![Cayo Levantado, Samana, Dominican Republic](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Cayo_Levantado%2C_Samana%2C_Dominican_Republic.jpg)
Tourism in the Dominican Republic is an important sector of the country's
economy
An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with the ...
. More than 6 million tourists visit the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
, making it the
most popular tourist destination in the
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
and putting it in the top 5 overall in the
Americas
The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World.
Along with th ...
.
The industry accounts for 11.6% of the nation's GDP and is a particularly important source of revenue in coastal areas of the country. The nation's tropical climate, white sand beaches, diverse mountainous landscape and colonial history attracts visitors from around the world.
As one of the most geographically diverse nations in the region, the Dominican Republic is home to
Pico Duarte
Pico Duarte is the highest peak in the Dominican Republic, on the island of Hispaniola and in all the Caribbean. At above sea level, it gives the Dominican Republic the 16th-highest maximum elevation of any island in the world. Additionally, it ...
, the Caribbean's tallest mountain peak, and
Lake Enriquillo
Lake Enriquillo ( es, Lago Enriquillo) is a hypersaline lake in the Dominican Republic located in the southwestern region of the country. Its waters are shared between the provinces of Bahoruco and Independencia, the latter of which borders Hait ...
, its largest lake and lowest elevation. The earliest cathedral, castle, monastery and fortress built in all of the Americas is located in Santo Domingo's
Colonial Zone, an area declared as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
.
History of tourism in the Dominican Republic
![Calle Arzobispo Meriño CCSD 07 2019 9946](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Calle_Arzobispo_Meri%C3%B1o_CCSD_07_2019_9946.jpg)
Due to political conflicts and warfare that had been present throughout most of the country's history, there was little tourism in the Dominican Republic until the 1930s. Tourism remained relatively slow during this decade, with only 230 foreign tourists arriving in the country,
Rafael Leonidas Trujillo
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina ( , ; 24 October 189130 May 1961), nicknamed ''El Jefe'' (, "The Chief" or "The Boss"), was a Dominican dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from February 1930 until his assassination in May 1961. He ser ...
's rise to power represented a turning point for this facet of the economy. During the 1940s, Trujillo initiated the development of eight government-owned-and-operated resorts in the capital of Ciudad Trujillo (now
Santo Domingo
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, websi ...
) to foster the growth of a tourism industry. The most famous of these developments was the Hotel Jaragua, which gathered international attention for its luxury, alongside the Malecón de Santo Domingo in 1942.
Many of the hotels built during this time remain open and include: the Hotel Provincial, which is now a children's hospital; the Hotel la Paz, now known as the Hotel Hispaniola; and the Hotel Comercial in the
Colonial Zone, which was the first privately-owned hotel in the country.
Hotel development was not limited to the capital. Several provincial capitals were the site of Trujillo's public works projects. These included the Hotel Matún in
Santiago de los Caballeros
Santiago de los Caballeros (; '' en, James, son of Zebedee, Saint James of the Knights''), often shortened to Santiago, is the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic and the fourth-largest city in the Caribbean by population. It is the cap ...
, the Hotel Guarocuya in
Barahona, the Hotel Maguana in
San Juan de la Maguana
San Juan de la Maguana is a city and municipality in the western region of the Dominican Republic and capital of the San Juan province. It was one of the first cities established on the island; founded in 1503, and was given the name of San Juan ...
, and the Hotel Montaña in
Jarabacoa
Jarabacoa is a town and the second largest municipality in La Vega Province, Dominican Republic.
History
The indigenous Taino people originally inhabited the valley of Jarabacoa. It is assumed that the town's name was formed out of the words ...
. The building of the Hotel Macori in the
San Pedro de Macorís Province
San Pedro de Macorís () is a Provinces of the Dominican Republic, province of the Dominican Republic, also the name of its San Pedro de Macorís, capital city. The city is fairly active due to its proximity to the national capital of Santo Doming ...
was the first development in the eastern end of the country, which has now become the country's main tourist destination.
In 1955, the
Fair of Peace and Fraternity of the Free World
The ''Fair of Peace and Fraternity of the Free World (Feria de la Paz y Confraternidad del Mundo Libre)'' was an international world's fair that took place during the Trujillo Era in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (then called Ciudad Trujillo) i ...
