Population

According to the results of the National Census of Population and Housing1, taking place in 2010, the population of the Dominican Republic was 9,445,281, with a population density of 194.01 inhabitants/km2. 

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Total population by sex
(2010 Census)
Color / Race  Both sexes  Men  Women 
Total  9,445,281  100.0%  4,739,038  50.17%  4,706,243  49.83% 
 Source:  IX 2010 National Census of Population and Housing. National Office of Statistics, Santo Domingo.

The figures from the National Census of Population and Housing (2010) indicate that the majority of the Dominican population resides in urban areas of the country, making the Santo Domingo province that which maintains the greatest proportion of the urban population, with 2,084,651 people; second Distrito Nacional with 965,040; Santiago with 728,484, and La Altagracia with 212,656. Of these, Distrito Nacional is the only territorial environment of the country that is completely urban.

The provinces with the greatest proportions of the population are: Santo Domingo, Distrito Nacional, Santiago, San Cristóbal, La Vega, Puerto Plata and San Pedro de Macorís.

According to estimates by the World Bank2, in 2014 the Dominican population rose to 10,405,943 people, with a population density of 213.81 inhabitants/km2.

 

Year  Number of provinces   Total  Urban   Rural  %
Urban 		 %
Rural 
 2010 32  9,445,281  7,013,575 2,431,706   74.3%  25.7%
2002 32 8,562,541 5,446,704 3,115,837  63.6% 36.4%
1993  30 7,293,390  4,094,263  3,199,127  56.1%  43.9% 
1981  27  5,545,741  2,881,879  2,663,862  52.0%  48.0% 
1970  27  4,009,458  1,593,299  2,416,159  39.7%  60.3% 
1960  26  3,047,070  922,090  2,124,980  30.3%  69.7% 
1950  20  2,135,872  508,408  1,627,464  23.8%  76.2% 
1935  13  1,479,417  266,565  1,212,852  18.0%  82.0% 
1920  12  894,665  148,894  745,771  16.6%  83.4% 

Source: National Census of Population and Housing (1920-2010). National Office of Statistics, Santo Domingo.

 

 At present, the Dominican population is predominantly urban, with  74.25 percent residing in urban areas and 25.75 percent in rural areas.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Population total by sex, according to age, in large groups  
(2010 Census) 
Color / Race  Both sexes  Men   Women  
Total  9,445,281  100.00%  4,739,038  100.00%  4,706,243  100.00% 
0 – 14  2,808,927  29.74%  1,425,696  30.08%  1,383,231  29.39% 
15 – 64  6,049,220  64.04%  3,030,839  63.95%  3,018,381  64.14% 
65 and older  587,134  6.22%  282,503  5.96%  304,631  6.47% 
Source:  IX 2010 National Census of Population and Housing. National Office of Statistics, Santo Domingo. 

 

Despite that every official census in the Dominican Republic beginning with the first census (taking place in 1920) included questions about ethnic (color or race) identification, since 1960 that variable has not been studied in the censuses.

In the census of 1920, performed by the Military Government during the North American Occupation (1924-1916), the question was open, whereas in the 1935 census four answer categories were incorporated: white, black, indian, and yellow. Afterward, in the 1950 and 1960 censuses the “indian” category was substituted by mullato, in every instance, to be defined beginning with the assessment of the census taker3. 

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Population total by sex, according to race 
(1960 Census) 
Color / Race  Both sexes  Men  Women 
Total  3,047,070  100.0%  1,535,820  100.0%  1,511,250  100.0% 
White  489,580  16.1%  231,510  15.1%  258,070  17.1% 
Black  331,910  10.9%  179,290  11.7%  152,620  10.1% 
Mullato  2,222,380  72.9%  1,123,310  73.1%  1,099,070  72.7% 
Yellow  3,200  0.1%  1,710  0.1%  1,490  0.1% 
Source:  IX 2010 National Census of Population and Housing. National Office of Statistics, Santo Domingo.

 

Demographic growth indicators:

Demographic indicators Year
2010  2011  2012  2013  2014  2015 
Fertility
Gross birthrate (per thousand)  21.20  20.95  20.70  20.38  20.07  19.78 
Global fertility rate   2.46  2.44  2.42  2.39  2.36  2.34 
Gross reproduction rate   1.20  1.19  1.18  1.17  1.15  1.14 
Average age of fertitlity   26.14  26.15  26.15  26.16  26.17  26.17 
Mortality
Gross rate of mortality (per thousand)  6.37  6.36  6.36  6.36  6.37  6.37  
Life expectancy at birth:
Both sexes   71.78  72.04  72.30  72.55  72.81  73.06 
Men   69.51  69.75  70.00  70.21  70.43  70.64 
Women  74.20  74.50  74.80  75.07  75.35  75.62 
Infant mortality rate (per thousand):
Both sexes   27.04  26.09  25.14  24.39  23.65  22.90 
Men   30.81  29.74  28.68  27.84  27.01  26.17 
Women   23.08  22.25  21.42  20.77  20.12  19.47 
Natural growth
Natural growth rate (per thosuand)  14.83  14.58  14.34  14.02  13.71  13.41 
Migration
Migration rate (per thousand)  -4.17  -4.07  -3.98  -3.90  -3.83  -3.76 
Total growth rate (per thousand)
Exponential   10.44  10.65  10.47  10.66  10.05  9.74 
Geometric   10.50  10.71  10.52  10.71  10.10  9.79 
 Source: National population estimates and projections 1950-2100, 2014. Dominicana en Cifras 2015. National Office of Statistics. November 2015, Santo Domingo. 

For more current information and documents, visit the Population and Housing section of the National Office of Statistics (ONE): http://www.one.gob.do/Estadisticas/263/poblacion-y-vivienda 

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