Santa Bárbara de Samaná

Infobox Settlement
name = Samaná
official_name = Santa Bárbara de Samaná
pushpin_

mapsize = 200px
latd = 19 |latm = 12 |latNS = N
longd= 69 |longm= 19 |longEW= W
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Dominican Republic
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = Samaná
established_title = Founded
established_date = 1756
established_title2 = Municipality since
established_date2 = 1865
area_total_km2 = 412.11
area_footnotes = Superficies a nivel de municipios, [http://one.gob.do/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=63&Itemid=283 Oficina Nacional de Estadistica] ]
elevation_m = 5
elevation_footnotes = cite book
last = De la Fuente
first = Santiago
title = Geografía Dominicana
publisher = Editora Colegial Quisqueyana
date = 1976
location = Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
language = Spanish ]
population_total = 51501
population_as_of = 2002
total_type = Total
population_urban = 10692
population_density_km2 = auto
population_blank1_title = Demonym
population_blank1 = Samanés
population_footnotes = Censo 2002 de Población y Vivienda, [http://one.gob.do/ Oficina Nacional de Estadistica] ]
blank_name = Municipalities
blank_info = 3

Santa Bárbara de Samaná, or simply Samaná, is a city and municipality in northeastern Dominican Republic, capital of the Samaná Province. It is located on the northern coast of Samaná Bay

The city is an important tourism destination and is the main center for whale-watching tours.

Geography

The city of Samaná is located in a small plain close to the coast but, now, most of the city is in the hills that enclose the plain.

It is the largest municipality of the province. It has a total area of 412.11 km² (almost 49% of the total area of the province), including the three municipal districts that are part of the municipality.

Most of the territory is occupied by the Sierra de Samaná, a short mountain range with steep slopes, even if there are not high mountains. The highest mountain is Monte Mesa (605 m).

The mean annual rainfall in Samaná is 2,349.8 mm and the mean annual temperature is 26.5 °C.

Population

The municipality has a total population of 51,501: 26,317 men and 25,184 women. The urban population was 79.24% of the total population. In this numbers are included the population of the municipal districts Arroyo Barril, El Limón and Las Galeras.

The demonym for the inhabitants of Samaná, both the city and the province, is "samanés" (men and women). It is also possible to use "samanense".

History

The city was founded in 1756 as Santa Bárbara de Samaná during the colonial period by the Spanish governor Francisco Rubio y Peñaranda. Families from the Canary Islands were brought to live in this city and Sabana de la Mar.

It was named "Santa Bárbara" after the Queen Bárbara de Braganza, wife of King Ferdinand VI of Spain.

With the creation of the Samaná Maritime District (an old division similar to a province) in 1865, the city was elevated to the category of municipality.

Economy

The main economic activities of the municipality are tourism, agriculture and fishing.

References

External links