La Romana, Dominican Republic
{{Infobox settlement
| name = La Romana
| image_skyline = Dominicana-Altos de Chavon.jpg
| imagesize =
| image_caption = Altos de Chavon church in La Romana, Dominican Republic
| image_flag =
| image_seal =
| mapsize =
| pushpin_map = Dominican Republic
| pushpin_label_position = top
| pushpin_relief = 1
| coordinates = {{coord|18|25|48|N|68|58|12|W|region:DO|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{DOM}}
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = La Romana Province
| established_title =
| established_date =
| established_title2 = Municipality since
| established_date2 = 1897
| total_type = Total
| area_total_km2 = 185.52
| elevation_footnotes = {{cite book
| last = De la Fuente
| first = Santiago
| title = Geografía Dominicana
| publisher = Editora Colegial Quisqueyana
| year = 1976
| location = Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
| language = es }}
| elevation_m = 10
| population_total = 153,241
| population_as_of = 2022 census
| population_footnotes = Citypopulation, [https://www.citypopulation.de/en/domrep/admin/la_romana/1201__la_romana/ La Romana]
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_urban = 149,840
| population_metro = 270,000 (La Romana-Villa Hermosa conurbation)
| population_blank1_title = Demonym
| population_blank1 = (spanish: Romanense)
| blank_name = Distance to
– Santo Domingo
| blank_info =
120 km
| blank1_name = Municipal Districts
| blank1_info =
1
| blank2_name = Climate
| blank2_info = Aw
}}
La Romana is a municipality and capital of the southeastern province of La Romana, opposite Catalina Island. It is one of the 10 largest cities in the Dominican Republic with a population estimated in 2022 at 153,241 within the city limits (metropolitan population: 270,000), of whom 149,840 are urban and 3,401 are rural. The name Romana comes from the word "Bomana", a name given by Indians to what is known today as Romana River.
The modern La Romana International Airport was opened in 2000. The city is near several other cities, such as San Pedro de Macorís and the national capital, Santo Domingo de Guzmán. The city is a hub for a growing tourist industry with several nearby local resort spots, such as the beachfront Bayahibe, Dominicus, Casa de Campo, and the growing number of golf resorts that surround the area.
History
The city of La Romana was officially founded in 1897 as an oil town. After 1917 with the construction of a large sugar-mill the economy quickly shifted to sugar production. The commissioning of the sugar mill coincided with the rise in sugar prices worldwide, prompting the sugar industry to welcome workers from different parts of the country as well as other parts of the Caribbean, many families moved to La Romana for economic opportunities.
In early 1960, Gulf and Western Industries, Inc. purchased the sugar mill and started to invest in the livestock industry which was cemented in the province. Meanwhile, $20 million were invested to rebuild La Romana and build schools, clinics, housing and other infrastructure for workers. During the mid-1970s the American conglomerate began selling its Dominican assets, and at the same time built what is now one of the largest exclusive tourist resorts in the Dominican Republic, Casa de Campo.
Economy
La Romana has historically been a company town, with the Central Romana Corporation owning the majority of the town. It is a town with nearly 100% employment, mostly in the tourism industry or with The Central Romana Corporation, the Duty Free Zone ([https://web.archive.org/web/20080905142109/http://www.zfr.com.do/ Zona Franca Romana]), or one of the service businesses there.
La Romana has been a one-company town since the South Puerto Rico Sugar Company built the mammoth Central Romana mill in 1917. It was the only sugar operation not taken over by Rafael Trujillo during his reign. From 1964 to 1967, the South Puerto Rico Sugar Company, including properties in Florida, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic became part of the conglomerate Gulf+Western. In 1984, the Gulf+Western Corporation sold their stake in the Central Romana Corporation to a group of local and foreign investors which includes the Fanjul brothers.
Gulf+Western acquired Consolidated Cigar in 1968 and shifted the Canary Island cigar-making operation to its Tabacalera de Garcia tobacco plant in La Romana. The Tabacalera de Garcia factory is currently one of the largest cigar factories in the world, and has been owned by the biggest cigar marketing company in the world, Altadis, since 1999. Three world-famous brands are produced in La Romana: Montecristo, H. Upmann, and Romeo y Julieta.
