Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic, being one of the most important cities in the area, but also the most relevant in the entire Caribbean.
It has a very modern design, and is usually a very dynamic metropolis, so it stands out in the middle of all Latin America. It has many sites of value to visit:
- Shopping centers.
- Art exhibition.
- Restaurants.
- Historic architecture, etc.
The history of its country is printed in its capital, especially when we refer to the Colonial City, which since 1990 has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Geographical location of Santo Domingo
The Dominican capital is located as follows:
- North: Monte Plata province.
- East: San Pedro de Macorís province.
- South: Caribbean Sea.
- West: San Cristóbal province.
This capital is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and the Ozama River, and is located on the southern coast of the popular Española. More than a beautiful view, this position has favored its economic and commercial growth.
Time in Santo Domingo
The climate of the capital is monsoon, without much heat thanks to the trade winds, which could change due to global climate change. The experience leads us to conclude the following:
- December and January: colder months.
- July, August, and September: warmer months.
- November and March: cool temperature.
The most common temperature in the area is between –18 °C and 25 °C. The coolness is largely due to its proximity to the sea. As for the rain, it is very common, with an average of 1445 mm of precipitation per year.
In this sense, the Dominican Republic and especially the capital, are a good tourist destination, almost any date. If we add the cultural and historical value, it should be a metropolis that you should visit at least once in your life.
Capital economy
It has a gross domestic product of $90 billion. And at the national level, it is the most important, outstanding area, even in the middle of other countries. We must highlight:
- It is a city with a lot of economic stability.
- It is the destination of many international entrepreneurs.
- Its port (Puerto Santo Domingo) is very relevant.
- They have privatized the telecommunications system, which has allowed it to be one of the most modern. The same government strives to be up-to-date with Government Information Technology.
All this growth has allowed the construction of towers, highways, and much more. It is a mixed area, with poor people and others with a lot of money.
Education in Santo Domingo
There are many study centers in the Dominican capital, but the one that stands out the most is the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, as it is public, and the only one of its kind in the entire Dominican Republic.
They also have the following:
- PUCMM.
- INTEC.
- UNIBE.
- UNPHU.
- UNAPEC.
- UCSD.
- UFHEC.
- UTESA.
- ITLA.
- INFOTEP.
- ITSC.
- INCE.
- INAP.
- ITESA.
- UNAD.
- UAPA.
- UTE.
- UNICARIBE.
- UNIREMOS.
- UNICDA.
- UNICA.
- UNNATEC.
- UOD.
- O&M.
- UPID.
- UNEV.
- ADSD.
Tourism in Santo Domingo
There are many places to enjoy the capital, however, we will share some of the most relevant, not only in Santo Domingo, but also with national impact.
Parks
The following parks are available in Santo Domingo, and are usually the most visited in the area that surrounds it.
- Enriquillo.
- Mirador Sur, one of the best places in the southeast.
- Mirador del Norte.
- Independencia.
- Colón.
- Iberoamérica
- National Zoo.
- El Metropolitano – Las Praderas.
- Parque Núñez de Cáceres.
You can also visit the following parks that stand out for their natural beauty:
- Malecón.
- National Botanical Garden
- Barrio Chino de Santo Domingo
But if you prefer another type of entertainment, and add knowledge, the best places for you are the museums.
Museums
The Colonial Center has the largest number of museums in the area. This type of place houses a large amount of interesting history. Among them, we can mention the following:
- Alcázar de Colón Museum.
- Bellapart Museum.
- Naval Museum of the Atarazanas.
- Casas Reales Museum.
- Duarte Museum.
- Natural History Museum.
- Museum of the Dominican Man.
- Amber World Museum.
- Modern Art Museum.
- National Museum of History and Geography.
Monuments
If you want to visit monuments in the area, we recommend that you can direct yourself to the following spaces:
- El Conde Street.
- Misericordia Gate.
- Culture Plaza.
- Santa María La Menor Cathedral.
- Alcázar de Colón.
- Antonio de Montesinos statue.
- Malecón Obelisk.
- Mirador Sur Park.
- 27th February Boulevard.
- Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center.
They are not the only ones, but some of the most important, and their value was awarded by the history behind each area. We recommend reading that history before visiting these places as tourists.
Population of Santo Domingo
The population of the capital is mixed, has many Haitian immigrants, as it is easier to find work than in the rest of the cities in the country.
There are also many Asians, where the majority are Chinese, although there are also Arabs, and some Europeans (Spain and Italy).
There are 4.2 million people registered in Santo Domingo, a very high number compared to the rest of the country.
Of that number:
- 5% are from high strata.
- 20% are middle class.
- 75% consider themselves from low strata.
These figures may change over time, so they are not 100% accurate, and the goal is to reduce poverty, through the generation of opportunities.
Curiosities of Santo Domingo
To conclude, we share some curiosities of the Dominican capital, they are interesting data that convince us more and more of the importance of the capital in Latin American history.
- It was the first Spanish settlement in the colonial era.
- It is very sensitive to hurricanes, in 1502 it was destroyed by one.
- The Autonomous University of Santo Domingo was the first in all of America.
- Its Columbus Lighthouse began construction in 1930 and was completed 62 years later in 1992.
- The first cathedral and hospital in America, were also built in Santo Domingo.
If you delve into the history of the Dominican Republic, you will find many more curiosities, as historically it is a zone with much relevance.
