Besides being known for its fantastic cigars, the Dominican Republic also has an extensive and rich history. Columbus in 1492 landed on the current Dominican Republic, which is an island in the Caribbean. The capital of the island, Santo Domingo, became the first enduring European settlement in the New World.
On this day February 9th, in 1821, the Dominican Republic gained its independence from Spain after over three centuries of Spanish occupation. José Núñez de Cáceres became the leader of the revolution, utilizing his literary skills to empower his nation. Soon thereafter, Jean-Pierre Boyer , the president of Haiti, invaded the Dominican Republic and Haiti had control from 1822 to 1844.
The Dominican Republic is famous for its beautiful climate and landscapes. It is also known for supplying the MLB with a number of excellent baseball players like Albert Pujols. The economy is heavily dependent upon tourism, and its GDP continues to grow, as does its population, which reached over 9 million by 2010.