* 1 of 2 countries that make of the island of Hispaniola (Haiti is the other)
* Home to more than 8.5 million people
* Capital is Santo Domingo, the oldest city in the New World
* Responsible for both merengue and bachata music
* Has more than 1,000 miles of natural beaches
* Considered one of the world’s premier golf destinations. “Teeth of the Dog” in La Roma is ranked among the top 50 courses in the world by Golf Magazine
* Home to the world’s largest cigar factory Tabacalera de Garcia