The population growth rate is very low, due primarily to emigration to more prosperous Caribbean Islands, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. English is the official language; however, because of historic French domination, the most widely spoken dialect is a French patois. About 80% of the population is Catholic. In recent years, a number of Protestant churches have been established.
Population: 71,540 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
29% (male 10,556; female 10,254)
15-64 years:
63% (male 23,151; female 21,984)
65 years and over:
8% (male 2,294; female 3,301) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: -1.14% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 18.27 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -22.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.69 male(s)/female
total population:
1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 17.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
73.35 years
male:
70.5 years
female:
76.36 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.05 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Dominican(s)
adjective:
Dominican
Ethnic groups: black, Carib Amerindian
Religions: Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6%
Languages: English (official), French patois
Literacy:
definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population:
94%
male:
94%
female:
94% (1970 est.)