Santiago de los Caballeros

Santiago de los Caballeros (English: Saint James of the Knights), often shortened to Santiago, is the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic and the fourth-largest city in the Caribbean by population. It is the capital of Santiago Province and the largest major metropolis in the Cibao region of the country. Santiago is the largest Caribbean city that is not a capital city, and it is also the largest non-coastal metropolis in the Caribbean islands. Santiago is located approximately 155 km (96 mi) northwest of the capital Santo Domingo with an average altitude of 178 m (584 ft). The city has a total population of 771,748 inhabitants (2022). Santiago's metropolitan area population composed by the municipalities of Santiago-Licey Al Medio-Baitoa-Tamboril-Puñal-Villa González is 959,498 as of 2022, making it the second largest of the Dominican Republic.
Founded in 1495 during the first wave of European settlement in the New World, the city is the "first Santiago of the Americas". Today it is one of the Dominican Republic's cultural, political, industrial and financial centers. Due to its location in the fertile Cibao Valley, it has a robust agricultural sector and is a leading exporter of rum, textiles, and cigars. Santiago is known as "La Ciudad Corazón" (the "Heartland City").
Santiago de los Caballeros has historically been an important strategic city in the Dominican War of Independence. The city's name, Saint James of the Knights, refers to the Hidalgos de la Isabela, a group of knights who had come from La Isabela city to stay in Santiago. Sometimes, the city is called Santiago de los 30 Caballeros (English: Saint James of the 30 Knights).
The name of the city (Saint James of the Knights) refers to the Hidalgos de la Isabela, a group of knights who had come from La Isabela to settle in Santiago. The colony was originally located in San Francisco de Jacagua (now a suburb of the city), founded in 1495. Still, when an earthquake destroyed it, it was moved to its current location in 1506. In granting in 1508 the Royal Privilege of Concession de Armas to the Villa de Santiago of Hispaniola, the heraldic emblem that was included in his shield was venerated. The royal decree was signed by King Ferdinand as administrator of the kingdoms of his daughter Joanna I of Castile.
The city was devastated by another earthquake on December 2, 1562. The survivors settled on land belonging to Petronila Jáquez of Minaya, adjacent to the Yaque del Norte, which is the current location of the city's river. The brief French during the Peace of Basel (which yielded the Spanish part of the island to France in 1795) left its mark on Santiago. Santiago was returned to Spain under the Peace of Paris of 1814. During the 19th Century, Santiago began its modern urban planning. European neoclassicism is represented at the Palace Hall, built between 1892 and 1895, by a Belgian architect named Louis Bogaert. The late 1800s saw a peak of architecture in the city. Numerous residences were built in European styles, and make up the central core of Santiago.
Santiago de los Caballeros is located on a hilly terrain in the middle of the Cibao Valley in the Central Region of the Dominican Republic, one of the most fertile lands found in the island. The Yaque del Norte River passes by Santiago which is in between the Cordillera Central and the Cordillera Septentrional, two of the three major mountain ranges on the island of Hispaniola, forming the Cibao Valley.
Santiago features a tropical monsoon climate (Am) under the Köppen climate classification. The average temperature varies little in the city, because the tropical trade winds help mitigate the heat and humidity throughout the year. December and January are the coolest months and July and August are the warmest. Santiago and the rest of the country are in the Caribbean and have a tropical climate, which, when coupled with the city's altitude, 183 meters above sea level, causes cloudy conditions to persist through much of the year. While the entire country is susceptible to Atlantic hurricanes, Santiago and its environs are more sheltered than other parts of the country from their effects because of its location in the Cibao Valley.
Santiago de los Caballeros is considered the capital of the Cibao region, which produces 33% of the GDP, for a total of US$36,025 million in 2022, exceeding the total of El Salvador. Likewise, it had a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of US$978 million, equivalent to the 16th economy in receiving foreign investment in Latin America and the Caribbean, surpassing Ecuador.
