In 1492, explorer Christopher Columbus set foot on a large island in the Caribbean Sea that he called Hispaniola. Four years later, his brother Bartholomew founded the New World's first permanent European settlement there. Now called Santo Domingo, the busy port serves as the capital city of the Dominican Republic, a beautiful land that is home to more than 10 million people today. The Dominican Republic covers the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, which is located about 575 miles (925 kilometers) southeast of Florida. It is one of the Caribbean's most geographically diverse countries, containing the region's highest mountain peak, largest lake, and lowest elevation. Export crops like sugar and coffee are grown in fertile valleys. The beautiful scenery, including white-sand beaches and cascading waterfalls, attracts more than 4 million foreign visitors each year, making it the Caribbean's most popular tourist destination. There's a lot to discover about the Dominican Republic!