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Bonao
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Bonao is a city in the Cibao region of Dominican Republic. It is the capital of the Monseñor Nouel province. The city is located in the center of the country, to the northwest of the national capital Santo Domingo.[4][5]
Key Information
The city is known as "Villa de las Hortensias" - the town of hydrangeas. The Hortensia is the local flower of Bonao.[citation needed]
History
[edit]Upon the arrival of the Spaniards, the territory belonged to the Taino chiefdom of Maguá. In 1495, Bartolomé Colón, during an exploration journey through the island, ordered the construction of a fortress to combat the resistance of the natives commanded by a chief with the name of Bonao.[6]
The first fort built on the site was called Bonao Abajo, which was later occupied by Francisco Roldán, a Spanish soldier who rebelled against the colonial authorities in the island. In 1497, Roldán and 70 rebels, fought in the territory of Bonao against the authority of the Columbus. The rebellion was ended in October 1498. The origins of the town of Bonao are associated precisely with this rebellion, to the extent that many who participated stayed in the area.[citation needed]
On December 7, 1508, Bonao was officially granted the category of town and was granted a coat of arms. The main economic activity of this town was the mining of gold. When gold mining by the Spaniards on the island declined, two sugar mills were installed in Bonao. Sugar production was not enough of an incentive to maintain the attraction of the Spaniards over the town of Bonao. Around 1528 it had declined along with nearby towns.[citation needed]
After the nation's Independence in the middle of the 1800s, it became a military post in the municipality of La Vega, and in 1936 it became a municipality in the province of La Vega, and by the year 1865 the town was elevated to common of that province with the name of San Antonio de Bonao. The town remained relatively isolated and by it only had 5,000 inhabitants.[citation needed]
The economic revival of Bonao began in the 1920's when the Duarte highway was inaugurated, linking Santo Domingo with the Cibao region. The highway crossed through the town and became a popular stop for people making the long trip between the capital and Santiago. At that stop, the cars or buses refueled and the passengers rested, to drink and eat. It was in those years that several restaurants were opened.[citation needed]
Historic neighborhood of Bonao
[edit]In that year, 1920, the first national census was carried out and in it the town of Bonao appeared with only 1,069 inhabitants, later rising to 2,129 in 1935 and 10,536 in the 1950 census. The most recent census, from 2010 , tells us that the municipality of Bonao has 125,338 inhabitants.[citation needed]
Economy
[edit]Bonao's economy is based on local businesses, agricultural producers and by the income generated by the mining company Americano Níquel (Falcondo), also known as Falconbridge Dominicana.
Bonao's agricultural production is 80% rice and the rest is divided into cocoa and coffee. There are also important companies that provide jobs such as: Bonao Industrial, Hanesbrands Dos Rios Textiles, Inc.
Education and technology
[edit]
There are several public and private basic and secondary schools in Bonao, among which the Elías Rodríguez Secondary School stands out, the so-called Francisco Antonio Batista García School, former Reform Plan; The Francisco Antonio Batista García Polytechnic with the areas of Computer Science, Commerce, Nursing, Industrial Technician; Polytechnic Ing. José Delio Guzmán and Pedro Antonio Frías, both from the public sector and the San Antonio de Padua private schools, Bonao Educational Center, sponsored by the Universidad Central del Este and Mercer University, Colegio San Pablo and Colegio Juan Pablo Duarte. Bonao also has a higher education center, a regional headquarters of the state Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (CURCE-UASD).
The first syngas plant in the country and the Caribbean, a plant that produces energy from vegetable materials such as rice straw, banana peels and other materials, was installed near the headquarters of the Dominican Agrarian Institute in Bonao. It was named in posthumous homage after Engineer Quilvio Cabrera, an outstanding promoter of technology in agriculture, and the main promoter of the installation of this plant in the country.
City of Bonao
[edit]Telecommunications
[edit]The city of Bonao has variety of local media, including Television, Radio and Digital formats. In the television media, the province has the Telecasa company that offers different television channels for the towns of Bonao and other cities and towns within the province.
