I am trying to get a figure on how the continuing and large haitian migration to your country has changed the demographics.

It happens in many countries......in the US the hispanic and asian percentages are increasing at the expense of the black and white groups.

In the Bahamas........haitians are now 23%

How have the DR numbers (black/mixed/white) changed with this massive migration? Is it being reported based solely on race or is there as in bahamas a haitian ethnic category? what would be the socio-political ramifications of such reportings?

Any direct and to the point answer would be appreciated.

I initially thought you wanted to know DR's ethnic heritage (actual genetic ancestral makeup), but what you want to know is if the huge influx of Haitian migrants have altered the demographics. Good question and here is my answer:

To the best of my knowledge, the last Domican census to record anything related to ethnicity/ social race/color/phenotype was conducted in 1980. That's the often quoted one that states "16% white/73% mixed/11% black".
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119929368/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
"In the 1980 Dominican census, 16 percent of the population were classified as blanco ('white'), 73 percent were classified as indio ('indian-colored'), a term used to refer to the phenotype of individuals who match stereotypes of combined African and European ancestry and 11 percent were classified as negro ['black'] (Haggerty, 1991)"

1980 was approx. one generation ago.Since then, DR has received many immigrants from various countries but Haitians are by far the largest immigrant ethnic group.

Due to the fact that the overwhelming majority do not have any type of legal documents, there is not offical record of their number. Estimates range from a conservative 500,000 to 2 million.

Majority of Haitian migrants in DR mostly form communities of their own and/or marry within their own. Not to say there are no Dominican/Haitian couples, but I personally do not see them or hear of them. I have no source to back this up, perhaps any of the Dominicans that live in DR can elaborate (confirm or refute). Recall that there is still a negative stigma, just like in the Bahamas.

Supposedly DR is trying to count all foreigners, if and when these numbers are made available we'll have a better picture.

One more thing, Haitians becoming Dominican citizens are very much a minority. It seems the overwhelming amount choose not to or simply just can't due to cost & paperwork.
http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2008/11/5/29964/Cubans-lead-foreigners-in-adopting-Dominican-citizenship
Cubans lead foreigners in adopting Dominican citizenship

SANTO DOMINGO.- The Central Electoral Board’s (JCE) Administrative Chamber president yesterday revealed that most of the foreigners living in the country lack the certificate of residence, whereas statistics show that Cubans lead all foreigners in adopting Dominican citizenship.

Robert Rosario asked the consulates and embassies to instruct their citizens to conclude the accreditation process.

He said the situation has become a problem since those foreign citizens don’t figure as registered in the JCE archives. “The majority of the foreigners don’t finish by retrieving the residence certificate and many foreigners simply don’t obtain it and this is a time for us to identify to those foreigners."

He said the process of gathering biometric data seeks to register the fingerprints, the signature and the photo in a single document is a great opportunity for the foreigners to register and regulate their situation.

According to Interior and Police Ministry statistics 2,234 foreigners have decided to adopt the Dominican nationality in the last four years, this amount: 580 Cubans, 481 Chinese, 348 Americans, and 147 Venezuelans.

Oddly, only 18 Haitians have taken the oath to become a naturalized Dominican citizen


In my opinion, the most likely scenario is for Haitians in DR to form a seperate minority group, similar to the Bahamas. But if they were to become Dominican, than yes they would change the demographics.

USADR previously said:

For Dominicans who either live in DR or travel their often, I got this question asked on another forum :

-How common is dating between Dominicans and Haitians?
-How common is marriage between Dominicans and Haitians?
-How common are mixed Dominican/Haitians in DR?
-How common are Haitians becoming citizens?
-Are Haitians becoming absorbed into the Dominican mainstream society, or is it more similar to the Bahamas in which they make up a distinct ethnic minority?

Lautaro previously said:

USADR asked:


For Dominicans who either live in DR or travel their often, I got this question asked on another forum :

-How common is dating between Dominicans and Haitians? How common is marriage between Dominicans and Haitians?