Santiago's economy is mainly based by the commercialization and industrialization of its products and finished goods, production of goods in the free zones, and by commerce. The city has headquarters and branches of all the main stores, supermarkets, restaurants and financial entities of the country. The city also has several shopping centers and multinational companies.
Since it is the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic, it currently produces the second highest percentage of the nation's GDP, while also having one of the highest incomes per capita, and a large middle-class population. Telecommunications, such as; wireless phones, cable service, internet service and other services are important for the local economy. Tourism, to a lesser extent, also accounts for a portion of the city's economy.
Santiago, like most cities and towns in the Cibao valley, has historically benefited from the fertile lands of this region. This makes Santiago de los Caballeros an important area for farming and livestock. Santiago's industrial sector is also one of the most dynamic in the country. It has the concentration of 15% of domestic industries. This means 308 manufacturing companies, which in 2004 employed more than 14,000 people or 12% of the labor of Dominican manufacturing work. The products range from cigars, coffee, and alcoholic beverages, to concrete, plywood and sheet products.
The Mercado Modelo on Calle del Sol is a shopping center where there are various stores of handicrafts and native articles made by hand.
Santiago has recently experienced an era of rapid growth and development. It has become a city of great importance for the nation and the region's development. The population of Santiago was about 771,748 inhabitants as of 2022, making it the second most populous city in the Dominican Republic and one of the largest in the Caribbean (behind Santo Domingo, Havana, and Port-au-Prince), as well as the largest city that isn't a capital (although it once was).
The role of Santiago as a regional development hub and that of La Vega, Moca, San Francisco de Macorís and Puerto Plata as “hinge” cities for interregional articulation, give it a unique character in the national territory. While the first articulates regional, national and international processes that generate agro-productive wealth and services, the other three do so with their immediate regions: La Vega with the center of the national territory, San Francisco de Macorís with its immediate surroundings in the east and south, and Moca and Puerto Plata with their northern surroundings. This dynamic of territorial cohesion is completed with an articulated network of three tertiary centers (Tamboril, Navarrete and Salcedo) and 8 local centers that articulate with the immediate rural environment.
Economically, Santiago de los Caballeros is the axis of advancement of the northern and central region of the country and has a particular influence on the national economy. The economy of the Santiago municipality is supported mainly by the production, industrialization and commercialization of agricultural products, commerce, banking services, call centers, health services, education, among others. The industrial free zone of the Santiago municipality houses 23% of the country's companies and generates 24% of exports36, and a total of 155 companies operate in these 15 parks, that is, 30% of the national total of companies under this regime. The first generator of direct employment is the commerce and hotel sector, followed by the industrial sector, which represents 29.2% and 18.3% of the employed population, respectively; However, the percentage of the employed population was estimated for 2010 at 41.4% of the total for the Santiago municipality, while informal employment for 2015 was around 54.4% of the employed population according to data collected in the ICES study (2015). As of 2025, the city has 771,748 inhabitants with a visitor population of more than 250,000 per day.
Santiago de Los Caballeros had experienced important demographic grown since the 1960s decade. During the period of 1960-70 the population growth from 85,640 to 155,240 inhabitans with an annual groth rate of 6.51%. During the intercensal period 1970-1981 the popluation annual groth rate was of 4.43%, increasing from 155,240 to 260,361. During the inter-census period of 1981-1993 the population of the city increased on an annual rate of 2.86% and registered a total increase of 102,745 inhabitants. The population jumped from 260,361 to 363,106 inhabitans.
Despite the population continued to growth, in the decades after the 1960s, the growth rate gradually decreased. This slowdown may have been related to the decrease in the attraction force of Santiago as a regional nucleus and the loss of local dynamism, generating changes in population distribution. In the decade from 1993 to 2002 the annual growth rate was 3.61%, which constituted an increase of 141,955 more people, and reached a population of 507,418 inhabitants in 2002 while the urban area was 602,701 inhabitans. This growth was related to the attraction generated by the job offer in the free zone sector and the university academic offer. According to the Dominican Republic's 2003-2007 National Statistics Office (ONE) report, the estimated population of the city was 622,101 as of 2007.
