San Francisco de Macorís

Place in Duarte, Dominican Republic

San Francisco de Macorís

Town hall and city at night

Seal

San Francisco de Macorís

Coordinates: 19°18′0″N 70°15′0″W﻿ / ﻿19.30000°N 70.25000°W﻿ / 19.30000; -70.25000
Country| Dominican Republic
Province| Duarte
Founded| 20 September 1778[1]
Municipality since| 1844
Area

[2]

• Total| 727.15 km2 (280.75 sq mi)
Elevation

[3]

| 110 m (360 ft)
Population

(2010)[4]

• Total| 188,118
• Density| 260/km2 (670/sq mi)
• Demonym

| Francomacorisano(a)
Municipal Districts| 4

San Francisco de Macorís is a city in the Dominican Republic located in the northeast portion of the island, in the Cibao region. It is the capital of the Duarte Province and the sixth most populated city in the country.[5] The name San Francisco de Macorís comes from a combination of the name of Saint Francis, patron saint of the Franciscan Order (a religious organization from Italy that had come to this territory during colonization) and the territory's old name, which is Macorix.

The city is known as the Land of Cacao ("Tierra del Cacao").[citation needed] It the location of the area in the world where the greatest amount of organic cocoa is produced, which in turn makes the Dominican Republic the biggest producer and exporter nation of this product.[6] It also makes the Dominican Republic the 10th biggest producer of chocolate cacao beans in the world.[7]

## History[edit]

People in San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic.

A city was founded near San Francisco de Macorís in 1497. After La Vega was founded, Cotuí was later established in 1505 in a place rich in gold. For centuries what is now San Francisco de Macorís and the Duarte Province was rural outskirts of La Vega and Cotuí respectively. By the beginning of the 18th century, foreign investment from Europeans created a market for the production of cocoa, allowing the locals to gain a new source of income apart from livestock. It was the cocoa market that allowed the community around the Santa Ana monastery to become San Francisco de Macorís. However, it was not until the 1760s that the province gained a monopoly on the cocoa industry or managing to become a town for European travelers to stop by.

City park

The Villa of Santa Ana of San Francisco de Macorís, also previously called Hato Grande, was named this until it was owned by Francisco Ravelo Polanco, Provincial Mayor of the Santa Hermandad of Santiago de los Caballeros,[8][9] and later the tradition points out to Juan de Alvarado and the families Tejada and De Jesus as the owners of the land and donors of the territorial area for the purpose of its foundation in 1778.[10]

In 1795, the Treaty of Basel was ratified, ceding to France the Spanish territory of Hispaniola. France took over the Spanish side in 1801, and under its administration San Francisco de Macorís became a parish with self-government. The official minutes of the city date back to 1811.

City bank

On October 2, 1896, Ulises Heureaux reorganized the city of San Francisco de Macorís under the Provincial District "Pacificador" (Peacemaker). At that time it was assigned as common to Cantonal Position of Matanzas, Section Monte Abajo, Villa Riva, Canton Castillo, among others.

District Pacificador's name lasted until July 26, 1926, when the Dominican Congress changed its name to Duarte Province, presently used.

On 20 May 1963 the city council approved the renaming of the main streets of San Francisco de Macorís at the request of the Foundation Heroes of Constanza, Maimon and Estero Hondo.

## Geography[edit]

View of San Francisco de Macoris Dominican Republic.

The city of San Francisco de Macorís is located in the North Region of the Dominican Republic (Cibao Region) between the Septentrional Mountain Range at the north and the Cibao Valley at the southern part. San Francisco de Macorís has hills to the north which provide a great view of the city during evening hours. The Jaya River is prominent on the western part of town.

### Relief[edit]

The relief of Duarte Province ranges from 17 to 942 metres (56 to 3,091 ft) above sea level, reaching its highest elevation at "Loma Quita Espuela". This name allegedly comes from the time when the Spaniards were exploring the island, since the hill was too steep to ride their horses, they had to dismount and remove their spurs and undertake the ascent on foot. There are two main geologic regions: the north slope of the Cordillera Septentrional and the rough topography of the Delta del Yuna.

On the southern slope of the Cibao Valley in the Yuna Subregion (Easter Cibao), we will find alluvial fans, in combination with deposit hollows, hill areas and platforms, and also alluvial soils into the channels of the flows of the rivers Camú and Yuna.

