The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola (the 11th most populous island in the world), with Haiti. The native Taino people had inhabited the island since the 7th century. The Spaniards who arrived in Bahamas, Cuba and Hispaniola in 1492 did not initially bring women. Kidnap, slavery and rape was common. A smallpox epidemic killed almost 90% of the native population. By 1548, there were fewer than 500 Taino people. After 300 years of Spanish rule, the Dominican Republic declared independence in 1821. The following years saw internal conflict, attempted colonial restoration, and United States occupation (1916-1924). A 1965 Civil War was ended by another US occupation and 12 years of authoritarian rule. Today, the Dominican Republic is a representative democracy and one of the fastest growing economies in the Americas.
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