San José de Ocoa


San José de Ocoa, or simply Ocoa, is the capital of San José de Ocoa province in the Dominican Republic. It is located north of the Peravia province, and was part of that province until 1 January 2002.

Geography

The city lies in a valley in the southern region of the Central Cordillera. It is located at an altitude of 475 meters. The municipality covers an area of 484.87 km².

History

The town was founded in 1805 by people from the southern town of Baní. The Canarian descendants were the first ethnic group to settle in San José de Ocoa, remaining a significant minority in the town. Other families from Spain, Italy and France, notably the Minyettys, would soon follow. Blacks also would later settle in San José de Ocoa, most of them being Cocolo descendants arriving from San Pedro de Macoris. In December 1858, San José de Ocoa was elevated to the category of municipality in the former province of Santo Domingo; in 1895, it was transferred to the province of Azua. In 1944 when the province of Peravia was created, San José de Ocoa became a municipality of this province. Finally, the town became the capital municipality of the new province of San José de Ocoa on 6 September 2000.

Economy

Agriculture is the dominant sector in the economy of the municipality. The main crops are coffee, beans and potatoes. Other vegetables, such as cabbage and carrot are also grown as well as some tropical fruits. Other economic activities are trade, carpentry workshops, mechanical and some processing of agricultural products.

Prominent residents of the city