Two faults go through the Duarte Province from east to west. This tectonic deformations are the Septentrional fault, that touches the towns of Arenoso, Castillo and San Francisco de Macorís and the Cibao fault passing through the towns of Las Guaranas, Castillo, Villa Riva Pimentel. The Septentrional fault is located in the northern part of the province while the Cibao fault is located in the southern part of it.

### Geomorphology[edit]

The Yuna River Delta is part of the Cibao Valley, and most of these areas are located a few metres above sea level and therefore wetlands abound. Its main rivers are the Great Yuna and Caño Estero, which are the natural drainage of these lands in the province of Maria Trinidad Sanchez. The area consists mainly of swamps with silt and clay, and also large areas of peat deposits. By the rivers are alluvial deposits.

The Eastern Cibao Valley (also part of the Cibao Valle) is divided into the provinces of Santiago, Espaillat, Sánchez Ramírez, Sánchez and Duarte, the latter having a higher percentage (about 50%). All cities in this province are rooted in this valley except the city of Arenoso. The floodplains of the Yuna River system occupy a narrow strip on the south side of the valley and there is also a narrow chain of hills, probably middle Miocene limestones, adjacent to the north mountain range. For this province the valley also has marine lacustrine deposits of clay, basically of two kinds: a limestone and other non-calcareous.

The Haitises consist of a karst platform, which is composed of hard limestone from the Oligocene-Miocene. The highest elevations are generally 200 to 250 metres (656 to 820 ft)tall. The Payabo River crosses the region by a narrow channel filled with alluvial deposits.

The Northern Range is a mountain range of sedimentary rocks and highly faulted and folded fobáceas. In this province the Northern Range reaches heights of 942 metres (3,091 ft) (Quita Espuela); near San Francisco de Macorís the ridge height is slightly below 300 metres (984 ft). It presents some mudstone, limestone and Miocene and Eocene oligocénicos. To the south of Gaspar Hernandez and reaching the Nagua River there is a very complex area with rugged hills of limestone, and tuff, probably with other volcanic and metamorphic rocks, mainly of Upper Cretaceous.

### Hydrography[edit]

There are many rivers and streams in the Duarte Province, the most important ones being the Camú River, the Yuna River and their tributaries (Jaya, Cuaba, Nigua, Payabo, among others). The Yuna River and Camú River constitute important sources of water, both for drinking and for irrigation.

### Physiography and environment[edit]

Environmental pollution in Duarte Province is the product of several elements, such as the poor state of latrines, untreated sewage, overflow of streams, indiscriminate use of agrochemicals, backwaters and installation of pigsties on the banks of rivers, and waste from some factories in the province that is thrown into rivers.

Soil erosion from deforestation also affects the environment of the Duarte Province. Similarly, the smoke from factories and from burning trash, specifically in the municipality of San Francisco de Macorís, is affecting its inhabitants.

### Climate[edit]

Temperatures fluctuate between 17 and 32 °C (63 and 90 °F), with cooler temperatures affected by rainfall. It is largely an isolated paradise since much of the territory is unaffected by hurricanes or extremely hot weather. Occasional floods can occur due to a rainy season which manifests itself mostly during the month of May.

Climate data for San Francisco de Macorís (1961–1990)

