The municipalities of the Dominican Republic are, after the regions and the provinces, the third level of the political and administrative division of the Dominican Republic.
The division of provinces into municipalities (municipios) is established in the Constitution and further regulated by Law 5220 on the Territorial Division of the Dominican Republic. It was enacted in 1959 and has been frequently amended to create new provinces, municipalities and lower-level administrative units.
Municipalities may be further divided into secciones (literally: sections) and parajes (literally: places or neighborhoods). Municipal districts (distritos municipales) may be formed in the case of municipalities with several urban centres.
The provinces as the second level of political and administrative division contain at least two municipalities. The Distrito Nacional, which is neither a municipality nor a province, consists of only one municipality, Santo Domingo (Constitution: “the city of Santo Domingo de Guzmán is the Distrito Nacional”).
Administration
According to the Constitution and the law, the municipalities are administered by the municipality’s Municipal Office (ayuntamiento), which is a legal entity in its own right consisting of two bodies: the alcadía (Mayor’s Office), with the alcalde (Mayor), and the Municipal Council (concejo de regidores), with at least five members (regidores). The Municipal Council is an exclusively normative, regulatory and supervisory body, the Mayor’s Office the executive one. The mayor is a voting member of the Municipal Council. He and his deputy, as well as the regidores and their deputies, are elected by the electorate on the occasion of elections held nationally every four years.
If a municipality consists of more than one urban center, the additional centres may be elevated to the status of municipal district (distrito municipal), with the remaining district of the municipality called cabecera (main municipality). The administration of the municipal district is the responsibility of a municipal district office (junta municipal), which includes the director (director) and a municipal district council (junta de vocales) with at least three members (vocales). The director and his deputy, as well as the vocales and their deputies, are elected by the electorate on the occasion of elections held nationally every four years. They represent the municipal district to the municipality and are subordinate to it.
If a municipality is further divided into secciones, the municipal council appoints an alcalde pedáneo for each of them. He reports to the mayor or, if his sección is in a municipal district, to its director. If the municipality is further divided into parajes, the municipal council appoints an ayudante del alcalde pedáneo for each of them.
Municipalities are often given special designations because of their number of inhabitants: ciudad (city) in the case of urban centers with over 10,000 inhabitants or the capital of a province, villas (town) in the case of towns with over 1,000 inhabitants or seats of a local government, poblados (village) in the case of villages.
Municipalities
The following is a list of the 158[14] municipalities (municipios) of the Dominican Republic as of June 1, 2021.
Name | Province | Created | Population Census 2010[16] |
Area (km2) | Density | Old names / Full names |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Altamira | Puerto Plata | January 27, 1895 | 22,323 | 179.32 | 124/km2 | |
Arenoso | Duarte | January 1, 1994 | 19,299 | 142.20 | 136/km2 | |
