The Dominican Republic has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, but in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in telecommunications, tourism, and free trade zones. The economy is highly dependent upon the US, the destination for approximately half of exports. Remittances from the US amount to about 5% of GDP, equivalent to about a third of exports and two-thirds of tourism receipts. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GDP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of GDP. High unemployment and underemployment remains an important long-term challenge. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) came into force in March 2007, boosting investment and exports and reducing losses to the Asian garment industry. The Dominican Republic's economy rebounded from the global recession in 2010-13, and the fiscal situation is improving. A tax reform package passed in November 2012 and a reduction in government spending helped to narrow the central government budget deficit from 6.6% of GDP in 2012 to below 3% in 2013. A successful government bond placement in 2013 helped finance the deficit.
$101 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
$99.02 billion (2012 est.)
$95.32 billion (2011 est.)
2% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
3.9% (2012 est.)
4.5% (2011 est.)
$9,700 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
$9,700 (2012 est.)
$9,500 (2011 est.)
agriculture: 6%
industry: 29.1%
services: 64.9% (2013 est.)
34.4% (2010 est.)
5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
3.7% (2012 est.)
4.912 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
agriculture: 14.6%
industry: 22.3%
services: 63.1% (2005)
15% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137 14.3% (2012 est.)
tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco
2.5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118