Culture of the Dominican Republic Festival. During four days each December, independent films, shorts, and documentaries are screened. "Notes": Culture of the Dominican Republic The culture of the Dominican Republic is a diverse mixture of different influences from around the world. The Dominican people and their customs have origins consisting predominately in a European cultural basis, with both African and native Taíno influences. The Dominican Republic was the site of the first European settlement in the Western Hemisphere, namely Santo Domingo founded in 1493. As a result of over five centuries of Spanish presence in the island, the core of Dominican culture is derived from
Islam in the Dominican Republic Islam in the Dominican Republic Statistics for Islam in the Dominican Republic estimate that 0.03 percent of the population (3,000 individuals) are Muslim, but accurate statistics of religious affiliation are difficult to calculate and there is a wide variation concerning the actual numerical amount. Although the majority of the population is Roman Catholic, Muslims have formed local organizations such as the "Círculo Islámico de República Dominicana" (The Islamic Circle of Dominican Republic) and the Islamic Center of the Dominican Republic (located in Miami). Currently, the Círculo Islámico estimates that Muslims number over 3,000 (most recent statistics), including of a good