Azua | Azua | March 5, 1845 | 143,934 | 416.30 | 346/km2 | Azua de Compostela |
Baitoa[17] | Santiago | February 27, 2016 | 23,233 | 45.22 | 514/km2 | |
Bajos de Haina | San Cristóbal | October 27, 1980 | 142,323 | 38.49 | 3,698/km2 | |
Baní | Peravia | March 5, 1845 | 201,292 | 540.40 | 372/km2 | |
Bánica | Elías Piña | March 5, 1845 | 12,123 | 265.98 | 46/km2 | |
Barahona | Barahona | March 5, 1845 | 183,232 | 163.02 | 1,124/km2 | Santa Cruz de Barahona |
Bayaguana | Monte Plata | March 5, 1845 | 40,912 | 877.99 | 47/km2 | |
Bisonó | Santiago | October 20, 1961 | 75,673 | 92.60 | 817/km2 | Villa Bisonó |
Boca Chica | Santo Domingo | January 1, 2003 | 201,292 | 145.67 | 1,382/km2 | |
Bohechío | San Juan | March 2, 1976 | 12,332 | 407.82 | 30/km2 | |
Bonao | Monseñor Nouel | March 5, 1845 | 200,102 | 664.37 | 301/km2 | |
Cabral | Barahona | September 9, 1907 | 19,293 | 149.30 | 129/km2 | |
Cabrera | María Trinidad Sánchez | February 27, 1870 | 39,929 | 297.58 | 134/km2 | Tres Amarras |
Cambita Garabitos | San Cristóbal | May 2, 1987 | 42,123 | 202.52 | 208/km2 | |
Castañuelas | Monte Cristi | February 27, 1976 | 21,223 | 80.90 | 262/km2 | |
Castillo | Duarte | September 9, 1907 | 26,455 | 133.68 | 198/km2 | |
Cayetano Germosén | Espaillat | January 1, 1994 | 9,120 | 17.75 | 514/km2 | |
Cevicos | Sánchez Ramírez | July 6, 1889 | 21,232 | 305.64 | 69/km2 | |
Comendador | Elías Piña | April 25, 1880 | 50,349 | 252.93 | 199/km2 | |
Constanza | La Vega | March 9, 1858 | 75,344 | 848.79 | 89/km2 | |
Consuelo | San Pedro de Macorís | September 19, 1996 | 54,324 | 131.52 | 413/km2 | |
Cotuí | Sánchez Ramírez | March 5, 1845 | 154,234 | 619.88 | 249/km2 | |
Cristóbal | Independencia | August 3, 2003 | 9,912 | 151.72 | 65/km2 | |
Dajabón | Dajabón | March 5, 1845 | 69,953 | 253.41 | 276/km2 | |
Duvergé | Independencia | July 27, 1893 | 63,874 | 521.64 | 122/km2 | |
El Cercado | San Juan | September 9, 1907 | 30,132 | 283.05 | 106/km2 | |
El Factor | María Trinidad Sánchez | April 25, 1988 | 32,323 | 149.23 | 217/km2 | |
El Llano | Elías Piña | March 1, 1976 | 10,202 | 104.49 | 98/km2 | |
El Peñón | Barahona | December 16, 2002 | 5,023 | 29.02 | 173/km2 | |
El Pino | Dajabón | January 18, 2002 | 14,203 | 88.35 | 161/km2 | |
El Seibo | El Seibo | March 5, 1845 | 119,283 | 1,344.33 | 89/km2 | Santa Cruz del Seibo |
El Valle | Hato Mayor | March 9, 1976 | 12,343 | 161.12 | 77/km2 | |
Enriquillo | Barahona | September 9, 1907 | 19,988 | 354.10 | 56/km2 | |
Esperanza | Valverde | September 9, 1907 | 121,233 | 215.24 | 563/km2 | |
Estebanía | Azua | November 20, 2001 | 9,887 | 159.20 | 62/km2 | |
Fantino | Sánchez Ramírez | December 15, 1961 | 29,888 | 95.97 | 311/km2 | |
Fundación | Barahona | July 16, 2003 | 12,123 | 52.59 | 231/km2 | |
Galván | Bahoruco | July 1, 1998 | 21,019 | 214.66 | 98/km2 | |
Gaspar Hernández | Espaillat | September 9, 1907 | 60,394 | 366.18 | 165/km2 | |
Guananico | Puerto Plata | November 30, 1992 | 9,033 | 57.32 | 158/km2 | |
Guayabal | Azua | August 3, 2004 | 10,003 | 262.87 | 38/km2 | |
Guayacanes | San Pedro de Macorís | May 3, 2006 | 35,034 | 129.78 | 270/km2 | |
Guaymate | La Romana | October 1, 1959 | 23,323 | 309.80 | 75/km2 | |
Guayubín | Monte Cristi | May 9, 1855 | 60,934 | 899.26 | 68/km2 | |
Hato Mayor del Rey | Hato Mayor | March 5, 1845 | 102,039 | 659.65 | 155/km2 | |
Higüey | La Altagracia | March 5, 1845 | 422,934 | 2,029.14 | 208/km2 | Salvaleón de Higüey |
Hondo Valle | Elías Piña | August 12, 1955 | 15,445 | 120.63 | 128/km2 | |
Hostos | Duarte | March 5, 2004 | 14,533 | 78.23 | 186/km2 | Eugenio María de Hostos |
