San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
San Cristóbal
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View of San Cristóbal
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| Nickname(s):
Cuna de la Constitución, Provincia Benemérita
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 San Cristóbal
Location in the Dominican Republic
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| Country |  Dominican Republic |
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| Province | San Cristóbal | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 226.52 km2 (87.46 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 33 m (108 ft) | |
| Population
(2012)
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| • Total | 275,232 | |
| • Density | 1,215.045/km2 (3,146.95/sq mi) | |
| • Demonym | Sancristobalense(s) | |
| Municipal Districts | 1 | |
| Distance to – Santo Domingo |
26 km (16 mi) |
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| Website | San Cristóbal website | |
San Cristóbal is an important city in the southern part of the Dominican Republic. It is the main city, or capital, of the San Cristóbal province. The city sits in a valley at the base of the Cordillera Central mountains. It is located between the Nigua and Nizao rivers. This area also includes one special local district called Hato Damas.
San Cristóbal was founded a long time ago, in the late 1500s. A very important event happened here in 1844: the Constitution of the Dominican Republic was signed in San Cristóbal. The city is also known as the birthplace of Rafael Trujillo. He was a powerful leader who ruled the country from 1930 to 1961. He was killed on his way to San Cristóbal in 1961, which ended his long rule.
Contents
History of San Cristóbal
The first explorations in the San Cristóbal area happened when Christopher Columbus made his second trip in 1493. During the time when Spain ruled Hispaniola, there were many farms and ranches in the area known as Partido de los Ingenios de Nigua, which is now San Cristóbal.
The town's beginning is often linked to a person named Miguel Díaz. He was running away from trouble in "La Isabela," the first city built by Columbus in America. Miguel Díaz settled in this new place and married a local woman named Catalina. Legend says Catalina told him about a place where gold could be found. Díaz then went back to La Isabela to tell the Spanish leaders about his discovery.
After confirming there was gold near the Haina River, the Spanish decided to build a settlement. They set up a fort called Buenaventura, which was later renamed San Cristóbal. This name honored Christopher Columbus. Between the Haina and Nigua rivers, many farms, ranches, and sugar mills grew. This helped the area develop a lot. The region was first called Partido de los Ingenios de Nigua. In 1782, it became a parish. The San Gregorio de Nigua Church was built as the main church and is one of the oldest buildings still standing in San Cristóbal.
Rafael Trujillo, who was a very strong leader from 1930 to 1961, was born in San Cristóbal in 1891. He owned several properties in the city, including:
- El Castillo El Cerro
- La Casa de Playa de Najayo, also known as Casa de Marfil
- La Hacienda María, or Casa Blanca
- La Casa de Caoba (which was his favorite home)
All these buildings still exist today, though some are not in good condition. Trujillo also built many monuments in his hometown. These include Balneario La Toma and Parque Piedras Vivas. He ordered Parque Piedras Vivas to be built from rocks and stones collected from every city in the Dominican Republic. This was done to honor himself, which is why it's called "Living Stones" park.
Geography and Location
San Cristóbal is located about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Santo Domingo on the DR-2 highway. It is also close to Bajos de Haina. The city is near the coast of the Caribbean Sea. As you travel further inland towards the Cordillera Central mountain range, the land becomes quite hilly.
Climate in San Cristóbal
San Cristóbal has a tropical monsoon climate. This means it has hot weather all year round. It also gets a lot of rain from May to November. During these months, there is a higher risk of hurricanes.
| Climate data for San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic (1961-1990) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.6 (85.3) |
29.8 (85.6) |
30.6 (87.1) |
31.3 (88.3) |
31.3 (88.3) |
31.6 (88.9) |
32.2 (90.0) |
32.4 (90.3) |
32.4 (90.3) |
31.9 (89.4) |
31.1 (88.0) |
29.9 (85.8) |
31.2 (88.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 24.3 (75.7) |
24.4 (75.9) |
25.0 (77.0) |
25.9 (78.6) |
26.4 (79.5) |
26.9 (80.4) |
27.4 (81.3) |
27.4 (81.3) |
27.2 (81.0) |
26.8 (80.2) |
25.9 (78.6) |
24.8 (76.6) |
26.0 (78.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.1 (66.4) |
19.0 (66.2) |
19.5 (67.1) |
20.5 (68.9) |
21.4 (70.5) |
22.2 (72.0) |
22.6 (72.7) |
22.4 (72.3) |
21.9 (71.4) |
21.6 (70.9) |
20.8 (69.4) |
19.7 (67.5) |
20.9 (69.6) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 60.9 (2.40) |
51.1 (2.01) |
52.9 (2.08) |
72.4 (2.85) |
218.1 (8.59) |
214.8 (8.46) |
148.3 (5.84) |
202.5 (7.97) |
187.5 (7.38) |
210.5 (8.29) |
111.6 (4.39) |
68.8 (2.71) |
1,599.4 (62.97) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 6.8 | 5.9 | 6.9 | 7.5 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.3 | 11.9 | 11.2 | 12.8 | 9.1 | 8.1 | 117.6 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 76.3 | 75.1 | 72.6 | 71.9 | 76.9 | 78.2 | 76.2 | 76.7 | 77.3 | 79.5 | 77.5 | 77.0 | 76.3 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Economy and Industries
San Cristóbal has many job opportunities. Companies like Goya Foods have offices here. Other important factories include Nestlé (Maggi products), Sancela Family group, and a glass industrial park. There are also plants for pipes, tropical products (like Coco López), and marble.
