The region Oriental lies in the east of the Dominican Republic and borders the regions Sur and Cibao.
Regions
Oriental is divided into three regions with a total of 8 provinces:
Ozama
Santo Domingo and the Distrito Nacional
The two provinces form the Santo Domingo metropolitan area. The center is the national district with the capital. The province of Santo Domingo surrounds this, it was split off from this district in 2001 and includes the municipalities Boca Chica, Los Alcarrizos, Pedro Brand, San Antonio de Guerra, Santo Domingo Este, Santo Domingo Norte and Santo Domingo Oeste.
Higüamo
Hato Mayor
There was a large ranch with cattle breeding in this area as early as the colonial times. The farmers were very successful with it, so that some of the animals were handed over to the possession of the Spanish king, hence the name “de Rey” is derived.
The province emerged in 1984 from the province of El Seibo. It consists of the three municipalities of El Valle, Hato Mayor with the administrative headquarters of Hato Mayor de Rey and Sabana de la Mar.
In the north-west of the province, near the town of Sanchez, lies the Los Haitises National Park, established in 1976 and covering 208 square kilometers.
Monte Plata
The province of Monte Plata was separated from the province of San Cristobal in 1992.
Other communities are Bayaguana, Peralvillo, Sabana Grande de Boyá and Yamasá.
San Pedro de Macoris
This province borders the capital Santo Domingo to the east. In addition to the administrative center of the same name, it consists of the municipalities of Consuelo, Quisqueya, Ramon Santana and San José de los Llanos. The province is the largest sugar cane growing area in the country and there is also intensive cattle breeding.
In 1852 the administrative center on the Rio Iguamo did not have the addition “San Pedro”, then it was just a small fishing village. To the church San Pedro de Macorís also includes that of the tourist resort Juan Dolio
A tourist attraction are the caves “Cueva de las Maravillas” on the Rio Soco river. International scientists are frequent guests there.
Yuma
El Seibo
The province was founded in 1506 by Juan de Esquivel and was the largest of all provinces until December 31, 1944. It included El Seybo, Hato Mayor, Miches, Sabana de la Mar and La Romana. The downsizing process began in 1945 with the formation of La Altagracia Province, followed by La Romama in 1968. In 1984 the province of Hato Mayor was separated. El Seibo consists of the two communities Miches and Santa Cruz El Seibo. The administrative capital was founded as Icayagua. It is the only community in the country where bullfights take place, but the bulls are not killed.
La Romana
The province of La Romana was created in 1968 when it was separated from the province of El Seibo and is the smallest province in the country. It consists of the parishes of Guaymate, La Romana and Villa Hermosa.
Well-known tourist destinations are Casa de Campo, La Romana and the artists' village Altos de Chavón.
La Altagracia
This is the easternmost province of the island and one of the top tourist destinations in Bávaro and at the playa Punta Cana with over 50,000 hotel rooms. It consists of the three parishes Higüey (Seat of the administration), Las Lagunas de Nisibon and San Rafael del Yuma. The province of Altagracia also includes the largest island in the republic, Isla Saona, which can be reached by boat from Bayahibe.
