• Spaniards set up the first Spanish colony in the Western hemisphere in Santo Domingo.

  • The Treaty of Ryswick gives the western part of Hispaniola to France and the eastern part (present-day Dominican Republic) to Spain.

  • Santo Domingo declares its independence and becomes the Dominican Republic.

  • President Pedro Santana returns the Dominican Republic to Spanish rule.

  • The second Dominican Republic is proclaimed, following a revolt and Spain's subsequent withdrawal from the island. 

  • The Dominican Republic and the United States sign a 50-year treaty, in which the U.S. takes over the republic's customs department in return for purchasing its debts.

  • U.S. forces withdraw after eight years of U.S. military rule. 

  • IMF-prescribed austerity measures, including price hikes for basic consumer goods and petrol, lead to widespread riots.

  • The Dominican Republic officially becomes a member of CAFTA-DR, a trade agreement between the U.S. and five other Central American countries.

  • Dominican parliament approves bill to grant citizenship to Dominican-born children of immigrants.

  • Dominican Republic ends diplomatic relations with Taiwan and establishes ties with China instead.

Sources:

BBC News open_in_new
Britannica open_in_new