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °C (°F)  | 37.2
(99.0)  | 35.0
(95.0)  | 36.5
(97.7)  | 37.4
(99.3)  | 37.5
(99.5)  | 37.5
(99.5)  | 38.0
(100.4)  | 38.5
(101.3)  | 39.5
(103.1)  | 39.6
(103.3)  | 38.5
(101.3)  | 39.5
(103.1)  | 39.6
(103.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)  | 28.3
(82.9)  | 28.7
(83.7)  | 29.6
(85.3)  | 30.5
(86.9)  | 30.9
(87.6)  | 31.7
(89.1)  | 31.9
(89.4)  | 32.0
(89.6)  | 32.2
(90.0)  | 31.9
(89.4)  | 29.9
(85.8)  | 28.6
(83.5)  | 30.5
(86.9)
Daily mean °C (°F)  | 23.0
(73.4)  | 23.1
(73.6)  | 23.6
(74.5)  | 24.6
(76.3)  | 25.4
(77.7)  | 26.2
(79.2)  | 26.3
(79.3)  | 26.3
(79.3)  | 26.4
(79.5)  | 26.0
(78.8)  | 24.7
(76.5)  | 23.5
(74.3)  | 24.9
(76.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)  | 17.7
(63.9)  | 17.4
(63.3)  | 17.7
(63.9)  | 18.7
(65.7)  | 20.0
(68.0)  | 20.6
(69.1)  | 20.8
(69.4)  | 20.6
(69.1)  | 20.5
(68.9)  | 20.1
(68.2)  | 19.4
(66.9)  | 18.4
(65.1)  | 19.3
(66.8)
Record low °C (°F)  | 12.2
(54.0)  | 12.0
(53.6)  | 10.2
(50.4)  | 12.3
(54.1)  | 14.0
(57.2)  | 16.0
(60.8)  | 12.9
(55.2)  | 16.0
(60.8)  | 16.4
(61.5)  | 16.4
(61.5)  | 15.0
(59.0)  | 12.7
(54.9)  | 10.2
(50.4)
Average rainfall mm (inches)  | 82.1
(3.23)  | 72.8
(2.87)  | 64.6
(2.54)  | 97.2
(3.83)  | 192.6
(7.58)  | 115.8
(4.56)  | 125.8
(4.95)  | 163.2
(6.43)  | 121.8
(4.80)  | 128.1
(5.04)  | 173.6
(6.83)  | 110.4
(4.35)  | 1,448
(57.01)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 8.8  | 7.2  | 8.2  | 8.0  | 12.6  | 9.7  | 12.2  | 12.0  | 9.5  | 9.9  | 12.6  | 11.0  | 121.7
Source: NOAA[11]

## Places of interest[edit]

* Estadio Julian Javier
* Casa del Morris Quezada
* Parque Duarte
* Catedral de Santa ana

## The municipal building[edit]

City hall of San Francisco de Macorís

The city hall of San Francisco de Macorís is the headquarters of the city council and city mayor.

## Santa Ana Cathedral[edit]

Santa Ana Cathedral

The Santa Ana Cathedral is a mixture of Gothic and modern architecture. It covers a complete city block, bound in the north by Santa Ana Street, in the south by Colon Street, on the west by Papi Olivier Street and on the east by Restauracion Street. The Santa Ana Cathedral is the headquarters of Obispo de la Diócesis de San Francisco and home to the humanist Monseñor Jesús María de Jesús Moya.

## Communications[edit]

San Francisco de Macorís has several radio stations and publications. Its longest-running newspaper is El Jaya, which was founded on November 20, 1985. Its director and founder is the journalist Adriano Cruz Marte.

## Notable residents[edit]

* José Rafael Molina Ureña, 44th President of the Republic, 1965
* Francisco Garcia, basketball player for the Sacramento Kings
* Julián Javier, baseball player
* Stan Javier, baseball player
* Eladio Romero Santos, music producer and singer
* Marino Vinicio Castillo, lawyer
* Hilma Contreras, writer
* Jackeline Estevez, singer
* Victor Martinez, professional bodybuilder
* Don Miguelo, singer and writer
* Richard Ureña, baseball player
* Hanser Alberto, professional baseball player who most recently played for the Chicago White Sox
* Luis Kalaf, composer, musician
* Elio Rojas, world champion boxer
* Joel Almonó, priest, director of the Grace Episcopal Church in Lawrence, Massachusetts
* Marco Luciano, baseball player
* Johan Rojas, professional baseball player

## References[edit]

1. ^ González Hernández, Julio Amable (August 16, 2008). "Familias de pueblos: San Francisco de Macorís". Cápsulas Genealógicas en Areíto: Sección Sabatina del diario "Hoy" (in Spanish). Instituto Dominicano de Genealogía. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
2. ^ Superficies a nivel de municipios, Oficina Nacional de Estadistica Archived April 17, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
3. ^ De la Fuente, Santiago (1976). Geografía Dominicana (in Spanish). Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: Editora Colegial Quisqueyana.
4. ^ Censo 2012 de Población y Vivienda, Oficina Nacional de Estadistica
5. ^ "Expansión Urbana de las ciudades capitales de RD: 1988-2010" (in Spanish). Santo Domingo: Oficina Nacional de Estadística. May 1, 2015. ISBN 978-9945-8984-3-9. Archived from the original on July 14, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
6. ^ "Provincia Duarte: "Capital mundial"del cacao orgánico"".
7. ^ "Top 10 Cocoa Producing Countries".
8. ^ "La Historia de la Parroquia Santa Ana (2da Parte)". ElJaya.
9. ^ Hernandez Gonzalez, Manuel Vicente. "Expansion fundacional y desarrollo en el norte dominicano (1680–1795) (p. 154)".
10. ^ "Historia de San Francisco de Macorís". Archived from the original on October 11, 2012.
11. ^ "S. F. Macoris Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 19, 2016.