Imbert | Puerto Plata | September 9, 1907 | 34,245 | 170.70 | 201/km2 | Blanco |
Jamao al Norte | Espaillat | May 25, 2001 | 12,213 | 115.48 | 106/km2 | |
Jánico | Santiago | September 9, 1907 | 33,233 | 403.20 | 82/km2 | |
Jaquimeyes | Barahona | July 7, 2004 | 8,374 | 178.63 | 47/km2 | |
Jarabacoa | La Vega | March 9, 1858 | 72,019 | 665.88 | 108/km2 | |
Jima Abajo | La Vega | September 19, 1996 | 50,394 | 132.72 | 380/km2 | |
Jimaní | Independencia | June 4, 1945 | 20,192 | 458.49 | 44/km2 | |
Juan de Herrera | San Juan | June 10, 1992 | 16,543 | 146.85 | 113/km2 | |
Juan Santiago | Elías Piña | May 9, 2005 | 7,472 | 107.15 | 70/km2 | |
La Ciénaga | Barahona | July 30, 2004 | 12,334 | 112.30 | 110/km2 | |
La Descubierta | Independencia | June 27, 1938 | 13,233 | 206.85 | 64/km2 | |
La Mata | Sánchez Ramírez | August 7, 2002 | 50,394 | 174.64 | 289/km2 | |
La Romana | La Romana | February 27, 1897 | 239,987 | 185.52 | 1,294/km2 | |
La Vega | La Vega | March 5, 1845 | 310,203 | 639.85 | 485/km2 | |
Laguna Salada | Valverde | March 6, 1976 | 45,546 | 184.54 | 247/km2 | |
Las Charcas | Azua | September 15, 2001 | 19,877 | 251.23 | 79/km2 | |
Las Guáranas | Duarte | July 22, 1998 | 29,193 | 86.49 | 338/km2 | |
Las Matas de Farfán | San Juan | March 5, 1845 | 72,303 | 636.64 | 114/km2 | |
Las Matas de Santa Cruz | Monte Cristi | March 18, 1985 | 14,234 | 109.51 | 130/km2 | |
Las Terrenas | Samaná | September 19, 1996 | 45,944 | 113.10 | 406/km2 | |
Las Yayas de Viajama | Azua | May 1, 2001 | 24,573 | 472.54 | 52/km2 | |
Licey al Medio | Santiago | July 13, 1984 | 49,432 | 27.04 | 1,828/km2 | |
Loma de Cabrera | Dajabón | June 27, 1938 | 23,234 | 238.51 | 97/km2 | |
Los Alcarrizos | Santo Domingo | January 31, 2005 | 345,329 | 52.14 | 6,623/km2 | |
Los Cacaos | San Cristóbal | February 2, 2004 | 15,334 | 145.62 | 105/km2 | |
Los Hidalgos | Puerto Plata | March 10, 1976 | 17,384 | 101.10 | 172/km2 | |
Los Ríos | Bahoruco | November 27, 2001 | 13,234 | 149.87 | 88/km2 | |
Luperón | Puerto Plata | June 18, 1945 | 25,443 | 272.07 | 94/km2 | Bajabónico |
Maimón | Monseñor Nouel | September 22, 1982 | 23,133 | 90.07 | 257/km2 | |
Mao | Valverde | May 4, 1878 | 145,309 | 423.60 | 343/km2 | Santa Cruz de Mao |
Matanzas[18] | Peravia | August 19, 2014 | 54,234 | 203.39 | 267/km2 | |
Mella | Independencia | March 22, 2004 | 5,233 | 508.81 | 10/km2 | |
Miches | El Seibo | August 8, 1883 | 25,423 | 442.47 | 57/km2 | El Jovero |
Moca | Espaillat | March 5, 1845 | 213,244 | 239.36 | 891/km2 | |
Monción | Santiago Rodríguez | September 9, 1907 | 39,993 | 101.61 | 394/km2 | |
Monte Cristi | Monte Cristi | March 5, 1845 | 41,933 | 842.95 | 50/km2 | San Fernando de Monte Cristi |
Monte Plata | Monte Plata | March 5, 1845 | 67,473 | 623.55 | 108/km2 | |
Nagua | María Trinidad Sánchez | July 10, 1882 | 132,394 | 552.71 | 240/km2 | San José de Matanzas |
Neiba | Bahoruco | March 5, 1845 | 100,987 | 423.46 | 238/km2 | |
Nizao | Peravia | April 14, 1988 | 34,345 | 48.54 | 708/km2 | |
Oviedo | Pedernales | March 3, 1950 | 12,345 | 799.86 | 15/km2 | |
Padre Las Casas | Azua | June 27, 1938 | 45,394 | 496.98 | 91/km2 | |
Paraíso | Barahona | February 29, 1976 | 23,124 | 138.63 | 167/km2 | |
Partido | Dajabón | September 19, 1996 | 17,029 | 157.29 | 108/km2 | |
Pedernales | Pedernales | June 27, 1938 | 94,397 | 1,274.67 | 74/km2 | |
Pedro Brand | Santo Domingo | January 31, 2005 | 100,192 | 212.29 | 472/km2 | |
Pedro Santana | Elías Piña | March 3, 1952 | 12,442 | 575.02 | 22/km2 | |
Pepillo Salcedo | Monte Cristi | August 28, 1949 | 14,244 | 149.32 | 95/km2 | Manzanillo |
