Jarabacoa

Jarabacoa

Central Range from Jarabacoa
Jarabacoa
Coordinates: 19°7′12″N 70°38′24″W / 19.12000°N 70.64000°W
Country  Dominican Republic
Province La Vega
Area[1]
 • Total 665.88 km2 (257.10 sq mi)
Elevation[2] 529 m (1,736 ft)
Population (2012)[3]
 • Total 69,855
 • Density 100/km2 (270/sq mi)
 • Urban 32,585
 • Demonym Jarabacoense
Distance to
 – Santo Domingo
155 km
Municipal Districts
2

Jarabacoa is a town and the second largest municipality in La Vega Province, Dominican Republic.

History

Although many historical details are still unknown, Jarabacoa lies along the borderline between the native Taino chiefdoms of Maguá and Maguana. While there are no indications of any Taino settlements, it can be assumed that sporadic Tainos lived in the area long before the arrival of Christopher Columbus.[4] It is assumed that the city's name was formed out of the words 'Jaraba' and 'Coa', meaning roughly "Land of Waters".[5] The Spanish conquistadors came here looking for gold, yet no large finds were ever made, although to this day gold can be washed from some of the many rivers.[6] It wasn't until 1805 that the area began being populated, during the Haitian invasion of the Cibao, when survivors from the massacres of Santiago de los Caballeros and La Vega escaped to the mountains of the Central Range and settled in the valley of Jarabacoa. In 1854, a military post was established and the town was formally founded. On September 27, 1858 the town was incorporated as a municipality.

Geography and climate

Jarabacoa has a Tropical rainforest climate (Köppen climate classification Af ). Due to its tropical location and high elevation (about 525m above sea level), it has warm days and mild nights during most of the year, and temperate days and cool nights during a few winter months. Because of its mild temperatures, visitors have christened Jarabacoa as "The City of Everlasting Spring."

One of the main touristic attractions is the mountains and natural beauty of the area due to its location in the center of the Central Range. It is also one of the main access to the Pico Duarte and the Ebano Verde Scientific Reserve. Jarabacoa has three large rivers, Baiguate, Jimenoa and the Yaque del Norte, the last two merge in the Confluencia, continuing on as the Yaque del Norte, the second largest river in the country.

The coldest temperature ever recorded was 7.1 °C (44.8 °F), on 24 February 2012.[7]

Climate data for Jarabacoa (1971-2000)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 34.4
(93.9)		 36.1
(97)		 35.6
(96.1)		 34.4
(93.9)		 35.0
(95)		 37.8
(100)		 38.3
(100.9)		 36.0
(96.8)		 36.0
(96.8)		 34.0
(93.2)		 33.0
(91.4)		 30.0
(86)		 38.3
(100.9)
Average high °C (°F) 25.4
(77.7)		 26.0
(78.8)		 27.0
(80.6)		 27.6
(81.7)		 28.3
(82.9)		 29.8
(85.6)		 29.9
(85.8)		 30.0
(86)		 29.8
(85.6)		 29.0
(84.2)		 26.8
(80.2)		 25.3
(77.5)		 27.91
(82.22)
Daily mean °C (°F) 20.0
(68)		 20.5
(68.9)		 21.3
(70.3)		 22.1
(71.8)		 23.0
(73.4)		 23.9
(75)		 24.0
(75.2)		 24.1
(75.4)		 23.9
(75)		 23.4
(74.1)		 22.0
(71.6)		 20.5
(68.9)		 22.39
(72.3)
Average low °C (°F) 14.6
(58.3)		 14.9
(58.8)		 15.6
(60.1)		 16.6
(61.9)		 17.6
(63.7)		 17.9
(64.2)		 18.1
(64.6)		 18.2
(64.8)		 17.9
(64.2)		 17.7
(63.9)		 17.0
(62.6)		 15.6
(60.1)		 16.81
(62.27)
Record low °C (°F) — 7.1
(44.8)		 — 9.0
(48.2)		 — — — 12.4
(54.3)		 — — — — 7.1
(44.8)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 130.6
(5.142)		 110.8
(4.362)		 112.3
(4.421)		 163.3
(6.429)		 210.7
(8.295)		 88.4
(3.48)		 89.4
(3.52)		 155.5
(6.122)		 137.2
(5.402)		 158.6
(6.244)		 194.2
(7.646)		 153.9
(6.059)		 1,704.9
(67.122)
Avg. rainy days 11 — — — 14 7 8 9 10 13 — — —
Source #1: National Bureau of Meteorology (ONAMET) [8]
Source #2: Acqweather.com [9]

Economy

The local economy is based upon agriculture. It is known for its strawberries, coffee, pimento and ají pepper, the last two being grown in green houses. Jarabacoa it is also known for its wide variety of flowers.

Places of Interest

Culture

The local Carnaval in February is one of the most famous in the country. On July 16 is celebrated the day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Every June, "Festival de las Flores" is held in Jarabacoa with many local vendors selling flowers, flowering plants and orchids, as well as hand-made crafts.

Top Persons

Education

On January 10, 1997, opened the Universidad Agroforestal Fernando Arturo de Meriño, a small college that mainly offers majors related to agriculture and ecology. There is also the Eugenio de Jesús Marcano Ecological Centre.

References

  1. ↑ Superficies a nivel de municipios, Oficina Nacional de Estadistica
  2. ↑ De la Fuente, Santiago (1976). Geografía Dominicana (in Spanish). Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: Editora Colegial Quisqueyana.
  3. ↑ Censo 2012 de Población y Vivienda, [one.gob.do/ Oficina Nacional de Estadistica]
  4. ↑ "Tainos en Jarabaoca".
  5. ↑ "El Nombre -- Historia de Jarabacoa".
  6. ↑ "La Maldicion del Oro en Jarabacoa".
  7. ↑ (Spanish) Resumen Agrometeorológico del Mes de Febrero 2012, Departamento de Meteorología Operativa, Departamento de Agrometeorología—Oficina Nacional de Meteorología. Retrieved on 18 July 2012.
  8. ↑ "Pronóstico Turístico".
  9. ↑ http://acqweather.com/turismo.htm Accessdate: May 12, 2011.

External links

Coordinates: 19°07′N 70°38′W / 19.117°N 70.633°W