=City of La Romana=
File:Casa de Campo Marina, La Romana 22000, Dominican Republic - panoramio (4).jpg
File:La Romana, Dominican Republic - panoramio (38).jpg
File:La Romana, Dominican Republic - panoramio (39).jpg
Tourism
File:Amphitheater in Altos de Chavón, La Romana, Dominican Republic.jpg
Casa de Campo resort complex was built in 1975 by Gulf+Western. In 1984 Casa de Campo was purchased by the Central Romana Corporation, which is co-owned by the Fanjul brothers.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}
Altos de Chavón is a reconstruction of a 16th-century Mediterranean village located just minutes{{where?|date=January 2025}} from La Romana.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}
Casa de Campo International Tourist Port (Muelle Turístico Internacional Casa de Campo), located on the West Bank of La Romana River or Rio Dulce, has been utilized primarily for the docking of commercial ships, primarily for the transport of sugar and molasses. Upon exceeding the capacity of its port, the Central Romana Corporation built its new tourism focused port on the east side of the river. The platform on the western bank was renovated and the river channel was dredged to a depth of {{convert|10.50|m|ft}}.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}
Inaugurated with the arrival of the vessel Costa Marina in December 2002, the Central Romana Corporation invested US$12 million to extend the existing port by over {{convert|40000|m2|sqft}}. The port is a modern platform and harbor terminal, with a capacity for two large modern cruise ships. Today the new facilities boast two docking platforms (East Dock: {{convert|255|m|ft}} in length, West Dock: {{convert|225|m|ft}} in length), a {{convert|1000|m2|sqft}} passenger terminal and parking facilities which accommodate 24 buses.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}
File:Dominikanische Republik, La Romana International Airport - Dominican Republic - panoramio.jpg
La Romana International Airport (IATA: LRM, ICAO: MDLR) is a private commercial airport in the east of the Dominican Republic, serving the town of La Romana and the resort of Casa de Campo. It was built with open-air terminals. It currently ranks fifth in air traffic, behind Punta Cana, Las Américas, Puerto Plata and Santiago. The airport has 7 positions in the international terminal and a spacious private aviation terminal where up to 12 private jets can be parked.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}
=Safety=
The United States State Department in 2024 issued a Level 2 Advisory as a travel advisory to visitors to the Dominican Republic, for tourists to "exercise increased caution."{{cite web|url=https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/dominican-republic-travel-advisory.html|website=United States State Department|title=Dominican Republic Travel Advisory|date=June 18, 2024|access-date=January 13, 2025}} This was a renewal of the DOS statement issued in 2023, noting that DR "is generally safe to those sticking to popular resort areas like Punta Cana and La Romana but remains a risk due to instances of 'violent crime, including armed robbery, homicide and sexual assault' in the country overall."{{cite news|url=https://www.thestreet.com/travel/does-dominican-republican-have-a-travel-advisory|work=The Street|title=Popular Vacation Spot for American Travelers Gets Hit With Travel Advisory Warning: The warning regards "violent crime, including armed robbery."|first=Veronika |last=Bondarenko|date=June 9, 2023|access-date=January 13, 2025}} The biggest risk in La Romana was theft, as of 2022,{{cite news|url=https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2022/09/15/theft-was-the-main-crime-in-the-first-half-of-2022/ |title=Theft was the main crime in the first half of 2022|date=September 15, 2022|access-date=January 13, 2025}} through 2024, more generally of property crime.{{cite news|url=https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2024/07/14/police-dismantle-dangerous-gang-that-robbed-homes-in-gsd-and-other-parts-of-the-country/|title=Police dismantle dangerous gang that robbed homes in GSD and other parts of the country|date=July 14, 2024|access-date=January 13, 2025}} "Avoid visiting dark, secluded places alone, and avoid beaches at night. Be sure to choose taxis carefully," advised the Miami Herald in 2023 to tourists who are traveling to La Romana and other popular cruise destinations.{{cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/detour/article276401366.html|title=Dominican Republic remains popular cruise destination despite travel advisories|first=Roshae|last=Hemmings|date=June 14, 2023|access-date=January 13, 2025}}
Climate
La Romana has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) only slightly above a hot semi-arid climate (BSh) due to its shielded location from the northeasterly trade winds.
