The Dominican Republic, (Spanish: República Dominicana) is a nation situated in the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean locale. It involves the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it imparts to the country of Haiti. The Dominican Republic is the second-biggest Caribbean country by zone (after Cuba) at 48,671 square kilometers (18,792 sq mi). Christopher Columbus arrived on the island on December 5, 1492, which the local Taíno individuals had occupied since the seventh century. The state of Santo Domingo turned into the site of the main lasting European settlement in the Americas, the most established consistently possessed city, and the primary seat of the Spanish pilgrim rule in the New World. After in excess of three hundred years of Spanish standard the Dominican individuals pronounced autonomy in November 1821. The pioneer of the autonomy development José Núñez de Cáceres, planned the Dominican country to join with the nation of Gran Colombia, yet no longer under Spain's authority the recently free Dominicans were commandingly attached by Haiti in February 1822. Freedom came 22 years after the fact after triumph in the Dominican War of Independence in 1844. Throughout the following 72 years the Dominican Republic experienced for the most part interior clashes and a short come back to pioneer status before forever removing Spanish principle amid the Dominican War of Restoration of 1863– 1865. A United States occupation kept going eight years somewhere in the range of 1916 and 1924, and a resulting quiet and prosperous six-year time span under Horacio Vásquez was trailed by the tyranny of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo until 1961. A common war in 1965, the nation's last, was finished by U.S. military occupation and was trailed by the dictator standard of Joaquín Balaguer (1966– 1978 and 1986– 1996), the principles of Antonio Guzmán (1972– 1978) and Salvador Jorge Blanco (1982– 1986). Since 1996, the Dominican Republic has advanced toward agent majority rule government. The Dominican Republic is the most visited goal in the Caribbean. A topographically various country, the Dominican Republic is home to both the Caribbean's tallest mountain crest, Pico Duarte, and the Caribbean's biggest lake and purpose of most minimal rise, Lake Enriquillo. The island has a normal temperature of 26 °C (78.8 °F) and extraordinary climatic and organic assorted variety. The nation is likewise the site of the principal basilica, manor, religious community, and post worked in the Americas, situated in Santo Domingo's Colonial Zone, a World Heritage Site.

Santo Domingo, authoritatively Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and biggest city in the Dominican Republic and the biggest metropolitan region in the Caribbean by populace. Established by Bartholomew Columbus in 1496, on the east bank of the Ozama River and after that moved by Nicolás de Ovando in 1502 toward the west bank of the stream, the city is the most seasoned constantly possessed European settlement in the Americas, and was the main seat of the Spanish pilgrim rule in the New World. Santo Domingo is the site of the main college, house of God, palace, religious community, and post in the New World. The city's Colonial Zone was announced as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Santo Domingo was called Ciudad Trujillo, from 1936 to 1961, after the Dominican Republic's despot, Rafael Trujillo, named the capital after himself. Following his death, the city continued its unique assignment. Santo Domingo is the social, budgetary, political, business and modern focus of the Dominican Republic, with the nation's most significant enterprises being situated inside the city. Santo Domingo likewise fills in as the main seaport of the nation. The city's harbor at the mouth of the Ozama River suits the biggest vessels, and the port handles both overwhelming traveler and cargo traffic. Temperatures are high all year, with cooler breezes in the winter time.

Pereskia quisqueyana, generally known as the Bayahibe rose, is a types of desert flora that is endemic to the Dominican Republic. P. quisqueyana is one of just a few prickly plant animal groups which have leaves. Its regular territory incorporates subtropical or tropical dry woodlands that are found on the Southeast bank of Hispaniola; especially around the town of Bayahibe, its namesake. It is basically imperiled because of environment misfortune. Pereskia quisqueyana is a dioecious desert flora that takes after a bush and reaches up to 6 meters (20 ft) in tallness. Its trunk is encompassed by gatherings of spines which eject in groups. Its succulent leaves are circular fit as a fiddle and are a brilliant green shading. The bloom of the P. quisqueyana is pink in shading and blossoms from the finishes of its branches. Its organic products are yellow and contain dark seeds.

Swietenia mahagoni, ordinarily known as American mahogany, Cuban mahogany, little leaved mahogany, and West Indian mahogany, is a types of Swietenia local to southern Florida in the United States and islands in the Caribbean including the Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Haiti. It is the species from which the first mahogany wood was created. It is the national tree of the Dominican Republic. Swietenia mahagoni is a medium-sized semi-evergreen tree developing to 30– 35 meters (98– 115 ft) tall. The leaves are pinnate, 12– 25 centimeters (4.7– 9.8 in) long, with four to eight handouts, every flyer 5– 6 centimeters (2.0– 2.4 in) long and 2– 3 centimeters (0.79– 1.18 in) expansive; there is no terminal pamphlet. The blooms are little, created in panicles. The natural product is a woody case 5– 10 centimeters (2.0– 3.9 in) long and 3– 6 centimeters (1.2– 2.4 in) expansive, containing various winged seeds.

The palmchat (Dulus dominicus) is a little, since a long time ago followed passerine winged creature, the main species in the class Dulus and the family Dulidae. It is believed to be identified with the waxwings, family Bombycillidae, and is now and then arranged with that gathering. The name mirrors its solid relationship with palms for nourishing, perching and settling. The palmchat is the national flying creature of the Dominican Republic. Palmchats are around 20 cm (8 in) long. They are olive-dark colored above, and cream-buff, vigorously streaked with darker, underneath. Their rear ends and the edges of their essential plumes are dim yellow-green. They have solid yellow bills and chestnut eyes. They come up short on the delicate plush plumage of the waxwings or satiny flycatchers. Grown-ups are indistinguishable in appearance; juvenile fowls have dim throats. The species is endemic to the island of Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), including the adjoining Saona and Gonâve Islands, where it is normal and far reaching. It occupies regions from ocean level to 1500 m asl where palm savannas can be found, or other open territories with dissipated trees. Where its nourishment trees are available, it has adjusted well to city stops and gardens.