Total population | |
---|---|
(8% of the population) | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Dominican Republic (Approx. 5 millions [1][2]) South Florida, Boston, MA, Lawrence, Massachusetts, Waterbury, CT, Danbury, Providence, RI, New York City, New Jersey, Spain, Puerto Rico | |
Languages | |
Dominican Spanish, Samana English | |
Religion | |
Roman Catholic, Christianity, Santería, Others | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Afro-Caribbean, Yoruba |
Afro-Dominicans or Dominicans of African ancestry, are Dominicans whose ancestry ties within the continent of Africa. Most of them came from West Africa during the colonial era, while others descend from Haitian and Afro-Caribbean migrants. Today, Afro-Dominicans represent a minority of the Country's population at approximately 8%, while the remaining and majority of Dominicans are multiracial.[1]
The first Africans in the Dominican came in 1502 from Spain, 8 years later African-born slaves came in large numbers. They were forced to work the Mines, Sugar Plantations, Cattling, Cowboys, Maids, Farming and Others. They can be found in most parts in the Island, but the purest blacks are mostly in the coastal lowlands of the country and in the border regions. While in the Central Cibao region, you can find people of either European, Mixed and African descent.[2][3][4]