(''Feria de la Paz y Confraternidad del Mundo Libre'') was organized in Ciudad Trujillo, to honour the 25th year of Trujillo's rule. The event was intended to attract international visitors and showcase the development of the country's tourism industry, but attendance was below expectations and foreign investments failed to materialize.
In the 1950s, construction of the
Las Américas International Airport
Las Américas International Airport ( es, Aeropuerto Internacional Las Américas, or AILA) is an international airport located in Punta Caucedo, near Santo Domingo and Boca Chica in the Dominican Republic. The airport is run by Aeropuertos Domin ...
took place, along with highway systems to connect it to the capital and better accommodate the country's growing number of tourists. The
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution ( es, Revolución Cubana) was carried out after the 1952 Cuban coup d'état which placed Fulgencio Batista as head of state and the failed mass strike in opposition that followed. After failing to contest Batista in cou ...
and resultant embargo served to redirect American tourists to Ciudad Trujillo as the Latin American tourism destination of choice.
Conversely, political instability and social unrest in the wake of the assassination of the
Mirabal Sisters
The Mirabal sisters ( es, hermanas Mirabal ) were four sisters from the Dominican Republic, three of whom (Patria, Minerva and María Teresa) opposed the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo () and were involved in clandestine activities against his ...
in 1960, the assassination of Trujillo in 1961, and the
Dominican Civil War of 1965 and subsequent US military occupation, led to a notable decrease in tourism.
In the post-civil war era, the tourism industry of the country saw an upswing through increased government attention and changes in economic policies. In 1971, the Tourist Incentive Law (Law 153) was passed to create the Department for the Development of Tourism Infrastructure (INFRATUR). Its aims were to promote infrastructure projects, encourage private investment, and cooperate with the Ministry of Tourism to further grow the tourism industry. By encouraging private investment through low-interest loans, the Dominican Republic underwent two distinct periods of hotel and resort building that increased the number of hotel rooms from 1,134 in 1970 to over 20,000 by 1990.
The country also saw the number of tourists increase from 278,000 in 1975 to over one million visitors by 1987, surpassing traditional Caribbean resort locations.
Tourism in the present day
![Club Med in Dominican Republic](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Club_Med_in_Dominican_Republic.jpg)
From the 1990s, the Dominican tourism industry has been developed and operated at its fullest, developing more housing complexes, through agreements and foreign advisors. Consequently, the number of hotel rooms in the decade of the 1980s was about 8,562 and the 1990s was 45,000.
In 1997, around 270,830 foreign tourists arrived by sea, of which 156,099 used the ports in
Santo Domingo
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, websi ...
, 5,566 arrived via the port of
Puerto Plata, 108,698 disembarked in
La Romana, 404 in
Samaná and 63 in
Boca Chica
Boca Chica is a municipality (''municipio'') of the Santo Domingo province in the Dominican Republic. Within the municipality there is one municipal district (''distritos municipal''): La Caleta. As of the 2012 census it had 123,510 inhabitant ...
. This figure compared with those of 1996, it shows that in 1997 the number of foreign visitors who used the waterway increased by over one hundred percent.
In 1996 entered to the country by sea 110.936, an amount that increased to 270,380 cruise passengers. Despite not having any financial incentive for ecotourism, this is in its true splendor. It posed above is confirmed by the annual statistics for visitation to ecotourism businesses and protected areas, which exceed 800,000 people. It quote the following data, for the year 1998: total visitors to ecotourism projects was 930,000.
Increasing competition, for example created by the Asian markets, and a change in the motivation of tourists, now forces authorities managing regions, and tour operators to supplement their offer with new options, not based directly on the sun, sand and sea. It has been argued that the Dominican Republic should focus on diversifying its tourism product, so as to prevent elimination from the market by competitors when tourists completely change their preferences by shifting, for example, from 3S to 3E and to focus on industrial and cultural tours such as the road tar mine at la quenera, approximately 10 km south of the Haitian boarder.
Visitor statistics
Most visitors arriving to Dominican Republic were from the following areas of residence or countries of nationality:
:Note: Air arrivals only, it excludes arrivals by land and sea
Weather in the Punta Cana
The weather in Punta Cana averages between a high of 81 °F to 86 °F.
The average days per month is 11.25. Hours of sunshine can vary from 8 to 10 hours. The seawater temperature will vary from 79 °F to 84 °F. The weather is nice year-round which attracts vacationers even in the winter months.
Advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the country
Tourism in the Dominican Republic, like other countries, has its advantages and disadvantages in both the domestic market and internationally.
Advantages
![Total-empleos-generados-RepDom](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Total-empleos-generados-RepDom.png)
Tourism offers many benefits to the country, both economically as in the political, social, cultural, etc. Some of these could be:
* Revenues and increases of the country's economy.
* Exchange of different cultures
* Generates and increases employment opportunities.
* Increase of foreign flights into the country.
* External relationships.
* Generation of currencies, and currency input from other foreign countries.
Tourism in the 2000s until 2009
The country's tourism has become the primary industry of income for itself and his major provinces, dedicated to this industrial activity. The country offers a wide choice of accommodations in the city, in the mountains and in the hotels of coastal shorebirds. The Dominican Republic is one of the top vacation places for the countries of the European continent, North America
US and
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
and also the countries of South America. This is because the island has a rich history and unique culture, and its people so welcoming and friendly. Also for its great Caribbean beaches and its tropical and unique climate.
The main areas of tourist activity in the country are the regions of the East, North, Santo Domingo and Barahona, but nevertheless, there has been an increase in the interior, with many tours on foot or by bike through the mountains and fields. In 2001 the Dominican Republic was visited by over two million people and according to the Central Bank, the Dominican tourism industry has generated 2,103 million dollars, exceeding 1,782 million achieved in the previous year.
According to Central Bank figures, more than 2.5 million tourists arrived by air to the country in 2001, a 10.1% increase over the figure given in 2000. 58% of tourists came from European countries, mostly countries like Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and USA, were recorded countries like the United States, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina and among others.
Tourism is one of the most important sectors of the Dominican economy, because this makes great contributions to it. The movements of tourists to other parts of the country involving expenditure, especially when is from a nation to another, that is the case of the country; Foreign tourists usually consume in dollars or exchange their currency for the Dominican peso, this generates an injection of dollars into the economy and thus the country can buy the services and products that do not produce. The country had revenues in 2004 of 2.557 million euros.
The Dominican Republic, thanks to its geographical location in the Caribbean, has many areas that are exploited for tourism. This includes its beaches and its scenery. The most exploited provinces in terms of tourism are concerned, after the era of Trujillo, are Puerto Plata, La Romana and La Altagracia, also worth noting that the del Este peninsula, is the country's most important tourist area.
Dominican tourism is an issue that is part of the daily lives of its citizens, because it depends largely on the economic livelihood of the same, and their way of life.
Major tourist destinations of the Dominican Republic
Among the main tourist destinations are:
East Region
;
La Altagracia
La Altagracia () is the easternmost Provinces of the Dominican Republic, province of the Dominican Republic. Punta Cana is located on the eastern shores of this province. The province was part of the old La Altagracia Province, which split into 2 ...
It is the leading province in the country in terms of tourism, among the most important areas are:
*
Bávaro
Bávaro is an area of Punta Cana, located in La Altagracia province, the easternmost province of the Dominican Republic. Bavaro was originally developed as a town for resort workers together with the resort area and tourist region of Punta Cana. ...
: This area is located in the east of the Dominican Republic, in the province La Altagracia. According to a report by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
, it recognizes the beaches of Bávaro as the best in the Caribbean Among its more popular activities include aquatic excursions such as snorkeling and catamaran tours on the beaches, as well as its luxury hotels.
*
Higüey
Higüey (), or in full Salvaleón de Higüey, is the capital city of the eastern La Altagracia Province, in the Dominican Republic, and the eighth largest city of that country. The Yuma River (Dominican Republic), Yuma River flows through the urb ...
: The city of Higüey is within the tourist destinations in the province, since it is found, the
Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia and Sanctuary San Dionisio; also is the fortified residence of its founder,
Juan Ponce de León
Juan Ponce de León (, , , ; 1474 – July 1521) was a Spanish explorer and '' conquistador'' known for leading the first official European expedition to Florida and for serving as the first governor of Puerto Rico. He was born in Santervá ...
, which is so visited by foreign tourists and communes and more inhabitants of the country.
![Punta Cana Dominican Republic](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Punta_Cana_Dominican_Republic.jpg)
*
Punta Cana
Punta Cana is a resort town in the easternmost region of the Dominican Republic. It is part of the Veron–Punta Cana Municipalities of the Dominican Republic, municipal district, in the Salvaleón de Higüey, Higüey municipality of La Altagraci ...
