Santiago: The City
Situated in the Cibao Valley, one of the most fertile in the world, Santiago is the main supplier of food and agricultural products in this country. It is also where the large gold, iron and nickel mines are located, as well as those of other minerals. The region is in the central part of the island and is considered the geographical center of the Dominican Republic. In addition to the Province of Santiago, the Cibao Region includes the provinces of Monseñor Nouel, Duarte, Espaillat, La Vega, María Trinidad Sanchez, Sanchez Ramírez and Salcedo.
Santiago—The Province
- Territorial extension: 489 kms2.
- Population: 908,250 inhabitants, out of approximately 3 million in the Northern Region.
- Situated in the north-central part of the country, at a distance of 155 kilometers from the city of Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, to which it is connected through a modern highway; and 70 km from Puerto Plata, the main seaport and tourist destination in the Northern Region.
- The province of Santiago consists of a head municipality—Santiago de los Caballeros—and the municipalities of Licey, Tamboril, San Jose de las Matas, Navarrete, Villa Gonzalez and Janico.
- An international airport.
- Bus service is available for urban and inter-urban public transportation
- Four private companies handle local and international communications, and they provide services using state-of-the-art technology.
- Four television channels—two of which broadcast nationwide—a local newspaper, and some hundred radio stations.
- This city is an eminently agricultural and industrial producer, where more than 20% of this country's exports are made, contributing 14% to the Internal Gross Product (IGP).
- There are 11 industrial parks in Santiago—the largest concentration in the country—and the city has been dubbed the tailor city to the United States and the cigar capital of the world.
- The health sector as economic vector, with private and public hospitals offering a broad range of medical services.
Education, Art and Culture
This major city is known for its hard-working and industrious people who appreciate and use the information systems existing in the city to educate themselves and become agents for our country’s development. For this purpose, this city has the following:
- Public and private teaching centers for basic education, universities, and technical instruction centers.
- 9 museums, 6 libraries, a municipal historic archive unique in its genre in this country, 9 theaters, 14 movie-projection rooms, and several exhibit halls.
- The most important cultural center in this country, the Eduardo Leon Jimenes Cultural Center, with diverse Taino collections and art exhibits.
- This is the only city in this country having a Strategic Development Plan, which includes over 40 representatives from public and private institutions.
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