- Thread starter CarpeDReam
- Start date
How many foreigners in the DR?
You've got to be kidding.
When did this happen?
I know it's been a long time since I've been there, but 50 to 80%?
Are you serious?
Happened as the construction started. In my colmado at least 80% of my customers are Haitian. it is now more important for me and the staff to speak patois than Spanish. There must be 10 construction sites of houses and apartment blocks within a 5 minute walk from the colmado. And it is the whole of Juan Dolio - not just at my colmado end. As the hotels closed (now only 3 hotels open) the staff who were mostly dominican (waiters, room maids, bar staff, animation) left and have been replaced by Haitian construction workers. I am not joking about the numbers. Unfortunately for both them and the rest of the community here, the construction sites do not provide accommodation so they 'squat' in the woods near all of the nice villas, which had led to problems not the least of which is contaminated water (their 'toilets' go straight into the water table which then goes straight into the wells and out of my shower!!! Also cooking fires - the air is full of burning plastic cups, and the rubbish has to be seen to be believed. it is not their fault - just the construction companies do not take responsibility for their workers. Still we do great business in the colmado in bread and salami at 7am!!!
matilda
Well I do not live in the DR. However, about 4 years ago I worked with many pro-haitian organizations and did a lot of charity work in the bateyes around the country. I was surprised at how many haitians there actually were in sight (just about everywhere). Obviously that's not the whole country. But again, I don't live there. I'm having trouble finding the Haitian Embassy's website in the DR to see if maybe they have an estimate.
Does anyone else living in the DR think this number is too high?
Rocky, what's your guess as far as the amount of haitians?
Does anyone else living in the DR think this number is too high?
Rocky, what's your guess as far as the amount of haitians?
check very well.
I think that you have to verify this data very well. as you might see there are a lot of black dominican-hatian type who has nothing to do with the hatian peoples.even though both came from Africa they have experienced different life history from those times till now. for Example from in the very same juan dolio up to santo domingo este were a place where used live many dominican hatian type dominican.
I think that you have to verify this data very well. as you might see there are a lot of black dominican-hatian type who has nothing to do with the hatian peoples.even though both came from Africa they have experienced different life history from those times till now. for Example from in the very same juan dolio up to santo domingo este were a place where used live many dominican hatian type dominican.
Don't know, but the numbers being thrown around do not reflect what I see around me and when I travel the country.
I don't know where they're all hiding, other than around Matilda's house.
"Cesfront chief says job well done
The new Specialized Frontier Security Corps (Cesfront) has fulfilled its mission during its first month of operations, according to its commanding officer, General Adriano Silverio Rodriguez. The military boss told reporters from Diario Libre that during this first month of operations contraband has been slowed to a trickle, and 7,000 Haitians were caught trying to cross the frontier illegally at Dajabon, Jimani, Elias Pina and Pedernales. The general said that most of the operations of the 500-man corps are concentrated in Dajabon where 200 men are stationed. The other three hundred are distributed at the other key crossing points along the Dominican-Haitian border. Silverio Rodriguez said that more men would be added to the Cesfront units soon. "
Source: http://www.dr1.com/#3
If these numbers are right, that means about 84,000 cross over each year (remember that this only included those who were caught and deported).
Anyway, back to the topic of all foreigners; as I wrote before:
So far:
Haitians: 1M
South Koreans: 500
Chinese: 45K (15K Chinese nationals)
Japanese: 1,800
This is a website I found whilst writing this thread but I'm not sure how accurate it may be (or how old)...it's some kind of religious website so their focus is not on stats of foreigners; I think it only takes into acct people born outside of the DR but living in it:
Joshua Project - Afghani Tajik of Afghanistan Ethnic People Profile
Arab/lebanese: 3,100
American: 73,000 (this likely includes dominicans born in the US)
British: 1,100
French: 1,800
German: 700
Chinese (two groups): 11,400
Jamaicans: 27,000 (really?)
German Jew: 100
Korean: 400
Haitian: 366,000 (this is part of why the site throws me off)
Spaniard: 81,000 (this looks like it includes all other hispanic non-dominicans; if you see the site, you'll see what I mean)
You think these numbers look right? Does anyone know how the "Spaniard" part is broken down? I'd say the largest groups of non-dominican hispanics would be Cubans and Colombians...then maybe Spaniards...not sure which order...does anyone?
The new Specialized Frontier Security Corps (Cesfront) has fulfilled its mission during its first month of operations, according to its commanding officer, General Adriano Silverio Rodriguez. The military boss told reporters from Diario Libre that during this first month of operations contraband has been slowed to a trickle, and 7,000 Haitians were caught trying to cross the frontier illegally at Dajabon, Jimani, Elias Pina and Pedernales. The general said that most of the operations of the 500-man corps are concentrated in Dajabon where 200 men are stationed. The other three hundred are distributed at the other key crossing points along the Dominican-Haitian border. Silverio Rodriguez said that more men would be added to the Cesfront units soon. "
Source: http://www.dr1.com/#3
If these numbers are right, that means about 84,000 cross over each year (remember that this only included those who were caught and deported).
Anyway, back to the topic of all foreigners; as I wrote before:
So far:
Haitians: 1M
South Koreans: 500
Chinese: 45K (15K Chinese nationals)
Japanese: 1,800
This is a website I found whilst writing this thread but I'm not sure how accurate it may be (or how old)...it's some kind of religious website so their focus is not on stats of foreigners; I think it only takes into acct people born outside of the DR but living in it:
Joshua Project - Afghani Tajik of Afghanistan Ethnic People Profile
Arab/lebanese: 3,100
American: 73,000 (this likely includes dominicans born in the US)
British: 1,100
French: 1,800
German: 700
Chinese (two groups): 11,400
Jamaicans: 27,000 (really?)
