San Pedro de Macorís Province facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Pedro de Macorís |
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| Province | ||
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| Country |  Dominican Republic |
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|---|---|---|
| Development region | Higuamo (IX) | |
| Capital | San Pedro de Macorís | |
| - elevation | 17 m (56 ft) | |
| - coordinates | 18°27′36″N 69°18′36″W / 18.46000°N 69.31000°W | |
| Lowest point | Caribbean Sea | |
| - elevation | 0 m (0 ft) | |
| Area | 1,254.3 km² (484 sq mi) | |
| Population | 392,911 (2014) | |
| Density | 313 /km² (811 /sq mi) | |
| Province since | 1885 | |
| Subdivisions | 6 municipalities 2 municipal districts |
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| Congresspersons | 1 Senator 6 Deputies |
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| Timezone | EST (UTC-4) | |
| Area code | 1-809 1-829 1-849 | |
| ISO 3166-2 | DO-23 | |
San Pedro de Macorís is a province in the southeastern part of the Dominican Republic. Its main city and capital city is also called San Pedro de Macorís. This province is known for its history and important rivers.
Contents
What's in a Name? The Story of San Pedro de Macorís
The province and its main city share the same name. In English, "San Pedro" means "Saint Peter". The word "Macorís" comes from the name of a group of native people. These people lived on the island of Hispaniola long ago. The name Macorís, or Macorix, was given to the river. The city of San Pedro de Macorís was built near this river.
A Look Back: The History of the Province
San Pedro de Macorís started as a special area called a Maritime District. This happened on June 13, 1882. Later, in 1907, the Dominican Constitution changed it into a full province. Before this, it was part of the old Santo Domingo province and the El Seibo province.
When it became a province, it included the municipalities of Macorís (which became San Pedro de Macorís), Ramón Santana, and San José de Los Llanos. Over the years, more towns became municipalities or municipal districts:
- Consuelo became a municipality in 1996.
- Quisqueya became a municipality in 1998.
- Guayacanes became a municipality in 1992.
- El Puerto became a municipal district in 2000.
- Gautier became a municipal district in 2002.
Where is San Pedro de Macorís Located?
The San Pedro de Macorís province is in the southeast of the Dominican Republic.
- To the north, it borders the Hato Mayor and El Seibo provinces.
- To the east, it borders the La Romana province.
- To the west, it borders the Monte Plata and Santo Domingo provinces.
- The Caribbean Sea is to the south of the province.
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Monte Plata | Hato Mayor | El Seibo | |
| Santo Domingo |  |
La Romana | ||
 San Pedro de Macorís province  |
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| Caribbean Sea |
People and Population
In 2014, the last time a national count was done, there were about 392,911 people living in San Pedro de Macorís province. Most of these people, about 244,215, live in towns and cities.
The province has a population density of about 313.3 people per square kilometer. This means it's the 7th most populated province out of 31 in the country.
As of As of 2016[update], the estimated population of the province is around 299,933 people.
The biggest city in the province is San Pedro de Macorís. Its urban population in 2014 was 185,255 people.
The Land and Its Features
The San Pedro de Macorís province covers a total area of about 1,254.3 km2 (484.3 sq mi). This makes it the 18th largest province in the Dominican Republic.
The capital city, San Pedro de Macorís, is about 17 m (56 ft) above sea level.
The province is mostly a flat area called the "Llano Costero del Caribe" (Caribbean Coastal Plain). This plain has many savannas with lots of grass. There are no tall mountains here, only some small hills.
Rivers of the Province
The rivers in this province are not very long, but they carry a lot of water. They start in the mountains to the north and flow south into the Caribbean Sea. The most important rivers are:
- Cumayasa River: This river forms the border with the La Romana Province.
- Soco River: Another important river in the area.
- Higuamo River: The city of San Pedro de Macorís is located at the mouth of this river. It was once called Macorís (or Macoríx) after joining the Casuí river, but that name is not used anymore for the river.
- Casuí River: This river is a tributary (a smaller river that flows into a larger one) of the Higuamo river.
- Brujuelas River: This river forms part of the border with the Monte Plata Province and the Santo Domingo Province. The last 8 kilometres (5.0 miles) of this river flow underground!
Climate: Always Warm and Sunny
The climate in the province is tropical. This means it is hot for most of the year.
How the Province is Divided: Municipalities
The province of San Pedro de Macorís is divided into 6 main areas called municipalities. It also has 2 smaller areas called municipal districts (M.D.).
The municipalities are:
- San Pedro de Macorís
- San José de Los Llanos (which includes the municipal districts of El Puerto and Gautier)
- Ramón Santana
- Consuelo
- Quisqueya
- Guayacanes
What Drives the Economy?
For many centuries, the main economic activity in San Pedro de Macorís was cattle raising. This was because of the many grassy savannas. Cattle raising is still an important activity today.
In the late 1800s, during the war for independence in Cuba, many companies from Cuba and the United States came to the Dominican Republic. They came to grow sugar cane and make sugar. San Pedro de Macorís became the province with the most sugar cane factories. The port of San Pedro de Macorís also became one of the most important ports in the country.
In the city of San Pedro de Macorís, manufacturing is also important. This includes making cement and rum. There are also many industries in the Zona Franca (which means "free zone"). In these zones, industries don't pay taxes, and all the products they make are sent to other countries.
In the Guayacanes municipality, tourism is a big part of the economy. There are many hotels near the beaches, especially around Juan Dolio beach.
Images for kids
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Women in Consuelo, San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic
See also
In Spanish: Provincia de San Pedro de Macorís para niños
