People of the Dominican Republic People of the Dominican Republic Dominicans () are people who are ethnically associated with the Dominican Republic. "Dominican" was historically the name for the inhabitants of the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo, and was retained after the nation's independence. The majority of Dominicans reside in the Dominican Republic, although there is also a large Dominican diaspora, mainly in the United States and Spain. The population of the Dominican Republic in 2016 was estimated at 10.2 million by the National Bureau of Statistics of the Dominican Republic.. Historically the Dominican Republic was known as Santo Domingo, the name of its present
Culture of the Dominican Republic lower class, black and mixed populations. They can be seen in different regions of Dominican Republic, but with variations. Salsa music has had a great deal of popularity in the country. During the late 1960s Dominican native Johnny Pacheco, creator of the famed Fania All Stars, played a significant role in the music's development and popularization, and is also credited for coining the term "Salsa" to denote the genre. Dominican rock is also popular among younger and not so younger crowds of the Dominican Republic. Dominican rock is influenced by British and American rock, but also has its own sense