Santiago de los Caballeros, Santiago Province, The Dominican Republic

🇩🇴 Santiago de los Caballeros, or simply Santiago, is the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic and the fourth-largest city in the Caribbean by population. It is the capital of Santiago Province and major metropolis in the Cibao region of the country. Santiago is located approximately 155 km (96 mi) north-west of the capital Santo Domingo.

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". Santiago de los Caballeros has historically been the capital of the country, and was an important strategic city in the Dominican War of Independence. The name of the city, Saint James of the Knights refers to the Hidalgos de la Isabela, a group of knights who had come from La Isabela city to stay in Santiago. Sometimes the city is called Santiago de los 30 Caballeros, Saint James of the 30 Knights.

Economy Santiago's economy is mainly based by the commercialisation and industrialisation of its products and finished goods, production of goods in the free zones, and by commerce. The city has headquarters and branches of all the main stores, supermarkets, restaurants and financial entities of the country. The city also has several shopping centres and multinational companies.

Since it is the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic it currently produces the second highest percentage of the nations GDP, while also having one of the highest incomes per capita, and a large middle-class population. Telecommunications, such as; wireless phones, cable service, internet service and other services are important for the local economy. Tourism, to a lesser extent, also accounts for a portion of the city's economy.

Santiago, like most cities and towns in the Cibao valley, has historically benefited from the fertile lands of this region. This makes Santiago de los Caballeros an important area for farming and livestock. Santiago's industrial sector is also one of the most dynamic in the country. It has the concentration of 15% of domestic industries. This means 308 manufacturing companies, which in 2004 employed more than 14,000 people or 12% of the labour of Dominican manufacturing work. The products range from cigars, coffee, and alcoholic beverages, to concrete, plywood and sheet products.

The Mercado Modelo on Calle del Sol is a shopping centre where there are various stores of handicrafts and native articles made by hand.

Growth and development Santiago has recently experienced an era of rapid growth and development. It has become a city of great importance for the nation and the region's development.