Santiago de los Caballeros

Brief information about the Santiago de los Caballeros

Santiago de los Caballeros Santiago de los Caballeros or simply Santiago (English: Saint James of the Knights) is the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic and the fourth-largest city in the Caribbean. It is the capital of Santiago Province and major metropolis in the north-central region of the country.

The city's metropolitan area has a total population of 1,173,015 inhabitants. Santiago is located approximately 155 km (96 mi) northwest of the capital Santo Domingo with an average altitude of 178 meters (584 ft). 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").