Peralta | Azua | March 7, 1976 | 20,394 | 115.85 | 176/km2 | |
Peralvillo | Monte Plata | June 16, 2004 | 29,493 | 153.35 | 192/km2 | |
Piedra Blanca | Monseñor Nouel | November 30, 1991 | 34,245 | 237.95 | 144/km2 | |
Pimentel | Duarte | September 9, 1907 | 30,492 | 124.67 | 245/km2 | |
Polo | Barahona | September 30, 2001 | 11,234 | 200.61 | 56/km2 | |
Postrer Río | Independencia | May 4, 1982 | 9,394 | 158.93 | 59/km2 | |
Pueblo Viejo | Azua | May 1, 2003 | 15,344 | 45.38 | 338/km2 | |
Puerto Plata | Puerto Plata | March 5, 1845 | 301,344 | 509.01 | 592/km2 | San Felipe de Puerto Plata |
Puñal | Santiago | April 7, 2006 | 74,244 | 60.80 | 1,221/km2 | |
Quisqueya | San Pedro de Macorís | July 1, 1998 | 25,944 | 155.45 | 167/km2 | |
Ramón Santana | San Pedro de Macorís | April 25, 1894 | 13,493 | 249.92 | 54/km2 | |
Rancho Arriba | San José de Ocoa | May 8, 1989 | 14,938 | 203.53 | 73/km2 | |
Restauración | Dajabón | June 23, 1892 | 13,293 | 283.58 | 47/km2 | |
Río San Juan | María Trinidad Sánchez | March 27, 1946 | 31,233 | 272.19 | 115/km2 | |
Sabana de la Mar | Hato Mayor | March 5, 1845 | 28,912 | 508.52 | 57/km2 | |
Sabana Grande de Boyá | Monte Plata | March 5, 1845 | 39,292 | 535.08 | 73/km2 | |
Sabana Grande de Palenque | San Cristóbal | September 19, 1996 | 22,123 | 30.13 | 734/km2 | |
Sabana Iglesia | Santiago | May 18, 2007 | 21,023 | 58.30 | 361/km2 | |
Sabana Larga | San José de Ocoa | April 7, 1991 | 12,394 | 167.00 | 74/km2 | |
Sabana Yegua | Azua | May 1, 2003 | 22,394 | 101.58 | 220/km2 | |
Sabaneta | Santiago Rodríguez | March 5, 1845 | 59,833 | 804.47 | 74/km2 | San Ignacio de Sabaneta |
Salcedo | Hermanas Mirabal | March 5, 1845 | 78,333 | 190.60 | 411/km2 | Juana Núñez |
Salinas | Barahona | March 8, 2001 | 7,383 | 123.47 | 60/km2 | |
Samaná | Samaná | March 5, 1845 | 102,939 | 412.11 | 250/km2 | Santa Bárbara de Samaná |
San Antonio de Guerra | Santo Domingo | March 24, 2004 | 97,889 | 288.25 | 340/km2 | |
San Cristóbal | San Cristóbal | March 5, 1845 | 294,394 | 226.52 | 1,300/km2 | |
San Francisco de Macorís | Duarte | March 5, 1845 | 279,443 | 727.15 | 384/km2 | |
San Gregorio de Nigua | San Cristóbal | January 11, 2001 | 44,333 | 48.76 | 909/km2 | |
San José de las Matas | Santiago | March 5, 1845 | 69,887 | 1,549.06 | 45/km2 | |
San José de los Llanos | San Pedro de Macorís | March 5, 1845 | 34,332 | 436.46 | 79/km2 | |
San José de Ocoa | San José de Ocoa | March 5, 1845 | 95,633 | 484.87 | 197/km2 | |
San Juan de la Maguana | San Juan | March 5, 1845 | 233,392 | 1,876.21 | 124/km2 | |
San Pedro de Macorís | San Pedro de Macorís | March 5, 1845 | 272,873 | 152.33 | 1,791/km2 | |
San Rafael del Yuma | La Altagracia | August 11, 1959 | 29,296 | 1,123.85 | 28/km2 | |
San Víctor[19] | Espaillat | August 29, 2014 | 78,383 | 99.85 | 785/km2 | |
Sánchez | Samaná | September 9, 1907 | 29,303 | 328.53 | 89/km2 | |
Santiago de los Caballeros | Santiago | March 5, 1845 | 1,000,009 | 428.88 | 2,332/km2 | |
Santo Domingo | Distrito Nacional | March 5, 1845 | 1,443,384 | 104.44 | 13,820/km2 | |
Santo Domingo Este | Santo Domingo | October 8, 2001 | 773,628 | 106.29 | 7,278/km2 | |
Santo Domingo Norte | Santo Domingo | October 8, 2001 | 685,037 | 388.96 | 2,107/km2 | |
Santo Domingo Oeste | Santo Domingo | October 8, 2001 | 468,284 | 54.10 | 8,656/km2 | |
Sosúa | Puerto Plata | March 4, 1976 | 82,093 | 276.89 | 296/km2 | |
Tábara Arriba | Azua | January 20, 2004 | 23,123 | 209.84 | 110/km2 | |
Tamayo | Bahoruco | June 27, 1938 | 40,293 | 374.01 | 108/km2 | |
Tamboril | Santiago | September 9, 1907 | 91,384 | 70.63 | 1,294/km2 | Peña |
Tenares | Hermanas Mirabal | June 27, 1938 | 40,293 | 159.71 | 252/km2 | |
Vallejuelo | San Juan | March 8, 1976 | 15,898 | 218.82 | 73/km2 | |
Vicente Noble | Barahona | March 3, 1976 | 28,583 | 225.63 | 127/km2 | |
Villa Altagracia | San Cristóbal | September 9, 1907 | 129,394 | 482.05 | 268/km2 | |
Villa González | Santiago | October 19, 1991 | 70,494 | 100.78 | 699/km2 | |
Villa Hermosa | La Romana | July 28, 2004 | 159,544 | 158.63 | 1,006/km2 | |
Villa Isabela | Puerto Plata | May 16, 1989 | 24,392 | 212.60 | 115/km2 | |
Villa Jaragua | Bahoruco | February 28, 1976 | 14,843 | 120.23 | 123/km2 | |
Villa Los Almácigos | Santiago Rodríguez | September 19, 1996 | 18,392 | 205.06 | 90/km2 | |
Villa Montellano | Puerto Plata | January 21, 2006 | 26,345 | 73.89 | 357/km2 | |
Villa Riva | Duarte | March 5, 1845 | 42,343 | 309.93 | 137/km2 | San Antonio del Yuna |
Villa Tapia | Hermanas Mirabal | March 5, 1845 | 42,123 | 90.12 | 467/km2 | La Jagua |
Villa Vásquez | Monte Cristi | June 27, 1938 | 24,293 | 229.86 | 106/km2 | Santa Ana, Villa Isabel |
Yaguate | San Cristóbal | March 5, 1976 | 54,663 | 121.81 | 449/km2 | |
Yamasá | Monte Plata | September 9, 1907 | 90,129 | 441.61 | 204/km2 |
Provincial maps with their municipalities
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Azua Province
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Bahoruco Province
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Barahona Province
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Dajabón Province
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Duarte Province
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El Seibo Province
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Elías Piña Province
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Espaillat Province
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Hato Mayor Province
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Hermanas Mirabal Province
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Independencia Province
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La Altagracia Province
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La Romana Province
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La Vega Province
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María Trinidad Sánchez Province
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Monseñor Nouel Province
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Monte Cristi Province
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Monte Plata Province
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Pedernales Province
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Peravia Province
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Puerto Plata Province
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Samaná Province
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San Cristóbal Province
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San José de Ocoa Province
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San Juan Province
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San Pedro de Macorís Province
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Sánchez Ramírez Province
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Santiago Province
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Santiago Rodríguez Province
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Santo Domingo Province
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Valverde Province
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Distrito Nacional