Azua, Dominican Republic

{{Short description|City in the Dominican Republic}} {{Infobox settlement |name = Azua de Compostela |settlement_type = Municipality |image_skyline = Azua Dominican Republic church.jpg |imagesize = 280px |image_caption = Church of Azua De Compostela |pushpin_map = Dominican Republic |pushpin_relief = 1 |coordinates = {{coord|18|27|36|N|70|44|24|W|region:DO|display=inline,title}} |image_flag = |image_shield = Compostela Old Shield.svg |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = {{DOM}} |subdivision_type1 = Province |subdivision_name1 = Azua |established_title = Founded |established_date = 1504 |established_title2 = Municipality since |established_date2 = 1844 |area_total_km2 = 416.30 |area_footnotes = <ref name="listado">Superficies a nivel de municipios, [http://one.gob.do/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=63&Itemid=283 Oficina Nacional de Estadistica] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417021712/http://one.gob.do/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=63&Itemid=283 |date=April 17, 2009 }}</ref> |elevation_m = 83 |elevation_footnotes = <ref>{{cite book | last = De la Fuente | first = Santiago | title = Geografía Dominicana | publisher = Editora Colegial Quisqueyana | year = 1976 | location = Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | language = es }}</ref> |population_as_of = 2012 |population_total = 128264 |total_type = Total |population_density_km2 = auto |population_urban = 92585 |population_rural = 35679 |pop_est_as_of = |population_est = |population_blank1_title = Demonym |population_blank1 = Azuano(a) |population_footnotes = <ref name="2012 Census" >2012 Census</ref> |blank_name = Municipal Districts<ref name="Distritos Municipales" /> |blank_info = 8 |blank1_name = Climate |blank1_info = BSh |footnotes = }}

'''Azua de Compostela''', also known simply as '''Azua''', is a city, municipality (''municipio'') and capital of Azua Province in the southern region of Dominican Republic. Founded in 1504, Azua is one of the oldest European settlements in the Americas. The town is located 100 kilometres west of the national capital, Santo Domingo.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-03-05 |title=Relation: Azua De Compostela (7391027) |url=https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/7391027 |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=OpenStreetMap |language=en}}</ref>

==History== The territory was part of the chiefdom of Maguana, one of the five Taino chiefdoms in the island. Christopher Columbus encountered great difficulties that forced him and his companions to take refuge in the Bay of Ocoa, in the eastern part of the Azua territory. There he met the resistance of the Great (Cacique) of Azua Cuyocagua, whom the Admiral tried to subdue without success.

The town of Azúa de Compostela was officially founded in 1504 by Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar (conqueror of Cuba), during the government of Don Nicolás de Ovando. The famous conqueror of Mexico Hernán Cortés also resided in the town for several years (1504–1511). During his stay in Azua he used to spend his hours of leisure on the Monte Río beach.

==Economy== thumb|right|Azua, Dominican Republic people. Azua has an active population (of working age) of 23,242 people of which 16,167 work, 69% of the economically active population. Of those who work, 20% are public servants (3,232 people). Most of the area of the municipality is concentrated in medium-sized properties, in which combined technology is used, with a predominance of mechanization. Large properties, with more than 800 tasks (one task = 628.83 m<sup>2</sup>), are in the hands of a few large producers.

The municipality has been one of the most benefited with the installation of agro-industrial companies covered by Law 409, which has stimulated the development of the public and private financial sector.

==Population== thumb|right|280px|Azua, Dominican Republic town hall. As of the Dominican Republic's 2012 census, the municipality had a total population of 128,264 inhabitants, of which 92,585 lived in urban areas and 35,679 in rural areas.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Estadística (ONE) |first=Oficina Nacional de |title=Oficina Nacional de Estadística (ONE) |url=http://one.gob.do/ |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=Oficina Nacional de Estadística (ONE)}}</ref>

It includes the municipal districts (''distritos municipal'') of Barreras, Barro Arriba, Clavellina, Emma Balaguer Viuda Vallejo, Las Barías-La Estancia, Las Lomas, Los Jovillos, Sabana Yegua and Puerto Viejo.<ref name="Distritos Municipales">{{cite web | url = http://www.one.gob.do/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=113 | title = Listado de Codigos de Provincias, Municipio y Distritos Municipales, Actualizada a Junio 20 del 2006 | author = ((Oficina Nacional de Estadistica, Departamento de Cartografia, Division de Limites y Linderos)) | language = es | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070314215735/http://www.one.gob.do/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=113 | archive-date = 14 March 2007 | access-date = 12 August 2011 }}</ref>

The municipality is divided into 20 neighborhoods, and these in turn into 12 sub-neighborhoods.

