Were it not for Survivor, the beaches of the "Fighters" and the "Famous", the island councils and the games, most of us probably knew about Saint Dominic - or the Dominican Republic - being somewhere in Caribbean reminiscent of postcards.
With the interest peaking for the country, on the occasion of the game of survival, Saint Dominic has now entered the homes of almost everyone. And in addition to the really impressive beaches, which look like taken from a tourist guide, it has many other images that are worth seeing.
Saint Dominic "shares" the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. The capital is Saint Dominic or Santo Domingo. The island was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492, who sailed to what is now Haiti. Within a few decades the natives were decimated and later slaves arrived from Africa to work for the white settlers.
The history of the country has it all: Colonialists ceding land to each other, revolutions, conquests, American intervention, dictatorial governments, the assassination of the dictator, riots and incidents that brought Saint Dominic to the brink of civil war.
Today whites make up about a quarter of the population and the rest are mixed. We may be speechless watching the amazing beaches of the island, but more than half of the inhabitants live in the cities.
The sights of the country include characteristic buildings of the colonial era, forts, cathedrals and museums that preserve the tradition of the natives. Santo Domingo's Old Town has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Apart from the beautiful coastal places, Saint Dominic also has imposing mountain ranges - its highest peak is Pico Duarte, with an altitude of 3.175 m - and rivers, most importantly the Jacques del Norte, which has been designated the "River of Gold" due to its golden sand in one part of it.
The flora and fauna of the island is a paradise for nature lovers: Mangrove forests abound on Cape Samana while endemic birds live on the islands of Beata and Alto Velo. The island of Cabritos, which is located on Lake Enricio, with rich fauna, has been declared a protected area. The uninhabited island of Catalina, off the coast of La Romana, is ideal for scuba diving.
Source: Newsbeast.gr