Bonao is historically the home of La Voz Dominicana, the official radio and television station of the Dominican Republic during the regime of Rafael Trujillo. At first the station was a local radio broadcast called La Voz del Yuna (1943) in Bonao until Jose Trujillo (Petan), the brother of President Trujillo, acquired the station. Petan Trujillo later convinced his brother to get the equipment to turn the station into a radio/TV station, and in the early 1950s, what is called Radio Television Dominicana (RTVD) was founded. At this time in Latin America only three countries, Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Mexico had TV stations.
Climate
[edit]Bonao has a trade-wind tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af). There is no dry season, as all months average above 100 millimetres or 4 inches of rain, although there are distinctly wetter periods of the year in May and, under the influence of Atlantic hurricanes, from August to November.
| Climate data for Bonao (1961-1990) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 35.2 (95.4) |
36.3 (97.3) |
37.5 (99.5) |
36.8 (98.2) |
37.5 (99.5) |
38.9 (102.0) |
39.2 (102.6) |
38.9 (102.0) |
38.9 (102.0) |
38.9 (102.0) |
37.1 (98.8) |
36.5 (97.7) |
39.2 (102.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.5 (85.1) |
29.9 (85.8) |
30.8 (87.4) |
31.3 (88.3) |
31.7 (89.1) |
32.9 (91.2) |
33.0 (91.4) |
33.0 (91.4) |
33.1 (91.6) |
32.6 (90.7) |
31.2 (88.2) |
29.5 (85.1) |
31.5 (88.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 18.1 (64.6) |
18.1 (64.6) |
18.7 (65.7) |
19.5 (67.1) |
20.1 (68.2) |
20.9 (69.6) |
21.1 (70.0) |
21.0 (69.8) |
20.6 (69.1) |
20.3 (68.5) |
19.6 (67.3) |
18.7 (65.7) |
19.7 (67.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 12.0 (53.6) |
12.2 (54.0) |
14.5 (58.1) |
14.8 (58.6) |
15.8 (60.4) |
17.0 (62.6) |
17.2 (63.0) |
16.5 (61.7) |
17.0 (62.6) |
16.3 (61.3) |
13.2 (55.8) |
12.4 (54.3) |
12.0 (53.6) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 107.2 (4.22) |
108.3 (4.26) |
117.7 (4.63) |
204.1 (8.04) |
333.3 (13.12) |
138.8 (5.46) |
176.3 (6.94) |
203.9 (8.03) |
180.2 (7.09) |
251.8 (9.91) |
248.2 (9.77) |
146.4 (5.76) |
2,216.2 (87.25) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 9.5 | 8.3 | 9.2 | 11.6 | 14.0 | 9.6 | 13.6 | 13.5 | 12.1 | 13.7 | 14.5 | 12.4 | 142.0 |
| Source: NOAA[7] | |||||||||||||
Local scene
[edit]Motorcycles (especially mini-bikes and scooters also known as 'PASOLA') are the most common form of transportation in the city. There are also taxi and car rental services available. DR-1 (Autopista Duarte) bypasses the city to the east.

A popular annual attraction is the Carnival. Groups that parade in the Carnival start out in "caves" (typically a blocked-off street) where loud music is played. Costumes are often slightly demonic in nature. During Carnival season, there is often a concert in the town square (El Parque Duarte), on Saturday night.
People from Bonao
[edit]Sports
Major League Baseball former pitcher Carlos Mármol and Philadelphia Phillies catcher Deivy Grullón are from Bonao. Hansel Robles, relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, is also from Bonao. Free agent third basemen Juan Francisco, "Baby Huey", is from Bonao. Also, former big league pitcher Benito Baez is from there too, as well as Joel Peralta, relief pitcher for Los Angeles Dodgers.
Entertainment
The singer and music composer, Hector Acosta 'El Torito', is one of the icons of the country. Luis Días, composer of the popular song "Baile en la Calle", was born in Bonao.
Politics
Aniana Vargas, a prominent female activist during the 1965 Civil War, was born and raised in Bonao.
References
[edit]- ^ Superficies a nivel de municipios, Oficina Nacional de Estadistica Archived April 17, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ De la Fuente, Santiago (1976). Geografía Dominicana (in Spanish). Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: Editora Colegial Quisqueyana.
