Salvaleón de Higüey

The Dominican city of Salvaleón de Higüey, usually known as Higüey, is the head municipality of the La Altagracia province, on the eastern part of the country.

Municipality
Salvaleón de Higüey
Basilika Nuestra de la Altagracia.JPG
Coat of arms of Higüey
Coordinates: 18°37′12″N 68°42′36″W / 18.62000°N 68.71000°W / 18.62000; -68.71000Coordinates: 18°37′12″N 68°42′36″W / 18.62000°N 68.71000°W / 18.62000; -68.71000
CountryDominican Republic
ProvinceLa Altagracia
Municipal Districts3
Founded1503
Municipality since
1844
Area
 • Total907.7 km2 (350.5 sq mi)
 • Urban27.93 km2 (10.78 sq mi)
Elevation106 m (348 ft)
Population
 (2010)[4]
 • Total168,501
 • Density185.635/km2 (480.793/sq mi)
 • Urban
147,978
Time zoneUTC-4 (AST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (AST)
Distance35 km (22 mi) to La Romana
145 km (90 mi) to Santo Domingo

The Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia ("Our Lady of High Grace Basilica"), a cathedral, is in this city and many Catholic people come here to pray.

Population

The municipality had, in 2010, a total population of 168,501: 84,562 men and 83,939 women. The urban population was 87.8% of the total population, one of the most urban municipality in the country.[1]

History

The city was founded by Juan de Esquivel in 1503. Higüey was the Taíno name of the eastern part of the island.

Geography

The municipality of Salvaleón de Higüey has a total area of 907.7 km2 (350.5 sq mi). It has three municipal districts (a municipal district is a subdivision of a municipality). These are Las Lagunas de Nisibón, La Otra Banda and Verón Punta Cana.[1]

Higüey is at 145 km (90 mi) to the east of Santo Domingo and at 35 km (22 mi) to the north of La Romana. The municipality is in the region known as Llano Costero del Caribe ("Caribbean Coastal Plain"), in the eastern part of the country, a region with many savannas.

The altitude of the city of Higüey is 106 m (348 ft) above sea level.[3]

The municipality of Higüey has the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east, the municipality of San Rafael del Yuma to the south, the La Romana province to the southwest and the El Seibo province to the west.

Climate

Higüey has a tropical wet climate (Köppen climate classification : Af) with no dry or cold season as it is constantly moist.[5]

The average amount of rainfall for the year in the city is 1,423.2 mm (56.0 in). The month with the most precipitation on average is May with 183.1 mm (7.2 in) of rainfall, followed by October with 160 mm (6.3 in).

The driest season is winter. The month with the least rainfall on average is February with an average of 66.8 mm (2.6 in) and the second is March with 71.6 mm (2.8 in).

Higüey is in a warm region; the average temperature for the year is 26.4 °C (80 °F). The warmest month, on average, is July with an average temperature of 27.85 °C (82.1 °F). The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of 24.55 °C (76.19 °F).

Climate data for Higüey (1961–1990)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 29.1
(84.4)
29.3
(84.7)
30.2
(86.4)
30.7
(87.3)
31.2
(88.2)
32.2
(90)
32.4
(90.3)
32.4
(90.3)
32.5
(90.5)
32
(90)
30.7
(87.3)
29.1
(84.4)
30.98
(87.77)
Daily mean °C (°F) 24.6
(76.3)
24.6
(76.3)
25.3
(77.5)
25.9
(78.6)
26.7
(80.1)
27.6
(81.7)
27.9
(82.2)
27.9
(82.2)
27.8
(82)
27.2
(81)
26.2
(79.2)
24.9
(76.8)
26.38
(79.49)
Average low °C (°F) 20
(68)
19.9
(67.8)
20.3
(68.5)
21.1
(70)
22.1
(71.8)
23
(73)
23.3
(73.9)
23.3
(73.9)
23
(73)
22.4
(72.3)
21.6
(70.9)
20.7
(69.3)
21.7
(71.1)
Rainfall mm (inches) 75.6
(2.976)
66.8
(2.63)
71.6
(2.819)
105.3
(4.146)
183.1
(7.209)
101.3
(3.988)
117.9
(4.642)
141.2
(5.559)
134.4
(5.291)
160
(6.3)
152.1
(5.988)
113.9
(4.484)
1,423.2
(56.031)
Source #1: NOAA[6]
Source #2: Climatemps.com[5]

Administrative division

The municipality of Higüey has three municipal districts:[1]

Municipal districts of Higüey
Code Municipal district Population
(2010)
110102 Las Lagunas de Nisibón 9,831
110103 La Otra Banda 28,929
110104 Verón Punta Cana 43,982

Economy

The most important economic activity in the municipality is tourism, along the eastern coast, mainly in Bávaro and Punta Cana.

But farming is still an important activity in the rest of the municipality, mainly cattle raising. Also sugarcane is a very important crop in this municipality.

Salvaleón De Higüey Media

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 31 October 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. 34. Retrieved 31 October 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. "IX Censo Nacional de Población y Vivienda 2010" (PDF) (in Spanish). Oficina Nacional de Estadística. June 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Higüey Climate & Temperature". Climatemps.com. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  6. "Higüey Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 31 October 2016.


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