In the period 1960-1969 the city grew by 6 km², that is, it covered an area of approximately 9 km². In 1979 the city of Santiago de los Caballeros already had an urbanized area of 25 km², the result of rural-urban migration that extended the city with the creation of new peripheral neighborhoods. Later, with the use of immigrant labor from rural areas and neighboring towns that attracted the opening of the industrial free zone in the 80s, there was significant urban growth in the northwest area of the city, as well as real estate investment towards the north-northeast and east, extending to 28 km², three times more than in 1970.
The 90s defined a new profile of the city, registering a greater growth of high-rise buildings for residential use. By 1998, it was estimated that the city had reached an urbanized area of 40 km². And by 2009, an urban area of approximately 90 km² (55% of the municipality), extending its north-south axis approximately 10 kilometers and its east-west axis 11 kilometers. From 1960 to 2009, Santiago has multiplied its urban population by eight and has expanded its urbanized territory 30 times, leaving only 72 km² available for expansion of the 162 km² of the municipality.
Analyzing the growth trend and the role that Santiago has played in the regional configuration of the Cibao, it is understood that beyond the political-administrative borders, Santiago has a functional relationship with settlements that directly influence it, located within a radius of 50 kilometers, which includes all the municipalities and municipal districts of its province, in addition to Puerto Plata, Mao, La Vega and Moca. Its indirect influence reaches distant localities such as Dajabón, in the Northwest Line (150 kilometers), even to Cap Haitien, the main urban center of the northern part of the Republic of Haiti. As of 2002, The area of influence of the municipality, at an economic level, is exercised not only with the municipalities that make up the province but with the municipalities of Moca, Mao, Esperanza, La Vega, Puerta Plata, Imbert and Sosua. The basic production of the surrounding municipalities is tobacco planting and production, poultry activities and free trade zones.
In the last 20 years, its urban area has expanded by 35% (14.74 km2) and has been consolidated by 65% (27.98 km2), totaling 42.72 km2, which corresponds to 47% of the total area of the study of the city of Santiago. To have a reference of the size to which this expansion-consolidation refers, this area would be 47 times larger than the Colonial City of Santo Domingo or approximately half the size of the National District. tThe expansion has been carried out predominantly in the periphery, especially in western Santiago, where 31% (4.52 km2) of the expansion is located. On the other hand, the predominant consolidation has been combined in the central, eastern and southeastern areas of the city, especially in the urban area, with 46% (12.89 km2). Although urban expansion has been proportionally lower than consolidation in the study area, it does not include the expansion observed in the municipalities of Tamboril, Licey al Medio and Puñal, which are part of the metropolitan area of Santiago de los Caballeros. These three municipalities have totaled an additional expansion of 12 km2.
As of 2010 Dominican Republic population census, the city of Santiago de los Caballeros had 691,262 inhabitans, Of these, a total of 550,753 live in the urban area of the municipality, while some 41,232 live in the rural area, which indicates that there is a minimal incidence of populations established in peri-urban and rural areas (6.96% of the total population) while 691,262 inhabitans on the urban area, Distributed over an area of 480.7 km², which reflects a population density of 1,438 inhabitants per km². However, unlike the 2002 census, the districts of Puñal and Sabana Iglesias were excluded of the municipal and urban area population.
The population of Santiago de los Caballeros is predominantly young, with 64.28% being made up of people under 34 years of age. Of this total, 31.42% is made up of people between 18 and 34 years of age. The population is predominantly female (51.2%), resulting in a masculinity index of 0.95. In 2010, the population was distributed in 175,318 households, with an average of 3.38 inhabitants per household. According to the city hall 2016's strategic plan, Santiago de los Caballeros had 852,361 metropolitan area population, which is 88.5% population of the providence and 9% of the country's population.In terms of occupied surface area, the metropolitan area occupies 733 km², which represents 34% of the province and 2% of the country.
