Santiago, << `sahn` tee AH goh >> (pop. 550,753), is the second largest city of the Dominican Republic. Only Santo Domingo has more people. The city’s full name is Santiago de los Caballeros (Spanish for Saint James of the Knights). Santiago lies on the Yaque del Norte River in the northern part of the country. Santiago is a distribution center for farm products, including cacao, coffee, fruits, sugar cane, and tobacco. The city’s manufactured products include cigars, cigarettes, dolls, and clothing.
Santiago was founded about 1500 by Spanish explorers led by Bartholomew Columbus (a brother of Christopher Columbus). The city suffered extensive damage from earthquakes in 1564 and 1842, and from a fire in 1863.
