According to data from the National Institute for Migration more than 2 million Dominicans live abroad.
Most of them live in the United States.
Spain also has a large colony of Dominicans.
There are also many Dominicans in Puerto Rico, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The Dominicans send a lot of money to their families.
These remittances make 12% of GNP.
According to the president of Currency Remittance Companies Association (Aderedi) Freddy Ortiz, 60% of the money is send to poor families.
Vimenca Western Union
The residents of Sosúa are largely dependent on the money sent from abroad.
According to a spokesman for the Western Union office in Sosúa, which many Dominicans use to receive their money, the number of remittances increases again now the economic crisis is over.
Of course, many foreign lovers send money via Western Union to their Dominican girlfriend or boyfriend, but that covers only a small part of total amount.
The Dominicans sending money from Spain and the USA to Sosúa, covers more than 90% of the total.
Thanks to this money from abroad many families in Sosúa live in some comfort.
The Dominican Republic currently is in fourth place (behind Mexico, Brazil and Columbia) among countries whose citizens send money back to their families.
This forms the third largest source of income for the country, after tourism and tax-free production zones.
