Italian Dominicans (
Italian: italo-dominicani;
Spanish: ítalo-dominicanos) are
Dominican-born citizens who are fully or partially of
Italian descent, whose ancestors were
Italians who emigrated to the Dominican Republic during the
Italian diaspora, or Italian-born people in the Dominican Republic. The Italian community in the Dominican Republic, considering both people of Italian ancestry and Italian birth, is the largest in the
Caribbean region.[1]
History
There were a few hundred Italians who moved to live in "Santo Domingo" (as the
Dominican Republic was then called), in the first centuries after the
discovery of America in 1492. Most were religious, adventurers and traders.
The turbulent years of Dominican independence even had a
Dominican president whose ancestors came from
Ravenna—
Francisco Gregorio Billini. Indeed, Billini was president between 1884 and 1885, and gave his resignation early after refusing to limit the freedom of the press.[3]
At the end of the 19th century, the sugar industry produced much of wealth on the Caribbean island and attracted several hundred Italians who settled mainly in the capital
Santo Domingo and its surroundings, such as
La Romana.[4]
Italian Dominicans have left its mark on the history of the Caribbean country. The foundation of the oldest Dominican newspaper in 1889 was the work of an Italian, while the establishment of the
Navy of the Dominican Republic was the work of the Genoese merchant
Giovanni Battista Cambiaso.[5] Finally, the design of the
Palace of the President of the Dominican Republic, both aesthetically and structurally, was the work of an Italian engineer, Guido D'Alessandro.[5]
In 2010, Dominicans of Italian descent numbered around 300,000 (corresponding to about 3% of the total population of the Dominican Republic), while Italian citizens residing in the Caribbean nation numbered around 50,000, mainly concentrated in
Boca Chica,
Santiago de los Caballeros,
La Romana and in the capital
Santo Domingo.[1][2] The Italian community in the Dominican Republic, considering both people of Italian ancestry and Italian birth, is the largest in the
Caribbean region.[1]