: This resort area is located in the extreme east of the Dominican Republic, and it is one of the most important places for the realization of tourism in the country. To get to Punta Cana, it can be reached by vehicle through a 179 kilometers long corridor, consisting of sections of the highway of Las Américas, the Eastern Highway, the Ring of San Pedro de Macorís, the stretch San Pedro de Macorís-La Romana, La Romana Beltway and the
Autopista del Coral; Similarly one can go via the
Las Américas International Airport
Las Américas International Airport ( es, Aeropuerto Internacional Las Américas, or AILA) is an international airport located in Punta Caucedo, near Santo Domingo and Boca Chica in the Dominican Republic. The airport is run by Aeropuertos Domin ...
, or via the
Punta Cana International Airport
Punta Cana International Airport is a privately owned commercial airport in Punta Cana, eastern Dominican Republic. The airport was built with open-air terminals and roofs covered in palm fronds. Grupo Punta Cana built the airport, which was de ...
, which is about 2 km from the town of Punta Cana.
;
La Romana
*
La Romana: One of the main options for foreign tourists when choosing a destination for their holidays. La Romana has many beaches. To get to La Romana, it can through the
La Romana International Airport
La Romana Casa De Campo International Airport is an international airport located on the southeastern coast of the Dominican Republic, adjacent to the tourist town of La Romana and the resort of Casa de Campo. It is located about 68 miles (110 ...
or Punta Cana Airport. La Romana is the seventh-largest city in the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
with a population estimated in 2010 at 130,426 within the city limits (
metropolitan population: 214,109), of whom 127,623 are urban and 2,803 are rural. The city is capital of the southeastern
province of La Romana, opposite
Catalina Island. The name ''Romana'' comes from a balance that was used to weigh merchandise for export.
Santa Rosa de Lima is the patron saint of La Romana. The modern
La Romana International Airport
La Romana Casa De Campo International Airport is an international airport located on the southeastern coast of the Dominican Republic, adjacent to the tourist town of La Romana and the resort of Casa de Campo. It is located about 68 miles (110 ...
was opened in 2000. The city is near several other cities, such as
San Pedro de Macorís
San Pedro de Macorís is a city and Municipalities of the Dominican Republic, municipality (''municipio'') in the Dominican Republic and the capital of the San Pedro de Macorís Province, San Pedro de Macorís province in the east region of the ...
and the national capital,
Santo Domingo de Guzmán
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, websi ...
. The city is a hub for a growing tourist industry with several nearby local resort spots, such as the beachfront
Bayahibe, Dominicus, Casa de Campo, and the growing number of golf resorts that surround the area.
*
Altos de Chavón
Altos de Chavón is a tourist attraction, a re-creation of a 16th century Mediterranean–style village, located atop the Chavón River in the city of La Romana, Dominican Republic. It is the most popular attraction in the city and hosts a cultu ...
: It is an old-type Mediterranean village built on a height above the
Chavón River
The Chavón River is a river located to the east of the Dominican Republic. Its best view is obtained from the village called Altos de Chavón.
The history of this river contains extremely interesting passages; From the origin of its name, possible ...
in
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
. It is the seat of a Cultural Centre, the National Archaeological Museum, and the called City of the Artists. also has a notable Amphitheater. The Altos de Chavón Amphitheater which has about 5,000 seats. It was opened in 1982.
![Saona](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Saona.jpg)
*
Saona Island
Saona Island ( es, Isla Saona) is a 110 square kilometer tropical island located off the south-east coast in Dominican Republic's La Altagracia province. It is a government-protected nature reserve and is part of '' Parque Nacional Cotubanamá''. ...