These are the city's neighborhoods and their respective sub-neighborhoods (in parentheses): Los Cartones, Simón Striddels, La Bombita (Los Solares, Villa Esperanza, Los Acostados, Canta la Rana and San Miguel), Villa Esperanza (Cambodia, Restaurador, Military and Resolí), City Center, Pueblo Abajo, Savica (Framboyán Urbanization), Los Mangos, Buenos Aires (Cañada del Concón or Altos del Cacheo), La Colonia Española, Social Improvement, Pajarito, La Nevera, La Frontera, El Prado, Alto de las Flores, Quisqueya Urbanization (Quisqueya II Urbanization), Juan Pablo Duarte, Acapulco and Los Parceleros.

==Climate== Its location in the direct lee of the trade winds gives Azua de Compostela a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen ''BSh'') in which there is frequently little rainfall outside of the hurricane season from August to October. {{Weather box |location = Azua (1961-1990) |metric first = yes |single line = yes |width = auto |temperature colour = pastel |Jan record high C = 35.0 |Feb record high C = 36.0 |Mar record high C = 36.5 |Apr record high C = 36.8 |May record high C = 37.8 |Jun record high C = 37.0 |Jul record high C = 38.7 |Aug record high C = 39.0 |Sep record high C = 37.8 |Oct record high C = 37.0 |Nov record high C = 36.8 |Dec record high C = 35.0 |year record high C = 39.0 |Jan high C = 31.1 |Feb high C = 31.5 |Mar high C = 31.8 |Apr high C = 32.2 |May high C = 32.3 |Jun high C = 32.8 |Jul high C = 33.9 |Aug high C = 33.9 |Sep high C = 33.3 |Oct high C = 32.5 |Nov high C = 32.0 |Dec high C = 31.3 |year high C = 32.4 |Jan low C = 19.2 |Feb low C = 19.6 |Mar low C = 20.5 |Apr low C = 21.4 |May low C = 22.3 |Jun low C = 22.7 |Jul low C = 23.1 |Aug low C = 23.1 |Sep low C = 22.8 |Oct low C = 22.3 |Nov low C = 21.2 |Dec low C = 19.7 |year low C = 21.5 |Jan record low C = 14.5 |Feb record low C = 15.2 |Mar record low C = 15.1 |Apr record low C = 16.2 |May record low C = 19.2 |Jun record low C = 19.2 |Jul record low C = 19.9 |Aug record low C = 19.5 |Sep record low C = 19.8 |Oct record low C = 18.2 |Nov record low C = 15.5 |Dec record low C = 14.5 |year record low C = 14.5 |rain colour = green |Jan rain mm = 14.3 |Feb rain mm = 13.9 |Mar rain mm = 24.1 |Apr rain mm = 39.2 |May rain mm = 77.2 |Jun rain mm = 63.5 |Jul rain mm = 41.0 |Aug rain mm = 80.1 |Sep rain mm = 117.7 |Oct rain mm = 136.0 |Nov rain mm = 37.5 |Dec rain mm = 19.8 |year rain mm = 664.3 |unit rain days = 0.1 mm |Jan rain days = 1.4 |Feb rain days = 1.6 |Mar rain days = 2.5 |Apr rain days = 3.8 |May rain days = 6.8 |Jun rain days = 5.0 |Jul rain days = 3.5 |Aug rain days = 5.5 |Sep rain days = 7.2 |Oct rain days = 8.6 |Nov rain days = 4.1 |Dec rain days = 1.8 |year rain days = 51.8 |source 1 = NOAA<ref name= NOAA >{{cite web | url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/DR/00000002.TXT | title = Azua Climate Normals 1961-1990 | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200802140555/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/DR/00000002.TXT | archive-date = 2020-08-02 | url-status = dead | access-date = November 29, 2015}}</ref> |date = November 2015}}

==Notable people== * Sandy Alcántara (born 1995), baseball player * Maikel Franco (born 1992), baseball player * Geovanny Vicente (born 1986), CNN columnist, political strategist and professor * Yennsy D��az (born 1996), baseball player * Edna Garrido Ramírez (1913–2010), ethnomusicologist * Esteury Ruiz (born 1999), baseball player * Francisca Lachapel (born 1989), actress, TV host * Franchy Cordero (born 1994), baseball player

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{commons category}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927033233/http://home-4.worldonline.nl/~t794614/azuaeng.htm Azua de Compostela] (unofficial website)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Azua De Compostela}} Category:Populated places in Azua Province Category:Municipalities of the Dominican Republic Category:Populated places established in 1504