Santo Domingo, Ecuador

Santo Domingo de los Colorados,[2] simply referred to as Santo Domingo (Quechua: Tsachila) is a city and seat of the canton that bears its name. It is the fourth most populous city in Ecuador with a population of over 460,000, is an important commercial and industrial center, and serves as the capital of the Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas Province.[3]

Santo Domingo
City
From top, left to right: Panoramic view of Santo Domingo, Cathedral of the Ascension of the Lord, City hall of Santo Domingo, monument to the Settler, Zaracay Park, Vista Hermosa Towers, Bomboli hill and Sanctuary of Holy Mary de Bomboli.
Flag
Seal
Santo Domingo
Coordinates: 00°15′15″S 79°10′19″W[1]
CountryEcuador
ProvinceSanto Domingo de los Tsáchilas
CantonSanto Domingo
CreatedMay 29, 1861
Named forLos Colorados, Jesus
Urban Parishes
List of parishes
  • Abraham Calazacón
  • Bomboli
  • Chiguilpe
  • Río Toachi
  • Río Verde
  • Los Colorados
  • Zaracay
Government
 • MayorWilson Erazo Argoti
Area
 • City1,092.89 km2 (421.97 sq mi)
 • Metro
3,446.65 km2 (1,330.76 sq mi)
Elevation
625 m (2,051 ft)
Population
 • City511,130
 • Density470/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
 • Metro
460,000
Demonym(s)Santodomingueño
Area code(s)(+593) 02
Climate Tropical monsoon and humid
Websitewww.santodomingo.gov.ec/ (in Spanish)

History

The name, "de los Colorados", refers to a local ethnic group, the Tsáchila, and the custom of men in that tribe to dye their hair with extract of the achiote plant; hence "Santo Dominigo de los Colorados" or "Santo Domingo of the Dyed." This group, which is indigenous to the area, is recognised with a substantial statue near the town center.

In c1936, Sr. Mario Atahualpa Borja, a surveyor and civil engineer for the government of Ecuador, son of Colonel Philemon Borja, was hired to survey a road from Quito to a settlement within the Tsachila community. After several months, the survey crew arrived at a settlement at the Tuachi River. Mario Borja, as delegate to the Ecuadorian government, officially founded the town of Santo Domingo del Los Colorados and designed and designed the town center.

Geography

Santo Domingo is located approximately 133 km west of Quito at an altitude of 625 m. Santo Domingo lies in the foothills west of the Andes. It is important stopping point on the road from Quito to the Pacific coast. The city also connects other lowland cities like Quevedo, Chone, and Quinindé.

The city is also the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Santo Domingo de los Colorados.

Climate

Santo Domingo has a tropical monsoon climate under Köppen climate classification (Am) with influences of altitude. Average temperatures hover around 71 degrees Fahrenheit.[4] Like many other cities on this side of the Andes it floods easily. Roads between Quito and coastal cities such as Esmeraldas and Manta are often washed out and require frequent work.

Climate data for Santo Domingo de los Colorados
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 27.1
(80.8)		 27.8
(82.0)		 28.4
(83.1)		 28.5
(83.3)		 27.7
(81.9)		 26.7
(80.1)		 26.5
(79.7)		 26.8
(80.2)		 26.8
(80.2)		 26.4
(79.5)		 26.1
(79.0)		 26.4
(79.5)		 27.1
(80.8)
Average low °C (°F) 19.0
(66.2)		 19.1
(66.4)		 19.5
(67.1)		 19.5
(67.1)		 19.2
(66.6)		 18.6
(65.5)		 18.0
(64.4)		 17.8
(64.0)		 18.1
(64.6)		 18.3
(64.9)		 18.1
(64.6)		 18.5
(65.3)		 18.6
(65.6)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 382
(15.0)		 455
(17.9)		 479
(18.9)		 470
(18.5)		 247
(9.7)		 152
(6.0)		 55
(2.2)		 51
(2.0)		 84
(3.3)		 74
(2.9)		 57
(2.2)		 152
(6.0)		 2,658
(104.6)
Source: Climate Data

References
  1. Santo Domingo de los Colorados at GEOnet Names Server
  2. Santo Domingo de los Colorados at www.santodomingo.gov.ec
  3. Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas Archived 2010-07-24 at the Wayback Machine at www.gptsachila.gov.ec
  4. Municipal de Santo Domingo Archived 2012-03-20 at the Wayback Machine 11 August 2010

Media related to Santo Domingo at Wikimedia Commons

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