- ^ Censo 2012 de Población y Vivienda, Oficina Nacional de Estadistica
- ^ "Official government PDF - Geography" (PDF).
- ^ "Relation: Bonao (7384719)". OpenStreetMap. 2017-09-15. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
- ^ Nacional, El (2023-01-14). "Conoce el origen de tu pueblo: Bonao". El Nacional (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-05-03.
- ^ "Bonao Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 2020-10-31. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
Bonao
View on GrokipediaGeography
Location and topography
Bonao serves as the capital of Monseñor Nouel Province in the central Dominican Republic, positioned approximately 86 kilometers northwest of Santo Domingo via road.[4] The city lies at an elevation of 173 meters above sea level within the Bonao Valley, a lowland area amid higher terrain.[5] The municipality covers a total area of 664.37 square kilometers and features a topography characterized by fertile valleys flanked by the surrounding peaks of the Cordillera Central mountain range. It borders provinces such as La Vega to the north, with the Yuna River originating nearby in the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Central and influencing local drainage patterns.[6] This valley setting, at coordinates roughly 18.93°N, 70.41°W, provides a basin of alluvial soils between elevated ridges.Climate
Bonao experiences a tropical climate characterized by consistently warm temperatures, high humidity, and partly cloudy skies year-round. Average high temperatures reach approximately 32°C (90°F), while lows typically fall to 18°C (65°F), with minimal seasonal variation due to the region's equatorial proximity.[7] [8] The annual average temperature stands at 23.0°C (73.5°F), aligning closely with national Dominican Republic averages of 20–32°C (68–89°F), though Bonao's inland valley position occasionally yields slightly higher daytime peaks.[8][9] Precipitation totals about 1,614 mm annually, concentrated in a wet season from May to November, when monthly rainfall can exceed 130 mm, as seen in October averages of 137 mm.[8][10] The dry season, from December to April, features reduced rainfall under 100 mm per month, supporting drier conditions for certain agricultural activities. Relative humidity often exceeds 80% during the wetter months, contributing to muggy, oppressive air that influences local farming by fostering moisture-dependent crops while heightening risks of humidity-related pests and diseases.[10][11] The region faces risks from Atlantic hurricanes during the June-to-November season, with the Dominican Republic recording vulnerability to storms, floods, and heavy rains that can disrupt inland areas like Bonao through indirect effects such as landslides and river overflow, despite lower direct wind exposure compared to coastal zones.[12][13] Historical meteorological records indicate that while direct hurricane landfalls are less frequent inland, associated rainfall events have periodically impacted local agriculture and infrastructure.[7]History
Pre-colonial and colonial origins
The region encompassing present-day Bonao was inhabited by Taíno indigenous peoples prior to European contact, forming part of the Maguá cacicazgo, one of the five principal chiefdoms on Hispaniola. The name "Bonao" derives from a local Taíno cacique who governed the area, reflecting the hierarchical structure of Taíno society where caciques oversaw yucayeques (villages) engaged in slash-and-burn agriculture, cassava cultivation, and riverine fishing in the fertile Vega Real valley.[1] Archaeological evidence from the Cibao region indicates Taíno settlements featured bohíos (thatched dwellings), bateyes (ceremonial plazas), and petroglyphs, with populations estimated in the thousands across the chiefdom, sustained by conucos (mounded fields) and trade networks.[14] European presence in Bonao originated in 1495, when Bartolomé Colón, brother of Christopher Columbus and acting as adelantado, ordered the construction of a fortress during expeditions to penetrate the island's interior from south to north.[1] This structure, erected between 1495 and 1497 in the Sabana de Bonao (also known as Sonador), served primarily to counter Taíno resistance led by local caciques, including efforts to subdue uprisings in the Maguana and Maguá territories amid broader conflicts like those involving cacique Guarionex.[15] Named Fortaleza de Bonao or Fortaleza de Maguana, it marked one of the earliest Spanish inland fortifications on Hispaniola, facilitating control over the resource-rich Cibao valley for gold panning and early encomienda systems that compelled Taíno labor.[15] By the early 16th century, the fortress evolved into a nascent settlement supporting Spanish exploration and resource extraction, with Spanish forces using it as a base for pacification campaigns that reduced Taíno populations through warfare, disease, and forced relocation.[14] Interactions between colonists and remaining Taíno involved coercive labor drafts for mining rivers like the Yuna and Camú, alongside initial agricultural experiments in the valley's alluvial soils, though systematic colonization prioritized coastal enclaves until interior security was assured.[1] The site's strategic position amid mountainous terrain aided in defending against native guerrilla tactics, contributing to the gradual consolidation of Spanish authority in the central highlands.[15]19th and 20th century developments