Lautaro: It's not common, but it's not as taboo as some good-for-nothing gossipy foreigners on the intl. media (mainly americans and europeans) like to portray. There hasn't been (and more than likely there will never be) a full-blown ban against inter-ethnic marriages like it existed on the US and South Africa, and this is a fact. Although these unions are not a sanctioned thing like a religious/civil marriage. Free unions or concubinage is the most common phenomenon on these affaires.

-How common are mixed Dominican/Haitians in DR?

Lautaro: If you mean the children between dominican/haitian couples, they are not as prevalent as the other ones (chinese-dominican, spaniard-dominican, etc.), but there's nobody can say that this might not change in the future. What I can tell you is that they're more prevalent on the border zones, specially on the southern one.

-How common are Haitians becoming citizens?

Lautaro: I agree with the chap that first answered you, the majority of them are on illegal status, and this will not change on the forseeable future. Specially not now that the state and people are allergic to the word "amnesty".

-Are Haitians becoming absorbed into the Dominican mainstream society, or is it more similar to the Bahamas in which they make up a distinct ethnic minority?

Lautaro: No, they're not. If they were, their use of kreyol ayisyen would not be as extensive as it is, and most of all, they would not keep to themselves as they do. It's very likely that they will make up a distinct ethnic minority, or soon majority-to-be, if their alarming birth rates keep at the same high levels as they're now.

You are so off with your assessment that's it is clear as water you don't know DR at all. The statistics of only 18 haitians that have opted for dominican citizenship is erroneous. Shit I know many haitians who are naturalized dominicans come to think of it I know around 10, that's more than half of this stats. JC, the truth is haitians are not darkening the DR rather haitians are becoming part of the dominican society which tends to mix with the majority mixed groups. So really haitians are becoming lighter and more mulatto but they are dominicans with haitian lineage. The reason you don't hear about it is many tend to hide their haitian ancestry and the dominican society shuns from telling this because it would be going against la dominicanidad which is to deny haitian presence in their culture and lineage. Imagine if all these anti haitians did a DNA test or lineage to find out they have haitian lineage just like the infamous one that massacred haitians. So it will always be under played...

Haitians and dominicans date and this is very common to see a dominico haitiana relationship...especially in the middle class society where both went to university together and have alot in common. The poor mass you will see more dominican men with haitian women and also having a wife at home and another mistress..poor haitian men have it hard because it's a status down for a poor dominican to be with a poor haitian..although you'll still find alot of couples..Many haitian men especially politicians from haiti marry and have kids with dominican x prostitutes or retired call girl and also haitians from the diaspora. Reason is they go to DR yo wè bel milattre ap bay yo play neg yo fou..en Ayiti milattre yo pa bay yo vague..donc, neg yo pren n'impot ti bouzin ki vinn di yo..hola mi amor...lol...

The reason why you a dominican american don't hear about dominican and haitian relationship is because they don't go out and say i'm dating a haitian...I personally think this is common...Cimmerian american separatist ways is making think that it would be a good idea for haitians to be a minority group..Well this ain't kansas...haitians just vanish into the dominican culture my man and are platanos with fish...more dominican than you will ever be..Dominican society strong points is it allows in everyone..besides with all those whites that go down there to live having babies with haitians and dominicans I would say DR will be even more mix in the future and Haitians will become more mixed in the near future..so in a nutshell the black mass that goes to DR mix in with the majority mixed and become lighter..and mixed...

USADR previously said:


Thanks Lautaro, it is as I imagined it to be. Take a look at what this Haitian poster who's lived in DR posted regarding the same topic:

MIRABUENO previously said:


i would't say that thier are no dominican haitian couples it's just that it isn't as common as one would think. any that exist would be more in the border regions of our country.

MIRABUENO previously said:


i would't say that thier are no dominican haitian couples it's just that it isn't as common as one would think. any that exist would be more in the border regions of our country.