The city has the following subdivisions:
As of 2022 Dominican Republic population census, the city of Santiago de los Caballeros had 771,262 inhabitans. However, unlike the 2010 census, the District of Baitoa doesn't count as city population. However, the west part of the municipal core that included the neighberhood of Ingenio Arriba and Cienfiegos, were divided and created as municipal district in 2018.
As of 2022, The city has the following subdivisions:
According to the Santiago 2030 strategic plan prepared by the Council for the Strategic Development of Santiago, Inc. (CDES) and published by the Santiago City Council in 2019, the municipalities of Licey Al Medio, Baitoa, Tamboril, Puñal and Villa González are part of the metropolitan area of Santiago de los Caballeros. According to the 2022 Dominican Republic population census, the sumatory of the municapilties and dritics that composed the metropolitan area of Santiago de los Caballeros is 959,498 inhabitans. The population of the city of Santiago is expected to reach 852,634 inhabitants by 2030 and 1.066 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area.
As of 2022, The city has the metropolitan area as the following subdivisions:
The Victorian era was the zenith of architecture in the city. Numerous residences were built in this European style, which makes up the historic center of Santiago. The neo-classical gothic Cathedral of Santiago was built in 1895 by Onofre de Lora, an architect native to the city.
The Hermanos Patiño Bridge is both the largest and oldest bridge in the city connecting the North and South sides of the city of Santiago. Its construction was started by Rafael Leónidas Trujillo and inaugurated in 1962, one year after his death. The bridge is named after the five brothers that died in an effort to end Trujillo's regime and dictatorship in the Dominican Republic in the mid 20th century. The anti-Trujillo legacy of the Patiño family did not begin with the brothers, but with their father who was killed in 1931 in the first anti-Trujillo insurrection of the Dominican Republic.
On a hill overlooking Santiago is the city's tallest structure, a 67 m (220 ft) high marble monument named the Monumento de Santiago. Construction of the monument began in 1944 on the orders of then-dictator Rafael Trujillo. Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración Trujillo was assassinated in 1961, after which the monument was renamed the Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración ("Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration" in English), in honor of the Dominican Restoration War of 1863, in which the Dominican Republic regained its independence from Spain.
Museums in the city include the Museo Folklórico Yoryi Morel which exhibits Santiago's Carnival culture, and displays some garments worn by lechones of Santiago Province in the Carnival, as well as those worn in other provinces. The museum is named after noted Santiago painter Yoryi Morel. Museo del Tabaco or The Tobacco Museum which shows manufacturing methods as well as the effect of the tobacco plantations along the city's history, the Museo Histórico Fortaleza San Luis or Historic San Luis Fort Museum which previously served as a municipal prison., the Museo de los Héroes de la Restauración or Restoration Heroes Museum is currently under construction and houses a display of pictures from the Restoration War from the 1863–1865 battles between the Dominican Government and the Spanish army. and Centro León which displays elements of the Caribbean and Dominican experience, natural Dominican history, and the evolution and culture of the indigenous Taíno peoples.
The city of Santiago de los Caballeros is visited by 250,000 people daily and it is a reference point for different types of tourism: Health, Cultural, Gastronomic and local tourism. The profile of tourists in Santiago is 10% business and 85% diaspora. As of 2023, the city received over 60,000 international tourists for the health sector, 200% up from 20,000 tourists in 2015.During the 2024, a considerable number of new hotel rooms were built and projected nearly three thousand for 2025, of which 1,500 will be premium rooms. On the same year, Estadio Cibao FC was selected among the only two venues to held FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.
