Samaná
Encyclopedia
Samaná is a province
of the Dominican Republic
. Its capital is Santa Bárbara de Samaná, usually known as Samaná.
Samaná is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean
in the northeastern part of the Dominican Republic. It is known for its mountains of which it is almost entirely formed. Samaná has numerous beaches, and with the 6 November 2006 opening of the new Samaná El Catey International Airport
, it is bound to become one of major tourist destinations in the Dominican Republic.
It was discovered on January 12, 1493 by Christopher Columbus
who was greeted with a barrage of spears and arrows from native Taíno
warriors. It is said that this was the first instance of violent opposition to the Spanish
conquistador
s in the Americas
.
Samaná is considered one of the most beautiful areas of the Dominican Republic, yet remains one of the least known by Dominican natives in general and foreign visitors in particular.
Its tourist industry has not yet exploited the full potential of its location: the tropical forests, coconut groves, hundreds of cozy alcove beaches with turquoise crystal clear waters, waterfalls, protected national parks, a protected bay, a peninsula.
Samaná is one of the breeding places of the humpback whale
. Thousands of humpback whales come to the coast off Samaná from January to March.
At one time proposed to be the capital of the country, Samaná was to be sold to the United States
as a military base
during Pedro Santana
's presidency, but the deal was never realized, because the United States felt that the cost was too much.
A highway connecting the Samaná peninsula to Santo Domingo is finally opened to the public in 2008. It halved the driving time from 4 hours to 1.5 hours as it is a straight 120 kilometres (74.6 mi), connecting from just east of Santo Domingo (near the SDQ airport) to just west of Sanchez. There is a significant tourist development evident throughout the Samaná peninsula, particularly that of large all-inclusive resorts, in anticipation of the increased tourism to follow the road's completion.
(municipio
s) and municipal districts (distrito municipal - D.M.) within them:
The following is a sortable table of the municipalities with population figures as of an estimate on the 2010 census. Urban
population are those living in the seats (cabeceras literally heads) of municipalities or of municipal districts. Rural
population are those living in the district
s (Secciones literally sections) and neighborhoods (Parajes literally places) outside of them.
For comparison with the municipalities and municipal districts of other provinces see the list of municipalities and municipal districts of the Dominican Republic.
For comparison with the municipalities and municipal districts of other provinces see the list of municipalities and municipal districts of the Dominican Republic.
Airports
Ports
Provinces of the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is divided into thirty–one provincias , while the national capital, Santo Domingo, is contained within its own Distrito Nacional ....
of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. Its capital is Santa Bárbara de Samaná, usually known as Samaná.
Samaná is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
in the northeastern part of the Dominican Republic. It is known for its mountains of which it is almost entirely formed. Samaná has numerous beaches, and with the 6 November 2006 opening of the new Samaná El Catey International Airport
Samaná El Catey International Airport
Samaná El Catey International Airport , also called Aeropuerto Internacional Presidente Juan Bosch , is a new international airport that opened on 6 November 2006, serving the province of Samaná in the Dominican Republic....
, it is bound to become one of major tourist destinations in the Dominican Republic.
It was discovered on January 12, 1493 by Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
who was greeted with a barrage of spears and arrows from native Taíno
Taíno people
The Taínos were pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. It is thought that the seafaring Taínos are relatives of the Arawak people of South America...
warriors. It is said that this was the first instance of violent opposition to the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
s in the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
.
Samaná is considered one of the most beautiful areas of the Dominican Republic, yet remains one of the least known by Dominican natives in general and foreign visitors in particular.
Its tourist industry has not yet exploited the full potential of its location: the tropical forests, coconut groves, hundreds of cozy alcove beaches with turquoise crystal clear waters, waterfalls, protected national parks, a protected bay, a peninsula.
Samaná is one of the breeding places of the humpback whale
Humpback Whale
The humpback whale is a species of baleen whale. One of the larger rorqual species, adults range in length from and weigh approximately . The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. It is an acrobatic animal, often breaching and slapping the...
. Thousands of humpback whales come to the coast off Samaná from January to March.
At one time proposed to be the capital of the country, Samaná was to be sold to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as a military base
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
during Pedro Santana
Pedro Santana
Pedro Santana y Familias was a wealthy cattle rancher, soldier, politician and dictator of the Dominican Republic. He was born in the community of Hinche, which was part of the Colony of Santo Domingo. Currently, Hinche is a border town part of Haiti...
's presidency, but the deal was never realized, because the United States felt that the cost was too much.
A highway connecting the Samaná peninsula to Santo Domingo is finally opened to the public in 2008. It halved the driving time from 4 hours to 1.5 hours as it is a straight 120 kilometres (74.6 mi), connecting from just east of Santo Domingo (near the SDQ airport) to just west of Sanchez. There is a significant tourist development evident throughout the Samaná peninsula, particularly that of large all-inclusive resorts, in anticipation of the increased tourism to follow the road's completion.
Municipalities and municipal districts
The province as of June 20, 2006 is divided into the following municipalitiesMunicipalities of the Dominican Republic
The provinces of the Dominican Republic are divided into two or more municipalities with the exception of the Distrito Nacional which consist of only one municipality Santo Domingo...
(municipio
Municipio
Municipio and Município are terms used for country subdivisions. They are often translated as municipality.-Overview:...
s) and municipal districts (distrito municipal - D.M.) within them:
- Sánchez
- SamanáSanta Bárbara de SamanáSamaná, in full Santa Bárbara de Samaná, is a city and municipality in northeastern Dominican Republic and is the capital of Samaná Province. It is located on the northern coast of Samaná Bay...
- Arroyo Barril (D.M.)
- El Limón (D.M.)
- Las GalerasLas Galeras, SamanáLas Galeras is a Dominican Municipal district of Santa Bárbara de Samaná, Samaná province. It is on the east coast of the Samaná Peninsula, on the Rincón Bay that is found between Cabrón and Samaná capes....
(D.M.)
- Las TerrenasLas TerrenasLas Terrenas is a town in the Samaná province of the Dominican Republic.Samana was a famous slave trade port for the British in the early 17th century. Today, the people of these provinces are a mix of Taino, Spanish and African descent. The name originates in the French phrase "la terriene" .Las...
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
population are those living in the seats (cabeceras literally heads) of municipalities or of municipal districts. Rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
population are those living in the district
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
s (Secciones literally sections) and neighborhoods (Parajes literally places) outside of them.
For comparison with the municipalities and municipal districts of other provinces see the list of municipalities and municipal districts of the Dominican Republic.
| Name | Total population | Urban population | Rural population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Terrenas Las Terrenas Las Terrenas is a town in the Samaná province of the Dominican Republic.Samana was a famous slave trade port for the British in the early 17th century. Today, the people of these provinces are a mix of Taino, Spanish and African descent. The name originates in the French phrase "la terriene" .Las... |
14,917 | 8,564 | 6,353 |
| Santa Bárbara de Samaná Santa Bárbara de Samaná Samaná, in full Santa Bárbara de Samaná, is a city and municipality in northeastern Dominican Republic and is the capital of Samaná Province. It is located on the northern coast of Samaná Bay... |
55,394 | 22,542 | 32,852 |
| Sánchez | 28,509 | 15,586 | 12,923 |
| Samaná province | 98,820 | 46,692 | 52,128 |
For comparison with the municipalities and municipal districts of other provinces see the list of municipalities and municipal districts of the Dominican Republic.
Transportation
Samaná has three airports and one harbor.Airports
- El Portillo AirportEl Portillo AirportEl Portillo National Airport serves the province of Samana. It is located at the north of this province. This airport is used for private flights operators and some charter service into the Dominican Republic.- Airlines and destinations :- References :...
, Located in El Portillo, Samaná. - Arroyo Barril International AirportArroyo Barril International AirportArroyo Barril Airport is located in the Samaná province of the Dominican Republic. The airport is used for domestic flights. It is the base for Aerodomca.- Facilities :The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, Located in Arroyo Barril, Samaná. - Samana El Catey International AirportSamaná El Catey International AirportSamaná El Catey International Airport , also called Aeropuerto Internacional Presidente Juan Bosch , is a new international airport that opened on 6 November 2006, serving the province of Samaná in the Dominican Republic....
, Located in Sanchez, Samaná
Ports
- Cayo Levantado PortCayo Levantado PortCayo Levantado Port or Samana Port or Fondeaderon Port is located in Arroyo Barril, Samana, Dominican Republic.-Overview:Port of Samana was built in 1977 as a free commercial port to deposit or commercialize non-taxes products....
, located in Arroyo Barril, near Arroyo Barril International Airport, Samaná.
See also
- Samana BaySamana BaySamaná Bay is a bay in the eastern Dominican Republic. The Yuna River flows into the Samaná Bay, and it is located south of the town and peninsula of Samaná....
- Samaná EnglishSamaná EnglishSamaná English is a variety of the English language spoken by about 8,000 people in the Samaná Peninsula, Dominican Republic. The speakers of Samaná English are the descendants of African freed persons, who came from West Africa beginning in 1824 when they were forced to learn the forms of the...
- Samaná PeninsulaSamaná PeninsulaThe Samaná Península is a peninsula in Dominican Republic situated in the province of Samaná. The Samaná Peninsula is connected to the rest of the state by the isthmus of Samaná. The Peninsula contains many beaches, especially in the city of Santa Bárbara de Samaná. It contains 3 rivers. The main...