German Jew: 100
Korean: 400
Haitian: 366,000 (this is part of why the site throws me off)
Spaniard: 81,000 (this looks like it includes all other hispanic non-dominicans; if you see the site, you'll see what I mean)
You think these numbers look right? Does anyone know how the "Spaniard" part is broken down? I'd say the largest groups of non-dominican hispanics would be Cubans and Colombians...then maybe Spaniards...not sure which order...does anyone?
Speaking to friends in the govt the number of Haitians they use is closer to 2 million. Now, it also depends what your definition of a Haitian is!!!
1. Born in Haiti, and here illegally
2. Born in Haiti and here legally temporarily with visa
3. Born in Haiti and here with cedula - obtained legally or illegally!!!
4. Born here of Haitian parents - birth registered and have cedula
5. Born here of Haitian parents - not registered, no cedula and hence 'illegal'
etc etc
Not sure which of these definitions my govt sources uses. Also remember that the population estimates we have are of registered people, and so many births are unregistered that not sure how accurate the figures are. And also remember that many Haitians inthis part of the world - near San Pedro de Macoris - say they are cocolos and not Haitians to avoid stigma and discrimination.
By the way, think there are around 5000 brits here (Source the BBC - so it must be right!!)
matilda
1. Born in Haiti, and here illegally
2. Born in Haiti and here legally temporarily with visa
3. Born in Haiti and here with cedula - obtained legally or illegally!!!
4. Born here of Haitian parents - birth registered and have cedula
5. Born here of Haitian parents - not registered, no cedula and hence 'illegal'
etc etc
Not sure which of these definitions my govt sources uses. Also remember that the population estimates we have are of registered people, and so many births are unregistered that not sure how accurate the figures are. And also remember that many Haitians inthis part of the world - near San Pedro de Macoris - say they are cocolos and not Haitians to avoid stigma and discrimination.
By the way, think there are around 5000 brits here (Source the BBC - so it must be right!!)
matilda
You sure?
NUMBERS OF BRITONS IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Total Inc. part-time Pensioners % male % female
1,100 1,400 40 n/a n/a
BBC NEWS | Special Reports | Brits Abroad
Go to this link & choose DR from country list. Figures are estimates from Institute for Public Policy Research.
Looks like some of you may be getting your "Haitians" confused with "black" Dominicans. There is after all a 10% "black" population in the DR. 
Someone suggested 2 million Haitians--I find that estimate extremey doubtful. And lets get real here, even in Santo Domingo not all the vendors are Haitian. In fact, aside from the smaller juice vendors, most of the "pierna" and "hamburger" vendors I interacted with were Dominican...... oh and a white Argentinian near El Conde.
Regards,
Exxtol
Someone suggested 2 million Haitians--I find that estimate extremey doubtful. And lets get real here, even in Santo Domingo not all the vendors are Haitian. In fact, aside from the smaller juice vendors, most of the "pierna" and "hamburger" vendors I interacted with were Dominican...... oh and a white Argentinian near El Conde.
Regards,
Exxtol
I'm with you, 100%.Looks like some of you may be getting your "Haitians" confused with "black" Dominicans. There is after all a 10% "black" population in the DR.
Someone suggested 2 million Haitians--I find that estimate extremey doubtful. And lets get real here, even in Santo Domingo not all the vendors are Haitian. In fact, aside from the smaller juice vendors, most of the "pierna" and "hamburger" vendors I interacted with were Dominican...... oh and a white Argentinian near El Conde.
Regards,
Exxtol
I could believe that 10% of the population is that same dark black skin colour as the average Haitian in Haiti, and that many of them may have some or even a lot of Haitian blood in them, but Haitians look different from Dominicans, and I have eyes.. I can see... And I don't see all these million plus Haitians that others are talking about.
That would be another topic for another thread, although it's been covered many times before.
This one is about foreigner population.
I agree with Rocky, such large numbers (1-2 million etc) appear to be a gross exaggeration of the large-but-not-that-large number of Haitian nationals in Dominican soil.
Leaving Haitians aside, does anyone know how many Italians are in the country? During my recent trips to La Romana, I've noticed a growing Italian presence, they even have an Italian consulate there. And they are not the Dominicans descendants of the well-established families (like the Vicini, Giuliani, Marranzini, Rainieri, Maggiolo, Russo, etc), nor are they tourists, nor mafiosi, they seem like recent arrivals with local middle-class jobs and businneses, families with young children, etc. Any figures out there to back up this casual observation? Any Romana people on the board who might wish to comment?
arrivederci,
- Tordok
Leaving Haitians aside, does anyone know how many Italians are in the country? During my recent trips to La Romana, I've noticed a growing Italian presence, they even have an Italian consulate there. And they are not the Dominicans descendants of the well-established families (like the Vicini, Giuliani, Marranzini, Rainieri, Maggiolo, Russo, etc), nor are they tourists, nor mafiosi, they seem like recent arrivals with local middle-class jobs and businneses, families with young children, etc. Any figures out there to back up this casual observation? Any Romana people on the board who might wish to comment?
arrivederci,
- Tordok
On vacation, but had to opine on this one.
btw how are your pipes?
Glad to see you treat them like any other customer. They worked for their money and now they go and purchase their necessities. Definitely contributing to the Dominican economy. Basic capitalism.
A Bateye in the making???
Nothing new here... taking advantage of "illegals"...cheap labor is very profitable. Reminiscent of the sugar industry.
Matilda you are a wealth of info on the Haitian reality in the Dominican Republic. Your experience is first hand and more vital than the mumbo jumbo we read here. Bravo.:cheeky:
btw how are your pipes?
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Yes when there is an agenda the numbers could be inflated. Perfect way to get the crowd all hot and bothered...and I don't mean sexually.