Estimates done by the National Council on Population and Family (CONAPOFA) indicate that the population in the DR will be 9,229,856 on 1 July 2006, 39% of which will be living in Santo Domingo and Santiago. The information was provided by CONAPOFA director Candido Rivero, who indicated that estimates show an urbanization growth in areas with more economic wealth, a constant demographic trend in the whole world.
According to the 2002 National Census the country had 8,562,541 inhabitants. Some provinces in the Northwestern part of the country such as Valverde, Monte Cristi, Dajabon and Santiago Rodriguez, as well as southwestern and border provinces such as Barahona, Bahoruco, Independencia, Pedernales, San Juan and Elias Pina, will have a 4% to 5% growth. Estimates were based on data collected from the National Statistics Department, the Latin American Center for Demographic Studies and the National Planning Department.
In 2006, 34% of the population will concentrate in Region 0 (National District, Santo Domingo and Monta Plata Provinces); 16% will be in Region 2 (Santiago, Puerto Plata and Espaillat); 12% will be in Region 1 (San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, Peravia and Azua; 10% in Region 5 (San Pedro de Macoris, Hato Mayor, El Seibo, La Altagracia and La Romana; 9% will be in Region 8 (La Vega, Monsenor Nouel and Sanchez Ramirez); 7% in Region 3 (Duarte, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Samana and Salcedo); 5% in Region 7 (Valverde, Monte Cristi, Dajabon and Santiago Rodriguez); 4% in Region 4 (Barahona, Bahoruco, Independencia and Pedernales) and 4% in Region 6 (San Juan and Elias Pina).