Guananico

**Guananico** is a town in the Puerto Plata Province of the northwestern Dominican Republic. It is the youngest, smallest, and of the smallest population of the eight cities in the province of Puerto Plata.

## Guananico

### Region

 Puerto Plata Province
Cibao N

### Distance to:

Puerto Plata:
39 km (*24 mi.*)
Santo Domingo:
216 km (*134 mi.*)

## Etymology

The toponym of Guananico is of indigenous origin. According to versions compiled from different sources and bibliographic data, it is associated with Guacanagarix, chieftain on the island of Hispaniola during the fifteenth century (*1400s*).

## History

The municipality was founded as a village between **1865**-**1870**.

## Economy

Its economic base is agriculture, growing coffee and cocoa, sowing beans and corn in smaller quantities. It has many fruit trees, such as avocados, mangoes, sour oranges and sweets and tamarinds.

There are around 53,000 acres suitable for agricultural cultivation, the main products being cocoa, coffee, bananas, cassava, bananas and some citrus fruits. With regard to livestock there are about 15,000 head units of cattle and pigs and there is also a large proportion of people dedicated to the orange trade and micro business, motorcycle concho service and public and tourist transport.

The economically active population of the municipality is 2,650 people and the unemployment rate is equivalent to 28.3% of the population. Large coffee and cocoa plantations operate in the agricultural area, which have a significant economic injection into local commerce.

More sources of work were recently installed so that a large part of the population benefits economically with a minimum of 8% of the population, a company called “Costambar Café”, this company is responsible for exporting coffee and cocoa to different countries.

## Sports

The municipality is ideal for the practice of enduro, since there are several places where this modality can be carried out. Highlights include Hoya Grande, Arroyo Viejito, Fundación, La Jagua, Gajo Alto and nearby areas such as La Cabirma, Cabía and Caonao.

Every January 21 the sports show “La Altagracia Pal 'Monte” takes place, an enduro-party event that brings together more than 300 enduro riders from the country and has the presence of international pilots.

The activity, organized by Mongua, has had the participation of Jobel Coronado, current national enduro champion, and Gabriel Lister, the first Dominican to participate in the “Red Bull Romaniacs”.

Other favorite sports in the urban area are Basketball, Men's and Women's Softball and Baseball. In the rural area, male and female Baseball and Softball are most frequently practiced.

## Tourism

Guananico has beautiful landscapes with forests, rivers and mountains.

Rivers, forests, mountains and a viewpoint from where five of the municipalities of the Atlantic Bride are displayed, make the municipality a destination with possibilities to develop ecotourism.

Privileged with productive forests, where cocoa, coffee, avocados and many other fruits that are harvested in the lands of the Guananiquenses are exported.

The landscape and its natural resources are undoubtedly its main attractions. The different leisure activities that can be done, in addition to resting breathing fresh air, or experiencing adrenaline when deciding to climb or do extreme sports.

The offer is wide, from saltaderos at the top of the mountain, to spas such as Agua Verde, with a cable car, which moves people from one side of the river to the other. This without neglecting the exhibitions and routes of cocoa offered at the Hacienda Cufa and the Hacienda del Cacao, El Eden.

## Holidays

Patron celebrations and carnival are also important in the municipality. The patron saint of Guananico is "La Virgen de la Altagracia", in addition, the sections of the municipality have their own patrons and patrons, in foundation the patron is "La Virgen del Carmen".

Each of these communities celebrate their own party and it is traditional to celebrate reigns, popular games, festivals, sports competitions, religious novenas and cultural exchanges.

## Musical legacy

For many it is impossible not to dance a piece of “merengue ripiao” like the one played in Guananico. Representatives of the genre say that it was there where the national dance was born.

## References

Guananico [1]

Michael Vedrine est la mejor