The Dominican Republic region is located on the eastern two-thirds of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola and it borders the small country of Haiti. Hispaniola is the second-largest of the Greater Antilles islands and can be found west of Puerto Rico and east of Jamaica.

The Dominican Republic is a Hispanic country therefore its culture and heritage is largely Spanish, although heavily blended with African traditions and American culture. Western influence can be seen in the vast number of colonial buildings in the capital of Santo Domingo, while African heritage, which was introduced by slaves who were brought to the island, is reflected in its music. The popular song and dance, the merengue, fuses African and Western cultures and is celebrated in several festivals, which draw a multitude of national and international musicians.