Bajos de Haina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bajos de Haina
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 Bajos de Haina
Location in the Dominican Republic
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| Country |  Dominican Republic |
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| Province | San Cristóbal | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 38.49 km2 (14.86 sq mi) | |
| Population
(2012)
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| • Total | 158,985 | |
| • Density | 4,130.6/km2 (10,698.1/sq mi) | |
| • Urban | 79,856 | |
| Municipal Districts | 1 |
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Bajos de Haina, often just called Haina, is a town and a special area (municipality) in the Dominican Republic. It's located in the San Cristóbal Province. Haina is very close to the capital city, Santo Domingo, and is considered part of its larger city area.
History of Haina
Long ago, a man named Miguel Díaz came to Haina. He had heard stories about gold in the area. He found a lot of gold on the western side of the Haina River.
When Christopher Columbus and his brother Bartholomew heard about this, they sent Bartholomew to check. He confirmed there was gold. So, they built a fort called San Cristóbal. This fort helped protect the soldiers who were looking for gold.
In 1502, a very large piece of gold was found near the Haina River. It was sent to Spain, but the ship carrying it sank.
More recently, Haina has become known for its fast-growing economy. Many people find jobs here. There is a large refinery and a special "duty-free zone." These places are very important for jobs in the whole San Cristóbal Province.
Environmental Cleanup
For many years, Bajos de Haina faced a big problem with pollution. The air and soil had high levels of lead. This was mainly because of a factory that used to recycle car batteries. The factory moved, but the lead pollution remained.
In 2006, an environmental group called the Blacksmith Institute listed Bajos de Haina as one of the most polluted places on Earth. This was a serious issue for the people living there.
However, good news came! Between 2008 and 2009, the Blacksmith Institute helped clean up the area. They removed over 6,000 cubic meters of polluted soil. This land was then turned into a local park.
After the cleanup, the lead levels in people's blood dropped a lot. They are now at safe levels. Because of this great effort, Haina is no longer on the list of the world's most polluted places.
Famous YouTubers MrBeast and Mark Rober also visited Haina as part of their Team Seas project. They helped clean up trash from the beach. They also worked to find better ways to handle waste in the area.
See also
In Spanish: Bajos de Haina para niños
