Moca

**Moca**, is a city in the northern Dominican Republic. It is the capital of Espaillat Province.

## Moca

### Region

 Espaillat Province
Cibao N

### Distance to:

Santiago: 24 km (*15 mi.*)
Santo Domingo:
146 km (*91 mi.*)

## Etymology

The name comes from an aboriginal term that designated a settlement on land of the current municipality.

## About

Moca is the principal city of the Espaillat Province, in the northeastern Dominican Republic. It is believed that its name derives from an aboriginal word that was used to designate the place where the city is located.

Moca has been an important city in the history of the Dominican Republic. It was the cradle of the Moca Constitution in **1958**, which sought to return citizens' rights and freedoms and create a fairer country.

It's parent province is one of great agricultural development, with coffee, cocoa, banana and cassava being its main agricultural products. It is one of the provinces with the highest development of poultry and pig production, with its associated agroindustries.

### Tourism

Because Moca is not a coastal city, there is no notable tourist activity in it, but there is in the coastal part of the province to which it belongs. In the municipality of Gaspar Hernández, minutes from the city of Moca and within the same province of Espaillat, there are several beaches that are part of the Río San Juan - Puerto Plata tourist pole.

The Rim Mountain Hotel is 15 km (*9 miles*) from the city, otherwise Moca's hotel offer is quite limited.

On the other hand, in the Northern Mountain range, between the municipality of Jamao al Norte and the Municipal Districts of José Contreras-Villa Trina, there are the virgin natural beauties of greater attractions and potential for ecotourism, adventure tourism and mountain tourism from the area

## History

The municipality, at the time of its colonization by the Spaniards, was part of a nitainato belonging to the Maguá cacicazgo.

• In **1845**, Moca was designated a municipality of the La Vega Province.

• On **July 7, 1857**, by decree, Moca was declared "Villa Heroica" of the Dominican Republic, for its participation in the revolution against the government of Buenaventura Báez.

• In **1858**, the first constitutional congress that decreed the new constitution worked in Moca. It has been established that the first Moca City Council was created by decree on **May 9, 1843**, replacing the council of notables. The municipal council during the annexation of the Republic to Spain, created in Moca, a Municipal Board (**1861**-**1863**).

• In **1861**, the Mocan patriotism was revealed with the uprising in arms under the motto *"Viva the Dominican Republic"*, against the annexation to Spain, carrying out a traitorous act of General Pedro Santana.

This fact is known as the Scream of Moca; what gave rise to the heroic deed being liberated in this town on **May 2, 1861** was the first cry of protest in the country and the prelude for other uprisings to originate throughout the country, to rescue the independence that was in danger and that culminated in the Restorative War two years later; **August 16, 1863**.

Among the heroes of **May 2** were: José Contreras, José María Rodríguez, Antonio Passicá, José Inocencio Reyes and Cayetano Germosén.

• On **July 26, 1899**, the tyrant Ulises Heureaux (Lilis) was executed on Libertad Street, where a plaza is built to honor the memory of the brave precursors of this fact; Ramón Cáceres, Ramón and Jacobo de Lara, Horacio Vásquez, Domingo Pichardo, Pablo Arnaut, José Brache, Vicente and Blas de la Maza.

## Geography

Moca is located at 19.3909° N, 70.5231° W. According to the ONE, the city has a total land area of 239.36 square kilometers (92.42 square miles). It is bordered by the municipalities of Puerto Plata and Sosúa (Puerto Plata Province) on the northwest, on the north by Jamao al Norte, on the northeast by Gaspar Hernández, on the east by Salcedo (Hermanas Mirabal Province), on the southeast by Cayetano Germosén, on south by the city of La Vega (La Vega Province), and on the west by Puñal, Licey al Medio, and Tamboril.

The Espaillat Province consists of the Cibao Plain in the South, the Northern Cordillera in the middle part of the province and coastal plains by the sea in the North. Most of the lands in this province are dedicated to agricultural, livestock and forestry production.

**Neighborhoods**

### Climate

The climate of the Espaillat Province is temperate humid forest and tropical humid forest.

The temperature ranges between 18 and 32 degrees Celsius (64 to 90F), with an annual average of 25.2 degrees Celsius (77F). The average annual rainfall is 1,170 millimeters (*46 inches*) of rainfall.

## Economy

It is known for its agricultural production, with bananas, plantain and cassava being the main crops. Secondary crops include cocoa, avocados, and tobacco. Most crops are harvested by hand. Other minor fruits: bananas, lobster, yautia, yams, squash, beans, coffee, oranges, lemons, and grapefruit, etc. A variety of vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, cabbage, among others are also grown. It also has a great development in poultry products.

Livestock production also covers a significant area of ​​the province.

## References

Moca [1]

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