Comendador, Dominican Republic

The Dominican city of Comendador is the head municipality of the Elías Piña province, on the border with Haiti.

Municipality
Comendador, Elias Piña.jpg
Coat of arms of Comendador
Coordinates: Coordinates: 18°52′38″N 71°42′11″W / 18.87722°N 71.70306°W / 18.87722; -71.70306
Country Dominican Republic
ProvinceElías Piña
Founded1868
Municipality since
1908
Municipal DistrictsSabana Larga, Guayabo
Area
 • Total126.9 km2 (49.0 sq mi)
 • Urban2.90 km2 (1.12 sq mi)
Elevation395 m (1,296 ft)
Population
 (2010)[1]
 • Total19,344
 • Density152.43/km2 (394.80/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-4 (AST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (AST)
Distance:55 km (34 mi) to San Juan
255 km (158 mi) to Santo Domingo

Population

The municipality had, in 2010, a total population of 19,344: 9,675 men and 9,669 women. The urban population was 64.1% of the total population.[1]

History

The city was founded in 1868,[4] and named after Nicolás de Ovando, the "Comendador of Lares" (Comendador was the chief of a military or religious order). It was founded where there was a military post close to the border with Haiti. The Taíno name of the region was Duan.[4]

There was several fights between Haitian and Dominican soldiers during the Dominican-Haitian War after 1844. The most important fight was the La Estrelleta Battle in a savanna near Comendador.

The old military post was made a Cantón (now called Municipal District) of the Azua province in 1907. The next year, in 1908, it was elevated to the category of municipality of the same province.

Its name was changed to Villa Elías Piña on 29 November 1930. In 1972, its name was changed back to Comendador..

Geography

Comendador is at 255 km (158 mi) to the west of Santo Domingo and 55 km (34 mi) of San Juan de la Maguana. The limits of the municipality are the municipality of Bánica to the north, the San Juan province to the east, the municipality of El Llano to the south and Haiti to the west.

The average daily temperature in the city is 26.7 °C (80.1 °F) and the average rainfall for the year is 1,828 mm (72.0 in).[3]

Administrative division

The municipality of Comendador has two municipal districts;[1] these are:

Municipal districts of Comendador
Code Municipal district Population
(2010)
Area
(km2)
Density
070102 Sabana Larga 2,056 101.1 20.3
070103 Guayabo 4,524 28.1 161.0

Economy

The main economic activity of the municipality is agriculture. Commerce with Haiti is also an important economic activity in the city.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "IX Censo Nacional de Población y Vivienda. Informe Básico" (PDF) (in Spanish). Oficina Nacional de Estadística. June 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  2. "Expansión Urbana de las ciudades capitales de R.D. 1988-2010. Informe Básico" (PDF) (in Spanish). Oficina Nacional de Estadística. April 2015. p. 36. Retrieved 9 December 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)[dead link]
  3. 3.0 3.1 De la Fuente, Santiago (1976). Geografía Dominicana (in Spanish). Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: Editora Colegial Quisqueyana.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  4. 4.0 4.1 Caamaño Castillo, Rafael E. (1996). Comendador: Apuntes para su Historia (in Spanish). Santo Domingo, República Dominicana: Editora Corripio.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)


Provincial capitals of the Dominican Republic  
AzuaBaníBarahonaBonaoComendadorCotuíDajabónEl SeiboHato MayorHigüeyJimaníLa RomanaLa VegaMaoMocaMonte CristiMonte PlataNaguaNeibaPedernalesPuerto PlataSabanetaSalcedoSamanáSan CristóbalSan Francisco de MacorísSan José de OcoaSan Juan de la MaguanaSan Pedro de MacorísSantiago de los CaballerosSanto DomingoSanto Domingo Este