Fondomicro recently published research that shows that 19,811 new small companies were created this year in the DR, or 6% more than last year. Women direct 50% of the companies. The companies employ 29% of the economically active population. They are mostly service businesses and shops. The research shows there is a boom in the start of beauty salons. As of March 1999, Fondomicro estimates there were 353,325 small businesses, 19,811 more than in 1998. Of these 216,358 or two-thirds operate in urban areas, including 116, 018 in Santo Domingo and 100,340 in cities in the provinces.