: The Saona Island is considered as one of the most important trips or sightseeing tours of the country It is considered by the visitor as a natural paradise. Saona Island is about 110 kmª, and is the largest of the 13 adjacent islands of the country. This island offers fine white sand beaches, crystal clear waters. One of the biggest attractions is the "''Natural Pool''", which does not have a meter deep and it can see aquatic species such as coral reefs,
marine meadowss, starfish and fish. The main white sand beaches of Isla Saona are located on the southern coast from Punta Catuano to Punta de Cruz except the area between the southern end of the beach of El Gato to Punta Laguna. The most important places of the Saona are the towns and villages of Mano Juan and Catuano; extensive white sand beaches and coral reefs with very clear waters; coconut trees along the coast, the Secucho lagoons, Los Flamencos and Canto de la Playa,
Canto de Playa, the most beautiful
/ref> the Alto de la Vigía (the highest point of the island); the Banks of Crowned Pigeon, the Mature Timberlands, cultivated areas and the town of Adamanay. Saona island belongs to the Park del Este. Along with los Haitises is the most important in the region and one of the main in the country, constituting the only wooded area of relative extension on the south coast of the eastern region. In this protected natural area are preserved semi-humid forests, coastal lagoons, mangroves, coral reefs, sea grasses. Also caverns with cultural values. Contains impressive archaeological sites like remains of indigenous settlements, ceremonial places perfectly preserved, sites of ceremonial offerings, large rock art and sunken colonial ships.
* Catalina Island: This island is a protected natural park where there are not any buildings.
* Bayahibe: Bayahibe is also suitable for sharing with family and friends, and is also a common place for golfers and for those who enjoy scuba diving. Bayahibe is the nearest point to take a trip to Catalina Island, Catalinita Island and Saona Island.
; San Pedro de Macorís
San Pedro de Macorís is a city and Municipalities of the Dominican Republic, municipality (''municipio'') in the Dominican Republic and the capital of the San Pedro de Macorís Province, San Pedro de Macorís province in the east region of the ...
* San Pedro de Macorís
San Pedro de Macorís is a city and Municipalities of the Dominican Republic, municipality (''municipio'') in the Dominican Republic and the capital of the San Pedro de Macorís Province, San Pedro de Macorís province in the east region of the ...
is a municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
(''municipio
' (, ) and ' () are country subdivisions in Italy and several Hispanophone and Lusophone nations, respectively. They are often translated as "municipality". In the English language, a municipality often is defined as relating to a single city or t ...
'') in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
and the capital of the San Pedro de Macorís province in the south-eastern region of the country; it is among the 10 largest cities of the Dominican Republic. The city has approximately 195,000 inhabitants, when including the metro area. As a provincial capital, it houses the Universidad Central del Este university.
* Juan Dolio
Juan Dolio is a small seaside community and tourist destination in the province of San Pedro de Macorís Province, San Pedro de Macoris on the southern coast of the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola. Juan Dolio has 2,488 inhabitants ( ...
: It is located just a few kilometers from the capital city of Santo Domingo
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, websi ...
and from San Pedro de Macoris. Juan Dolio is currently among the major tourist areas of the country.
Santo Domingo
* Santo Domingo
, total_type = Total
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: Santo Domingo has a main tourist area, the Colonial Zone, as well as historical monuments, of which most were built by the Spaniards who originally colonized the island.
* Boca Chica
Boca Chica is a municipality (''municipio'') of the Santo Domingo province in the Dominican Republic. Within the municipality there is one municipal district (''distritos municipal''): La Caleta. As of the 2012 census it had 123,510 inhabitant ...
: It is one of the most popular places in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
, due to its beach. It is located about 40 kilometers and 35 minutes from Santo Domingo eastward passing the Las Américas International Airport
Las Américas International Airport ( es, Aeropuerto Internacional Las Américas, or AILA) is an international airport located in Punta Caucedo, near Santo Domingo and Boca Chica in the Dominican Republic. The airport is run by Aeropuertos Domin ...
.
North Region or Cibao
; Santiago de los Caballeros
Santiago de los Caballeros (; '' en, James, son of Zebedee, Saint James of the Knights''), often shortened to Santiago, is the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic and the fourth-largest city in the Caribbean by population. It is the cap ...
Santiago de los Caballeros or simply Santiago (English: Saint James of the Thirty Knights) is the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
, and the fourth-largest city in the Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
. It is the capital of the Santiago Province and the major metropolis in the north-central region of the country. Its urban population
An urban area, built-up area or urban agglomeration is a human settlement with a high population density and infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas are created through urbanization and are categorized by urban morphology as cities, t ...
reaches 550,753 inhabitants, and if rural areas are included its population rises to 691,262.Santiago is located approximately 155 km (96 mi) northwest of Santo Domingo
, total_type = Total
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, websi ...
with an average altitude of 178 meters (584 ft). It was traditionally known in English as ''St. Yago''. During the Haitian occupation from 1822 to 1844 it was officially designated as Saint-Yague. Founded in 1495 during the first wave of European settlement in the New World
The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...
, the city is the "first Santiago
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whose ...
of the Americas". Today the city is one of the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
's cultural, political, industrial, and financial centers. Due to its location in the fertile Cibao Valley
The Cibao, usually referred as "El Cibao", is a region of the Dominican Republic located at the northern part of the country. As of 2009 the Cibao has a population of 5,622,378 making it the most populous region in the country.
The region constitu ...
it has a robust agricultural sector and is a leading exporter of rum, textiles, and cigars. Santiago is known as "La Ciudad Corazón" (the "Heartland City").
; Puerto Plata
Puerto Plata is officially known as San Felipe de Puerto Plata, is the ninth-largest city in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
, and capital of the province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of Puerto Plata. The city is a trading port.
Puerto Plata has resorts such as Playa Dorada and Costa Dorada, which are located east of the city proper. There are 100,000 hotel beds in the city. The only aerial tramway
An aerial tramway, sky tram, cable car, ropeway, aerial tram, telepherique, or seilbahn is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion. With this form of lift, the grip ...
in the Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
is located in Puerto Plata, in which visitors can ride up to the Pico Isabel de Torres, a 793 meter high mountain within the city. The fortification Fortaleza San Felipe
The Fortaleza San Felipe is a historic Spanish fortress located in the north of Dominican Republic in the province of Puerto Plata. It is also known as ''El Morro'' de San Felipe and was used to protect the City of Puerto Plata from pirates an ...
, which was built in the 16th century and served as a prison under Rafael Trujillo
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina ( , ; 24 October 189130 May 1961), nicknamed ''El Jefe'' (, "The Chief" or "The Boss"), was a Dominican dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from February 1930 until his assassination in May 1961. He ser ...
's dictatorship, lies close to the port of Puerta Plata. The amber
Amber is fossilized tree resin that has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Much valued from antiquity to the present as a gemstone, amber is made into a variety of decorative objects."Amber" (2004). In Ma ...
museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
, is also a well-known attraction in this city. La Isabela
La Isabela in Puerto Plata Province, Dominican Republic was the first Spanish town in the Americas. The site is 42 km west of the city of Puerto Plata, adjacent to the village of El Castillo. The area now forms a National Historic Park.
...
, a settlement built by Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
* lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo
* es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón
* pt, Cristóvão Colombo
* ca, Cristòfor (or )
* la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
, is located near Puerto Plata. In April 1563, the Spanish settlement became notorious when the English slave trader Sir John Hawkins
Sir John Hawkins (also spelled Hawkyns) (1532 – 12 November 1595) was a pioneering English naval commander, naval administrator and privateer. He pioneered, and was an early promoter of, English involvement in the Atlantic slave trade.
Hawki ...
brought 400 people he had abducted from Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...
. Hawkins traded his victims with the Spanish for pearls, hides, sugar and some gold. This was the start of British involvement in the trans-Atlantic History of slavery, slave trade. During the 1822–44 Haitian occupation it was officially designated as Port-de-Plate.
* Puerto Plata (city)
Puerto Plata, officially known as San Felipe de Puerto Plata, is the third-largest city in the Dominican Republic, and capital of the Provinces of the Dominican Republic, province of Puerto Plata (province), Puerto Plata. The city is a trading por ...
* Sosúa
Sosúa is a beach town in the Puerto Plata province of the Dominican Republic. Located approximately from the Gregorio Luperón International Airport in San Felipe de Puerto Plata.
The town is divided into three sectors: ''El Batey'', which is ...
* Playa Dorada
Playa (plural playas) may refer to:
Landforms
* Endorheic basin, also known as a sink, alkali flat or sabkha, a desert basin with no outlet which periodically fills with water to form a temporary lake
* Dry lake, often called a ''playa'' in the s ...
* Cabarete
Cabarete is a town in the Puerto Plata province of the Dominican Republic, noted for its tourism and beaches. It is located on Camino Cinco approximately from the airport of Puerto Plata (POP).
History
Cabarete was founded in 1835 by the merc ...
; Samaná
;Samaná (town)
Samaná (old spelling: Xamaná), in full Santa Bárbara de Samaná, is a town and municipality in northeastern Dominican Republic and is the capital of Samaná Province. It is located on the northern coast of Samaná Bay. The town is an importan ...
Samana is a small town on the island that is a popular destination for tourists mainly because of whale season. Every year in the spring, many whales arrive in the Samana bay. Tourists come from all over the world to board ships and whale watch. This is a large source of income to a town that otherwise would have an economy mainly driven by fishing.
* Las Terrenas
Las Terrenas is a town on the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic, located in the province of Samaná. It is known for its scenic landscapes, white sand beaches and clear waters. Tourism in this region is constantly growing due to investme ...
; La Vega
* La Vega (city)
La Vega, is the fourth largest city and municipality of the Dominican Republic. It is in La Vega Province. The city is known as the Carnaval epicenter of the Dominican Republic for its tradition and culture, its large agricultural production metho ...
* Constanza
* Jarabacoa
Jarabacoa is a town and the second largest municipality in La Vega Province, Dominican Republic.
History
The indigenous Taino people originally inhabited the valley of Jarabacoa. It is assumed that the town's name was formed out of the words ...
* Bonao
Bonao is a city in the Cibao region of Dominican Republic. It is the capital of the Monseñor Nouel Province, Monseñor Nouel province. The city is located in the center of the country, to the northwest of the national capital Santo Domingo.
The ...
; María Trinidad Sánchez
María Trinidad Sánchez, Mother Founder (16 May 1794, Santo Domingo- 27 February 1846, Santo Domingo) was a Dominican freedom fighter and a heroine of the Dominican War of Independence. She participated on the rebel side as a courier. Together wit ...
* Nagua
Nagua is the capital of María Trinidad Sánchez province, in the northeastern Dominican Republic.
A medium-sized town, Nagua's economy relies on the production of agricultural products, principally rice, coconuts, and cocoa bean. Located on t ...
* Río San Juan
; Montecristi
South Region
; Baní
Baní is a capital town of the Peravia Province, Dominican Republic. It is the commercial and manufacturing center in the southern region of Valdesia. The town is located 65 km south of the capital city Santo Domingo.
Baní is the headquarte ...
San Cristóbal
; Barahona (city)
Barahona, also known as Santa Cruz de Barahona, is the main city of the Barahona Province, in the southwest of the Dominican Republic. It has one of the most active ports in the region, as well as many ecotourism attractions. The city is a centre ...
; Pedernales
; Azua (city)
Azua de Compostela, also known simply as Azua, is a municipality (''municipio'') and capital of Azua Province in the southern region of Dominican Republic. Founded in 1504, Azua is one of the oldest European settlements in the Americas. The town ...
Gallery
File:Salto de Limon waterfall in Samana, Dominican Republic.jpg, There are numerous beautiful waterfalls across the Dominican Republic. In the picture is Salto del Limón
File:Dominican republic Los Haitises mangroves.jpeg, Mangroves in Los Haitises National Park
Los Haitises National Park is a national park located on the remote northeast coast of the Dominican Republic that was established in 1976. It consists of a limestone karst plateau with conical hills, sinkholes and caverns, and there is a large ar ...
File:Taíno pictographs Cuevas de las Maravillas.jpg, Taíno pictographs at the Cueva de las Maravillas National Park
The Parque nacional Cueva de las Maravillas (English: ''Cave of wonders National Park'') is a List of national parks of the Dominican Republic, national park located approximately 15 kilometres (9 miles ) east from San Pedro de Macorís and 10 ki ...
File:LosTresOjos.JPG, Los Tres Ojos National Park
File:Baia Hibe - panoramio.jpg, Bayahibe Beach
File:Puerta del Conde CCSD 09 2018 1629.jpg, Puerta del Conde
La Puerta del Conde (The Count's Gate) was the main entrance to the fortified city of Santo Domingo (in present-day Dominican Republic), named to honor Governor Captain-General Bernardino de Meneses Bracamonte y Zapata, 1st Count of Peñalva, wh ...
City Gate, one of the remaining preserved sections of the Walls of Santo Domingo, the city is a UNESCO WHS and the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas.
File:Iglesia y Convento Dominicos CCSD 07 2018 0735.jpg, Church and Convent of los Dominicos
The Church and Convent of los Dominicos of the Colonial City of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, is the oldest Catholic building in continuous use in the Americas, and also, according to the UNESCO, it was the headquarters of the List of co ...
at Santo Domingo
References
{{Tourism in North America
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...