Because San Cristóbal is close to Santo Domingo, many people also travel to the capital city for work. They also work in nearby towns like Bajo de Haina and Nigua. New businesses are opening on the main streets and avenues of San Cristóbal.
The city's economy is strong because it's the main city in the southern region and the fifth largest in the country. Key activities include manufacturing in San Cristóbal and nearby free zones. There is also some small-scale farming, like citrus fruits, coffee in the mountains, and onions. Port activities in Bajo de Haina and Palenque are also important.
San Cristóbal is a popular place for tourists, especially people from other parts of the Dominican Republic. Popular spots include the beaches of Najayo and Palenque. Other attractions are El Balnearios de La Toma, the Pomier Caves, and the Haina and Nizao rivers.
The city also has excellent telecommunication services. It offers services from the country's main phone companies. Various cable and satellite television companies also operate here.
Education in San Cristóbal
San Cristóbal has a total of 72 schools and 92 school boards. Educational District 04-03 manages 56 basic schools, 10 middle schools, and 6 adult education centers. It also has an early childhood education center and a special department for young children.
Many high school students attend Liceo Enedina Puello Renville. This school is located in the Madre Vieja Sur area. It has over 1500 students who attend classes in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
San Cristóbal offers many educational centers for all levels. These include the UASD San Cristóbal (also called CURSCEN) and the Loyola Polytechnic Institute. Loyola offers technical engineering degrees like Network and Telecommunications Engineering. It also has Industrial, Electrical, and Agricultural Engineering programs. Other schools include Loyola Cooperative School, Francisco José Peynado Polytechnic Institute, and Santa Rita School.
Many young people from San Cristóbal choose to study in Santo Domingo. This is because Santo Domingo offers more study options and is very close. The city also has a technical training center called INFOTEP. It provides professional training, sometimes using the facilities at the Loyola Polytechnic Institute.
Notable Residents
Many famous people have come from San Cristóbal.
Military and Politics
- Antonio Duvergé: A Dominican general who fought in the Dominican War of Independence.
- Temístocles Montás: A former president of the Dominican Liberation Party.
- Rafael Leonidas Trujillo: A powerful Dominican leader who ruled the country from 1930 to 1961.
Music
- Jochy Hernandez: A famous Merengue singer.
Sports
- Miguel Andújar: A third baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Major League Baseball (MLB).
- Santiago Casilla: A former MLB relief pitcher.
- José Guillén: A former MLB outfielder.
- Francisco Liriano: A former MLB pitcher.
- Rigoberto Mendoza: A professional basketball player.
- Raúl Mondesí: A former MLB outfielder and former mayor of San Cristóbal.
- Hector Neris: An MLB relief pitcher.
- Iván Nova: A pitcher for the SSG Landers in the KBO League.
- Michael Pineda: An MLB pitcher.
- Al Reyes: A former MLB pitcher.
- José Rijo: A former MLB pitcher.
- Sixto Sánchez: A pitcher in the Miami Marlins organization.
- Ervin Santana: A former MLB pitcher.
- Pedro Strop: An MLB pitcher.
Sites of Interest
- Diego Caballero Sugar Mill
- La Toma de San Cristóbal
- Pomier Caves
- Parque Piedras Vivas
- Playa Palenque
- Playa Najayo
- Ingenio CAEI
- Fuerte Resoli
Sectors of San Cristóbal
- 5 de abril
- Canastica
- El Pomier
- Hatillo
- La Cruz
- La Guandulera
- La Suiza
- La Toma
- Las Flores
- Lava Pies
- Los Cacaitos
- Los Molinas
- Los Montones
- Los Corozos
- Zona verde
- Los Novas
- Madre Vieja Norte
- Madre Vieja Sur
- Medina
- Moscú
- Pueblo Nuevo
- Sabana Toro
- Villa Fundación
- Villa Liberación
- Villa Valdez
- Zona Verde
- Mira Cielo
- Villa Mercedes
- Las Arecas
- Villa Liberación
- Najayo Arriba
- Yaguate
- Cambita
- Doña Ana
- Hatillo
- Nicole
- San Isidro
- Nigua
- Frank Reyna
See also
In Spanish: San Cristóbal (República Dominicana) para niños
