Pedernales: population, poverty, schools, health, jobs and social spending
Pedernales is a province of the Dominican Republic, number 32 of 32 by population. The 2022 census counted 34,375 people in Pedernales, 0.3% of the Dominican Republic's 10,773,983; ranking the smallest of 32 provinces by population.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Pedernales: The vocational training institute INFOTEP recorded 2,100 participants in 108 training actions in Pedernales in 2025, 0.2% of the 1,083,421 participants nationwide.
- Health in Pedernales: The National Health Service lists 8 licensed public health facilities in Pedernales, 0.4% of the 1,911 nationwide, which is 23.3 per 100,000 residents (national: 17.7); ranking 14th lowest of 32 provinces on that measure.
- Education in Pedernales: The Ministry of Education lists 30 schools in Pedernales for 2023-24 with 9,046 students enrolled, 0.3% of the 2,617,801 nationwide.
- Poverty and living standards in Pedernales: Pedernales is in the Enriquillo development region (with Barahona, Baoruco and Independencia), where 31% of people were in general monetary poverty in 2024, down from 32% in 2023; the region ranks the highest of the 10 development regions for poverty rate. The ONE publishes monetary poverty by development region, not by province, so this is the figure for the whole Enriquillo region.
- Government budget and revenue in Pedernales: The Aliméntate subsidy paid out RD$101.21 million in Pedernales during 2025, 0.4% of the RD$27.0 billion paid nationwide, against 0.3% of the population.
Is the population of Pedernales growing?
Pedernales' population was 31,587 at the 2010 census and 34,375 in 2022, a change of +2,788 people (8.8% growth); growth ranks 10th slowest of 32 provinces, and 14.1% for the whole country.
Source: Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF), from Oficina Nacional de Estadística census data · saved copyHow fast is Pedernales' population growing each year?
That is an average of 0.71% a year between the two censuses, compared with 1.10% a year for the Dominican Republic as a whole.
Source: Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF), from Oficina Nacional de Estadística census data · saved copyHow urban is Pedernales?
77.1% of the people of Pedernales lived in urban areas at the 2022 census, up from 64.4% in 2010 (national: 72.3%); ranking 7th most of 32 provinces for urban share.
Source: Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF), from Oficina Nacional de Estadística census data · saved copyHow many people live in rural areas of Pedernales?
7,860 people lived in rural areas of Pedernales in 2022, against 11,242 in 2010 (down 30.1%), and 26,515 in urban areas, against 20,345 (up 30.3%).
Source: Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF), from Oficina Nacional de Estadística census data · saved copyHow much of the Dominican Republic's rural population lives in Pedernales?
Pedernales holds 0.3% of the country's urban population and 0.3% of its rural population, against 0.3% of all people.
Source: Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF), from Oficina Nacional de Estadística census data · saved copyHow provinces are governed in the Dominican Republic
Regions (10) and provinces (31). Provincial governors appointed by the president. Represent the executive; no technical powers.
Every tier of government in the Dominican Republic
Other provinces of the Dominican Republic
- Santo Domingo 2,769,588
- Santiago 1,074,679
- Distrito Nacional 1,029,110
- San Cristobal 688,828
- La Altagracia 446,060
- La Vega 442,719
- Puerto Plata 338,355
- San Pedro de Macoris 337,146
- Duarte 308,353
- La Romana 287,914
- San Juan 244,667
- Espaillat 241,058
- Azua 240,209
- Peravia 209,372
- Monte Plata 205,498
- Barahona 200,884
- Monsenor Nouel 195,547
- Valverde 184,069
- Sanchez Ramirez 162,642
- Maria Trinidad Sanches 156,633
- Monte Cristi 123,519
- Samana 114,468
- Baoruco 108,717
- Hato Mayor 100,133
- El Seibo 99,169
- Hermanas Mirabal 96,441
- Dajabon 74,810
- San Jose de Ocoa 69,082
- Santiago Rodriguez 64,635
- Elias Pina 64,614
- Independencia 60,689
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Sources
- Dirección de Desarrollo Social Supérate (Gabinete de Políticas Sociales): Nómina beneficiarios ALIMÉNTATE, 2017-2026: beneficiaries and amount paid by province and month, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 45d2b47a33bd…)
- Oficina Nacional de Estadística (ONE): Nacimientos Registrados por Año de Registro, según Provincia de Registro, 2001-2024, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 af85968b70ae…)
- Ministerio de Educación (MINERD): Relación de Centros Educativos de República Dominicana, school year 2023-2024: schools, level, sector and enrolment, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 01c6494be07e…)
- Sistema Único de Beneficiarios (SIUBEN): Hogares según el Nivel de Hacinamiento, SIUBEN, 2017-2026 (by province, quarterly), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5a7bd6da722f…)
- Instituto Nacional de Formación Técnico Profesional (INFOTEP): Ejecución por Región-Provincia, INFOTEP, 2025-2026: training actions and participants, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6292f3969b36…)
- Sistema Único de Beneficiarios (SIUBEN): Distribución de Jefes/as de Hogar según Condición de Alfabetismo, SIUBEN, 2018-2026 (by province, quarterly), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7541355137f8…)
- Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF), from Oficina Nacional de Estadística census data: Cambios demográficos en República Dominicana, 2010-2022, Table 6: population by province and zone of residence (2010 and 2022 censuses of the ONE), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0f1ac7e645f8…)
- Oficina Nacional de Estadística (ONE): Tasa de Pobreza Monetaria General y Extrema por Regiones de Desarrollo, 2000-2024, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d57e287d3474…)
- Servicio Nacional de Salud (SNS): Establecimientos de Salud Habilitados, SNS, 1878-2026 (licensed public health facilities by province), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7033aa14538c…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.