Bonao achieved municipality status on November 14, 1865, as part of La Vega province, shortly after the Dominican Restoration War (1863–1865) ended Spanish reannexation and solidified national independence.[16][17] This elevation from a prior puesto cantonal in 1859 supported local governance amid post-war stabilization efforts, fostering administrative autonomy in the Cibao region's fertile valleys.[17] Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Bonao's development centered on agricultural expansion, with rice emerging as the dominant crop—comprising up to 80% of production—alongside cocoa and coffee, leveraging the area's alluvial soils for subsistence and modest exports.[18] The establishment of the Juma Rice Experimental Station in the mid-20th century further modernized farming techniques, contributing to yield improvements during national land reforms initiated in 1972.[18] Significant economic diversification occurred in the mid-20th century through mining, as Canadian firm Falcondo's subsidiary secured a ferronickel concession near Bonao in 1956, launching a pilot plant that employed 175 workers and laid groundwork for large-scale extraction from lateritic ores.[19] Full operations commenced with the 1972 opening of the Falconbridge complex, an infrastructural milestone that integrated processing facilities and rail links, spurring job creation and regional investment.[20] By the late 1980s, the Bonao ferronickel mine had become the world's second-largest, with output rising amid high global prices to account for 11% of national exports by decade's end.[21][22] Administrative evolution culminated in 1982, when Bonao was designated capital of the newly formed Monseñor Nouel Province, carved from La Vega to address growing local demands for tailored governance and resource management.[23] This restructuring, enacted under President Salvador Jorge Blanco, aligned with broader decentralization trends, enhancing Bonao's role in coordinating agricultural and extractive sectors up to the late 20th century.[23]Recent economic and social changes
The population of Bonao's municipality grew from 149,084 in the 2010 census to an estimated 167,618 by 2023, reflecting influxes tied to mining employment and broader rural-to-urban migration patterns in the Dominican Republic's central region.[24] This expansion has strained local services while fostering urban development, including commercial hubs and housing extensions post-2010, amid national infrastructure pushes like road connectivity enhancements benefiting mining logistics.[25] The Falcondo nickel mine, a key local asset since its revival under international operators, generated ferronickel output from Bonao ores, bolstering provincial revenues despite operational halts—such as the 2013 suspension over aquifer contamination affecting nearby settlements.[26] Resumption followed environmental remediation and a 2016 presidential veto of restrictive legislation, enabling continued production that supported job creation but sparked social friction, including community protests over water quality and land use in areas like Loma Miranda.[27] These dynamics highlight mining's dual role in economic uplift—via export contributions exceeding 40% of national totals in peak years—and localized challenges like health impacts on women and families near operations.[28][29]Demographics
Population trends
The municipality of Bonao registered 144,923 inhabitants in the X Censo Nacional de Población y Vivienda of 2022, conducted by the Oficina Nacional de Estadística (ONE).[30] This figure encompasses the urban district of Bonao, with 81,560 residents, and surrounding districts such as Sabana del Puerto (11,141), Juma Bejucal (9,600), and others.[31] The population density stood at 211 inhabitants per square kilometer across the municipality's 688 km² area.[30] Historical census data from ONE illustrate a pattern of gradual increase, accelerating in recent decades amid broader Dominican urbanization trends involving rural-to-urban migration.[30] The annual average growth rate was 1.22% from 2010 to 2022, up from 0.98% between 2002 and 2010, and notably lower at 0.09% from 1993 to 2002.[30]| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 114,763 |
| 2002 | 115,743 |
| 2010 | 125,338 |
| 2022 | 144,923 |