In 2025, The Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, disbursed the first contribution of 82 million pesos for the execution of the projects contemplated in the agreement signed with the institutions that make up Compromiso Santiago, which consists of promoting tourism in Santiago. On the same year, The Mayor's Office of Santiago de los Caballeros and the Association of Incoming Tour Operators of the Dominican Republic (Opetur) signed an agreement in Spain, within the framework of the International Tourism Fair (Fitur) 2025, with the aim of attracting tourists to visit the country and promoting the city, with an emphasis on promoting and empowering the Santiago Carnival On the same event, The city of Santiago officially launched a city brand for the world, designed for business, culture and innovation, seeking to highlight the historical richness and dynamism of a city with extraordinary potential in the business and cultural sectors.
Among the most important sites to visit in Santiago are:
As much as the rest of the nation, Santiago residents enjoy baseball and look forward to the Dominican winter season with the local team being the Águilas Cibaeñas. Besides baseball, basketball is also played at a professional level in the city of Santiago. The institution in charge of organizing these events is the Asociación de Baloncesto de Santiago de los Treinta Caballeros (ABASACA) Santiago de Los Caballeros is the most successful city in the Dominican Republic based on Dominican League teams. Águilas Cibaeñas is the most successful baseball team not only in the Dominican Republic, but in the Caribbean, this team has 22 National Championship, and 6 Caribbean titles. This is what causes what a lot of people call Baseballs most intense rivalry, which is a long historic Rivalry between Águilas Cibaeñas and Tigres del Licey.
Santiago's major baseball and basketball teams are Las Aguilas Cibaeñas and Los Metros de Santiago.
Santiago has two stadiums, and the stadiums are The Estadio Cibao home of the Aguilas Cibaeñas and The Gran Arena del Cibao home of Los Metros De Santiago
The Female Volleyball Team have claimed two bronze medals in the professional Dominican Volleyball League.
In early 2015, there was the official launch of Liga Dominicana de Fútbol in the Dominican Republic. Santiago is the first city in the country to hold a FIFA Certified Stadium, which was built in the campus of the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra and became the home of the major and first city soccer team Cibao FC from Liga Dominicana de Fútbol.
Santiago is home of several universities including the prestigious Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) and Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago (UTESA). Other higher learning institutions present in Santiago are: Universidad Organización & Método (O&M), Universidad Abierta para Adultos (UAPA), Universidad Nacional Evangélica and one regional campus belonging to the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo
Santiago is also home to a Binational Center, the Centro Cultural Domínico-Americano (CCDA), which was founded in 1962 by a group of Dominicans and Americans living in Santiago. At the beginning, the CCDA set about providing English language courses. Later, the library was opened and included the lending of overhead projectors and documentary films. These last two were sponsored by the American Embassy.
CCDA is located on Estrella Sadhalá Avenue. These facilities of the CCDA were opened on July 23, 1962. Throughout its 50 years of existence, the CCDA has taught English language courses, painting classes and manual activities.
Santiago has share taxis (often called carros públicos or conchos) and private and independent bus owners who form their own routes according to their demands.
The city has private bus transportation to other cities. Bus companies include Dioni, Metro, Caribe Tours, Transporte Espinal, and Aetra Bus.
The Autopista Juan Pablo Duarte highway, officially known as DR-1, passes by the city center and connects the city directly to Santo Domingo. Other minor highways connect the city to Puerto Plata, Samaná, and the northwestern region of the country.
The Cibao International Airport serves mostly Dominicans living in the United States and other Caribbean islands like Cuba, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Puerto Rico, as well as Panama. The airport of the city was the Santiago Municipal Airport, a regional airport that closed in March 2002. It serves destinations such as San Juan, Port-au-Prince, New York City, Miami and Santo Domingo with regular services.
On March 30, 2022, President Luis Abinader formally commenced construction of the first rapid transit system in Santiago De Los Caballeros. The Monorail project will be the first of its kind in the Caribbean and Central America. Completion is estimated at the end of 2024.
Facilities include Hospital Cabral y Baez, Clínica Corominas, Hospital De Especialidades Medicas Materno Infantil, Union Médica, and Hospital Metropolitano De Santiago (HOMS), being the largest hospital in all of the Dominican Republic and in all the Caribbean
Santiago has twinning agreements with the following sister cities: