Punta Cana, named after a local cape, is a region in the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic. Covering about 4,200,000 m2 (approximately 1,100 acres), the region is home to a coastline of sandy white beaches and to a town of the same name. A region once named Punta de Borrachón was merged with Pu
Located in the province of La Altagracia and population estimated at 100,023[citation needed], the region borders the Atlantic Ocean to the east. To the north, it borders the village of Bávaro and El Cortecito beaches.Resort architects have been likely to make some nod to Spain or colonial Mexico. Areas bordering Punta Cana include Cabeza de Toro, Cabo Engaño and, further west, Juanillo. The coastline tends to be mildly windy. The ocean waters are mainly shallows, with several natural marine pools in which visitors can bathe.
North to South the main beaches are: Playa de Arena Gorda, Playa Bavaro, Playa Ubero Alto, Playa Macao, Playa de El Cortecito - all north of the cape - and Cabeza de Toro, Cabo Engaño, Punta Cana, Juanillo - south of the cape.
The entire Bávaro-Punta Cana region entered a fast-paced growth phase in early 2004. With the establishment and initiation of foreign investment projects such as CapCana and The Westin Roco Ki Beach & Golf Resort, the development of new marinas, resorts, and housing complexes have been developed. With 37,000 hotel rooms counted in 2005, it is expected that the region doubles its capacity in the upcoming years.
The weather is fairly constant, with an average temperature of 26°C. The hottest season lasts from April to November, and during the day temperatures might reach 32°C. From December to March, temperatures during the evening are around 20°C. Very little rain falls around the area, mostly because of the flat landscapers.
Explored and claimed by Christopher COLUMBUS on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known 
In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative rule followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930-61. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962, but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the United States led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in an election to become president. BALAGUER maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. Former President (1996-2000) Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna won election to a second term in 2004 following a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve more than one term.
Population 9,365,818 (July 2007 est.)
Median age 24.5 years
Birth Rate 22.91 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death Rate 5.32 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Ethnic groups mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%
Religions Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
Languages Spanish
Literacy (definition age 15 and over can read and write)
