Espaillat Province facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Espaillat
Province
Symbol
Country	Dominican Republic
Development region	Cibao Norte (I)
Capital	Moca
- elevation	188 m (617 ft)
- coordinates	19°23′0″N 70°31′0″W / 19.38333°N 70.51667°W / 19.38333; -70.51667
Highest point	El Mogote
- location	Cordillera Septentrional
- elevation	970 m (3,182 ft)
Lowest point	Atlantic Ocean
- elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Area	843.0 km² (325 sq mi)
Population	333,401 (2014)
Density	395 /km² (1,023 /sq mi)
Province since	1885
Subdivisions	4 municipalities 11 municipal districts
Congresspersons	1 Senator 5 Deputies
Timezone	EST (UTC-4)
Area code	1-809 1-829 1-849
ISO 3166-2	DO-09

Espaillat is a province in the Dominican Republic. It is located in the north-central part of the country, within the Cibao region. The main city and capital of Espaillat is Moca.

This province was officially created in 1885. Before that, it was part of the La Vega province.

Why is it called Espaillat?

The province is named after Ulises Francisco Espaillat. He was the President of the Dominican Republic for a short time in 1876.

Where is Espaillat located?

Espaillat province is surrounded by other provinces and the ocean.

• To the east, it borders the Hermanas Mirabal province.
• To the south, it borders La Vega.
• To the west, it borders the Santiago and Puerto Plata provinces.
• To the northeast, you'll find the María Trinidad Sánchez province.
• To the north, it touches the Atlantic Ocean.

	Puerto Plata	Atlantic Ocean	María Trinidad Sánchez
	Santiago		Hermanas Mirabal
		Espaillat
		La Vega

A brief history of Espaillat

The size and shape of Espaillat province have changed several times over the years. Before it became a province in 1885, its southern part belonged to La Vega province, and its northern part was in Puerto Plata province.

When Espaillat was first created in 1885, it included land that is now part of the Hermanas Mirabal, Duarte, and María Trinidad Sánchez provinces. However, when Duarte province was formed in 1896, Espaillat lost much of its eastern land. Later, in 1945, land north of the Cordillera Septentrional mountains was added to Espaillat.

In 1952, the Salcedo province (now Hermanas Mirabal province) was created. After this, Espaillat province got its current shape. It has land both south and north of the Cordillera Septentrional. At that time, the province had two main areas called municipalities: Moca, which is its capital, and Gaspar Hernández. Later, Cayetano Germosén became a municipality in 1987, and Jamao al Norte in 2001.

The smaller areas within the province, called municipal districts, were added over time:

• 1954: José Contreras
• 1988: San Víctor
• 1993: Joba Arriba
• 1999: Veragua
• 2000: Juan López
• 2001: Las Lagunas
• 2003: El Higüerito, Monte de la Jagua, and La Ortega
• 2004: Canca la Reina
• 2006: Villa Magante

How many people live in Espaillat?

According to the last national census in 2014, there were about 333,401 people living in Espaillat province. About 105,187 of these people lived in towns and cities. This means the province has a high population density, with many people living in each square kilometer.

Espaillat's population makes up about 3.5% of the total population of the Dominican Republic. It is the 12th most populated province out of 31 provinces and the National District.

As of As of 2016^[update], the estimated total population of the province is 237,169 people.

The largest city in the province is Moca, which is the capital. In 2010, about 65,445 people lived in the urban area of Moca.

What is the geography like?

Espaillat province covers a total area of about 843 km² (325.5 sq mi). It is one of the smaller provinces in the country, ranking 27th in size. The city of Moca, the capital, is about 188 m (617 ft) above sea level.

The province has three main geographic areas:

• The Atlantic coastal plains, which are flat areas near the Atlantic Ocean.
• The Cordillera Septentrional, which is a mountain range.
• The Cibao Valley, a fertile valley.

Three important roads pass through Espaillat province. One road runs along the Atlantic coast, connecting places like Puerto Plata to Samaná.

Another road comes from the south, from La Vega province, and turns west towards Santiago de los Caballeros when it reaches Moca. This used to be the main road, but now many people use the "Duarte Highway" which bypasses Moca.

The third road starts in Moca and goes east to other provinces.

Mountains in Espaillat

The Cordillera Septentrional (meaning "Northern mountain chain") runs through the north-central part of the province. The mountains here are not extremely tall. The highest mountain in Espaillat province is called El Mogote. It stands at about 970 m (3,180 ft) above sea level.

Rivers of Espaillat

The province has several short rivers. The most important river that flows into the Atlantic Ocean is the Yásica river. It is the longest river in the province and forms the border with Puerto Plata province. Other important rivers that flow north are the Jamao and Veragua rivers, which are smaller rivers that join the Yásica river.

In the southern part of the province, the rivers are very short. Most of them flow into the Licey river, which is a smaller river that joins the Yuna river. Besides the Licey river, other rivers in the south include the Moca and Bacuí rivers.

Climate

Espaillat province has a tropical climate, which means it is warm for most of the year. However, it can be cooler in the mountain areas.

Cities and towns

Espaillat province has 4 main municipalities and 11 smaller areas called municipal districts. Here are the main municipalities and their districts:

What is the economy like?

The main way people make a living in Espaillat province is through agriculture. Farmers grow important crops like plantain, cassava, coffee, and cacao (which is used to make chocolate!).

Tourism is also a very important activity, especially along the Atlantic coast. There are many hotels in this region that attract visitors.

Related pages

• Provinces of the Dominican Republic

Images for kids

• 

  Iglesia Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, Moca

See also

In Spanish: Provincia de Espaillat para niños