Income coming from Dominicans abroad is a factor contributing to economic and social development; remittances are\u00a0a significant source of money.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In 2012 the country received\u00a0US$3,158,000,000,\u00a0a 1.3% decline\u00a0in remittances compared to that\u00a0recieved\u00a0in 2011, attributed to the deteriorating economic situation in the main places where Dominican migrants live, especially Spain and Puerto Rico.\u00a0In 2013 a value of US$3,333,000,000 was registered and in 2014\u00a0\u201cthe amount of\u00a0US$4,600,020,000\u201d was estimated.\u00a0Remittances to the Dominican economy make up\u00a0approximately\u00a06 percent of GDP and represent\u00a0an important component of family income.<\/p>\n The individual that emigrates is on average from the urban middle or lower middle class, opting for large metropolitan areas in the country to which they arrive. Their\u00a0level of education surpasses the median of the country, though the number of professionals with university studies in other countries that remain as part of the work force has increased.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dominican<\/b>s<\/b>\u00a0residing abroad: Dominican population registered and or estimated in the main countries of residency<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.dominicana-online.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/02\/emigracion-rd.jpg\")
<\/a>With regard to Dominican emigration, the International Organization for Migrations (OIM)\u00a0reports the main destinations as:\u00a0 United States\/Puerto Rico, Spain, Italia, Venezuela and Haiti.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nDominic<\/b>ans Residing A<\/b>broad<\/b><\/h2>\n