## External links[edit]

* Media related to San Francisco de Macorís (Duarte) at Wikimedia Commons

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Provincial capitals of the Dominican Republic

* Azua
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* Monte Cristi
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* Nagua
* Neiba
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* Sabaneta
* Salcedo
* Samaná
* San Cristóbal
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* San Pedro de Macorís
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Municipalities of the Dominican Republic

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Baoruco|

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Barahona|

* Cabral
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Dajabón|

* Dajabón
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Distrito Nacional|

See: Sectors

Duarte|

* Arenoso
* Castillo
* Eugenio María de Hostos
* Las Guáranas
* Pimentel
* San Francisco de Macorís
* Villa Riva

Elías Piña|

* Bánica
* Comendador
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* Juan Santiago
* Pedro Santana

El Seibo|

* Miches
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Espaillat|

* Cayetano Germosén
* Gaspar Hernández
* Jamao al Norte
* Moca
* San Víctor

Hato Mayor|

* El Valle
* Hato Mayor del Rey
* Sabana de la Mar

Hermanas Mirabal|

* Salcedo
* Tenares
* Villa Tapia

Independencia|

* Cristóbal
* Duvergé
* Jimaní
* La Descubierta
* Mella
* Postrer Río

La Altagracia|

* Higüey
* San Rafael del Yuma

La Romana|

* Guaymate
* La Romana
* Villa Hermosa

La Vega|

* Concepción de la Vega
* Constanza
* Jarabacoa
* Jima Abajo

María Trinidad Sánchez|

* Cabrera
* El Factor
* Río San Juan
* Nagua

Monseñor Nouel|

* Bonao
* Maimón
* Piedra Blanca

Monte Cristi|

* Castañuelas
* Guayubín
* Las Matas de Santa Cruz
* Pepillo Salcedo
* San Fernando de Monte Cristi
* Villa Vásquez

Monte Plata|

* Peralvillo
* Sabana Grande de Boyá
* Yamasá
* Bayaguana
* Monte Plata

Pedernales|

* Oviedo
* Pedernales

Puerto Plata|

* Altamira
* Guananico
* Imbert
* Los Hidalgos
* Luperón
* San Felipe de Puerto Plata
* Sosúa
* Villa Isabela
* Villa Montellano

Peravia|

* Baní
* Matanzas
* Nizao

Samaná|

* Las Terrenas
* Santa Bárbara de Samaná
* Sánchez

San Cristóbal|

* Bajos de Haina
* San Cristóbal
* Cambita Garabitos
* Los Cacaos
* Sabana Grande de Palenque
* San Gregorio de Nigua
* San Gregorio de Yaguate
* Villa Altagracia

San José de Ocoa|

* Rancho Arriba
* Sabana Larga
* San José de Ocoa

San Juan|

* Bohechío
* El Cercado
* Juan de Herrera
* Las Matas de Farfán
* San Juan de la Maguana
* Vallejuelo

San Pedro de Macorís|

* Consuelo
* Guayacanes
* Quisqueya
* Ramón Santana
* San José de los Llanos
* San Pedro de Macorís

Sánchez Ramírez|

* Cevicos
* Cotuí
* Fantino
* La Mata

Santiago|

* Baitoa
* Jánico
* Licey al Medio
* Puñal
* Sabana Iglesia
* San José de las Matas
* Santiago de los Caballeros
* Tamboril
* Bisonó
* Villa González

Santiago Rodríguez|

* San Ignacio de Sabaneta
* Monción
* Villa Los Almácigos

Santo Domingo|

* Los Alcarrizos
* Boca Chica
* Pedro Brand
* San Antonio de Guerra
* Santo Domingo Este
* Santo Domingo Norte
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Valverde|

* Esperanza
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* Santa Cruz de Mao

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