{{Weather box
|location = La Romana, Dominican Republic (1961–1990)
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|width = auto
|temperature colour = pastel
|Jan record high C = 34.8
|Feb record high C = 33.0
|Mar record high C = 34.0
|Apr record high C = 35.0
|May record high C = 35.0
|Jun record high C = 36.6
|Jul record high C = 36.8
|Aug record high C = 37.0
|Sep record high C = 37.6
|Oct record high C = 37.7
|Nov record high C = 34.2
|Dec record high C = 33.8
|year record high C = 37.7
|Jan high C = 29.7
|Feb high C = 30.0
|Mar high C = 30.5
|Apr high C = 30.9
|May high C = 31.2
|Jun high C = 32.0
|Jul high C = 32.7
|Aug high C = 32.6
|Sep high C = 32.2
|Oct high C = 31.8
|Nov high C = 30.8
|Dec high C = 29.9
|year high C = 31.2
|Jan low C = 19.5
|Feb low C = 19.5
|Mar low C = 19.8
|Apr low C = 20.5
|May low C = 22.0
|Jun low C = 22.9
|Jul low C = 23.2
|Aug low C = 23.2
|Sep low C = 22.9
|Oct low C = 22.6
|Nov low C = 21.6
|Dec low C = 20.2
|year low C = 21.5
|Jan record low C = 14.0
|Feb record low C = 15.0
|Mar record low C = 15.5
|Apr record low C = 15.0
|May record low C = 16.9
|Jun record low C = 20.0
|Jul record low C = 20.8
|Aug record low C = 20.8
|Sep record low C = 19.5
|Oct record low C = 19.7
|Nov record low C = 17.4
|Dec record low C = 15.0
|year record low C = 14.0
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 32.7
|Feb rain mm = 27.8
|Mar rain mm = 27.5
|Apr rain mm = 45.2
|May rain mm = 91.0
|Jun rain mm = 57.0
|Jul rain mm = 60.9
|Aug rain mm = 105.2
|Sep rain mm = 116.8
|Oct rain mm = 164.6
|Nov rain mm = 96.2
|Dec rain mm = 47.6
|year rain mm = 872.5
|unit rain days = 1.0 mm
|Jan rain days = 4.6
|Feb rain days = 4.3
|Mar rain days = 4.2
|Apr rain days = 5.1
|May rain days = 7.4
|Jun rain days = 6.0
|Jul rain days = 6.5
|Aug rain days = 8.1
|Sep rain days = 8.6
|Oct rain days = 9.7
|Nov rain days = 8.3
|Dec rain days = 5.7
|year rain days = 78.5
|source 1 = NOAA{{cite web
| url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/DR/00000022.TXT
| title = La Romana Climate Normals 1961-1990
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = September 15, 2016}}
}}
Sports
Estadio Francisco Micheli is home to the Toros del Este, a baseball team in the Dominican Winter League.
In 1983, the government of Salvador Jorge Blanco, through the fund for development of this region, built the Polideportivo de La Romana (La Romana Sports Center), which was named after Eleoncio Mercedes in honor of the flyweight boxer who became world champion. The Cañeros de La Romana, a Dominican basketball team, play their home games here.
Population
File:La_Romana_Dominican_Republic_city_students.jpg
- 2022 : 131,828
- 2010 : 139,671
- 2022 : 153,241
Notable people
- Fernando Abad, Major League Baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
- Antonio Alfonseca, pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies
- Juana Arrendel, high jumper
- Edison Azcona, footballer{{Cite web |title=Edison Azcona |url=https://www.lasvegaslightsfc.com/roster/edison-azcona/ |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=Las Vegas Lights FC}}
- Miguel Castro, baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles
- Andújar Cedeño, former MLB shortstop
- Domingo Cedeño, former MLB infielder
- Rafael Dolis, relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays.
- Edwin Encarnación, first baseman for the Cleveland Indians.
- Pedro Florimón, shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates
- Freddy García, former MLB infielder
- Tito Horford, retired professional basketball player
- Luis Ernesto José, lightweight boxer
- Eleoncio Mercedes, former world champion boxer in the Flyweight division
- Yermín Mercedes, catcher/designated hitter for the San Francisco Giants
- Ramon Rijo A.K.A. "MONCHY," singer, musician, songwriter, and musical producer for Monchy y Alexandra
- John Nolasco, featherweight boxer
- Arismendy Peguero, sprinter who specializes in the 400 metres
- Félix Pie, center fielder for the Hanwha Eagles
- Danny Richar, second baseman for the Chicago White Sox
- Luis Santana, retired professional boxer
- Rafael Santana, former MLB shortstop
- Julian Yan, retired professional baseball player
References
{{Wikivoyage|La Romana}}
{{Commons category|La Romana (La Romana)|La Romana}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Provincial capitals of the Dominican Republic}}
{{Municipalities of the Dominican Republic}}
{{Authority control}}