Villa Vásquez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Villa Vásquez
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 Villa Vásquez
Location in the Dominican Republic
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| Country |  Dominican Republic |
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| Province | Monte Cristi | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 229.86 km2 (88.75 sq mi) | |
| Population
(2012)
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| • Total | 15,245 | |
| • Density | 66.323/km2 (171.776/sq mi) | |
| Municipal Districts | 0 |
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Villa Vásquez is a town located in the Monte Cristi province of the Dominican Republic. It is known for its active economy, especially in farming and raising animals. This town has changed its name many times over the years, often because of political events.
Contents
Population
In 2002, the town of Villa Vásquez had about 20,784 people living there. This means there were about 64 people for every square kilometer of land.
History of Villa Vásquez
The town was once known as Santa Ana. Later, it was named Villa Vásquez to honor Horacio Vásquez, who was an important political leader.
In 1935, a law changed its name to Demetrio Rodriguez. This was to honor Juan Gomez. Just two years later, in 1937, another law changed the name again to Villa Isabel. This name honored a major landowner who was close to the dictator Rafael Trujillo.
In 1938, Villa Isabel became a Municipality of Montecristi. Then, in 1960, it was called Peña Villa Lucas Evangelista. Finally, in 1962, it was named Villa Vásquez again, which is what it is called today. The town of Villa Vásquez was officially formed in January 1939.
Finnish Community in Villa Vásquez
From 1929 to 1932, a group of people from Finland tried to create a special community here. They called it Viljavakka. At its busiest, about 140 people lived there. Most of them came from cities like Vyborg and Vaasa in Finland.
They planned to grow rice, but most of the people were not farmers. Growing rice in the Caribbean was also very hard. By 1932, most of them had either gone back home or moved to other parts of the Dominican Republic.
Geography
The area of Villa Vásquez is about 222.88 square kilometers. It is divided into three main parts and has 17 smaller areas called townships.
Climate
| Climate data for Villa Vásquez (1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 37.5 (99.5) |
39.5 (103.1) |
39.1 (102.4) |
40.6 (105.1) |
39.9 (103.8) |
40.0 (104.0) |
40.0 (104.0) |
39.2 (102.6) |
40.6 (105.1) |
40.3 (104.5) |
38.5 (101.3) |
38.0 (100.4) |
40.6 (105.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.7 (87.3) |
31.5 (88.7) |
32.5 (90.5) |
32.6 (90.7) |
33.7 (92.7) |
34.7 (94.5) |
35.1 (95.2) |
35.2 (95.4) |
35.0 (95.0) |
34.2 (93.6) |
31.9 (89.4) |
30.6 (87.1) |
33.1 (91.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.3 (66.7) |
19.6 (67.3) |
20.1 (68.2) |
20.6 (69.1) |
21.6 (70.9) |
22.5 (72.5) |
22.7 (72.9) |
22.9 (73.2) |
22.4 (72.3) |
21.9 (71.4) |
20.5 (68.9) |
19.2 (66.6) |
21.1 (70.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 11.0 (51.8) |
13.3 (55.9) |
14.0 (57.2) |
13.5 (56.3) |
15.5 (59.9) |
16.8 (62.2) |
17.0 (62.6) |
17.0 (62.6) |
18.0 (64.4) |
18.0 (64.4) |
10.0 (50.0) |
13.9 (57.0) |
10.0 (50.0) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 45.2 (1.78) |
36.9 (1.45) |
39.2 (1.54) |
49.1 (1.93) |
81.2 (3.20) |
67.3 (2.65) |
41.2 (1.62) |
48.8 (1.92) |
54.9 (2.16) |
71.0 (2.80) |
90.3 (3.56) |
62.2 (2.45) |
687.3 (27.06) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 3.7 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 3.8 | 6.2 | 6.1 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 4.8 | 55.6 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Education and Health
Villa Vásquez has 23 schools with 85 classrooms. These schools teach students from early levels through primary and secondary grades.
For healthcare, the town has two health centers. There are 9 doctors and 14 nurses working to help people stay healthy. There are also three smaller clinics in different neighborhoods.
Economy
The economy of Villa Vásquez is mostly based on farming. A large area of land, about 60,200 "domestic tasks" (a local measurement), is used for agriculture. There are also 449 rural settlements where people live and farm.
The main crop grown here is rice. Farmers also grow other important crops like onions, peppers, and cassava. Raising animals like cattle, sheep, and goats is also a big part of the economy.
Community Facilities
Villa Vásquez has several important places for its community. It has two cemeteries, a police station, a court, and a municipal hospital. There is also a fire department to keep everyone safe.
For religious gatherings, the town has a Catholic church. There are also five meetinghouses for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
See also
In Spanish: Villa Vásquez para niños
