Population: 10,694,700
National Motto: “Dios, Patria, Libertad” (God, Fatherland, Liberty)
The Dominican Rebublic (DR) is the only nation with the Bible on its flag. The bible is open and references John 8:32, “…”and you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
Sticking with the flag theme, DR’s traditional dish is named La Bandera Dominica, which translates to The Dominican Flag. It consists of rice, red beans and meat with onions and tomatoes.
During World War II, DR welcomed Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany to be part of land development, receiving land and cattle in Sosua, an old fruit plantation. The refugees started dairy farms and became Producto Sosua, today recognized as a premier producer of sausage, cheese, and milk in the country.
The official national anthem is “Quisqueyanos Valiente” (Valiant Dominicans):
Brave men of Quisqueya,
Listen to the national anthem.
Let us sing with strong feeling
And let us show to the world
Our invincible, glorious banner.
Hail, O people who, strong and intrepid,
Launched into war and went to death!
Under a warlike menace of death,
You broke your chains of slavery.
No country deserves to be free
If it is an indolent and servile slave,
If the call does not grow loud within it,
Tempered by a virile heroism.
But the brave and indomitable Quisqueya
Will always hold its head high,
For if it were a thousand times enslaved,
It would a thousand times regain freedom.