haiti
, with a population of 11 million, is considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. In 2010, it suffered a devastating earthquake that claimed the lives of about 300,000 people.
Who is the richest Haitian in the world?
| Gilbert Bigio | Occupation Founder of GB Group | Known for Wealthiest person in Haiti |
|---|
Is Dominican Republic richer than Haiti?
Duvalier failed to develop Haiti. … And the result is that the evil, horrible Trujillo nevertheless promoted some industrial development of the Dominican Republic that has then carried on since Trujillo, with the result that today, the Dominican Republic, on a per capita basis, is
about seven times richer than Haiti
.
Why is Haiti the poorest country?
Once the wealthiest colony in the Americas, Haiti is now the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country, with
more than half of its population living below the World Bank’s poverty line
. Foreign intervention and debt, political instability, and natural disasters have stymied the Caribbean country’s development.
Is there a Bible on the flag of the Dominican Republic?
What you probably didn’t know is that
the Dominican Republic is the only country in the world to have an image of the Holy Bible on its national flag
. Yes, it’s true! The national flag is formatted blue-red-blue-red with a white central cross. When used for official purposes, it includes the coat of arms.
Where did the slaves in the Dominican Republic come from?
Most of them came from West Africa and the Congo. The first Africans in the Dominican came in 1502 from
Spain
, 8 years later African-born slaves came in large numbers. They were forced to work the Mines, Sugar Plantations, Cattling, Cowboys, Maids, Farming and Others.
Why is larimar only found in the Dominican Republic?
First of all – it’s one of the most rare, too! LARIMAR is found in only one place in the world – one square kilometer (approximately 1⁄2 square mile!) in the mountains above Baoruco in the Dominican Republic! LARIMAR is
a volcanic stone
, the result of volcanic activity that occurred millions of years ago!
Why is larimar so rare?
Larimar is a
rare, sky-blue colored gemstone
. It is a variety of the mineral pectolite. While pectolite is usually gray, blue Larimar gets its color from copper impurities. … To date, blue Larimar has only been found in one location in the world: the Dominican Republic, and some other parts of the Caribbean.
