San Cristóbal Province

San Cristóbal is a province of the Dominican Republic. It is along the south coast of the country. Its capital city has the same name, San Cristóbal.

Name
The province has the name of the capital city, San Cristóbal, but it was created with the name Trujillo, after the dictator Rafael Trujillo who was born in that city.

History
The province of San Cristóbal was created on 1932 with the municipalities of San Cristóbal, Baní, Monte Plata, Yamasá, Villa Mella, La Victoria, San José de Ocoa and Bonao; its capital was the city of San Cristóbal.

In 1934, the name was changed to Provincia Trujillo with the municipalities of San Cristóbal, Baní, Monte Plata, Yamasá, Villa Mella, La Victoria, Guerra and Bayaguana. In 1961, the name was changed again to the present one, Provincia San Cristóbal. When the Monte Plata province was created in 1982, the San Cristóbal province had the municipalities of San Cristóbal, Villa Altagracia, Bajos de Haina and Yaguate, and the municipal districts of Cambita Garabitos and Sabana Grande de Palenque.

Cambita Garabitos became a municipality in 1987, Sabana Grande de Palenque in 1997, San Gregorio de Nigua in 2001 and Los Cacaos in 2004. In 2004, Hato Damas became a municipal district; El Carril in 2001; San José del Puerto, Medina and La Cuchilla in 2002; and Cambita el Pueblecito in 2005.

Location
The San Cristóbal province is in the southern part of the country. It is bordered to the north by the Monseñor Nouel province, to the northeast by the Monte Plata province, to the east by the Santo Domingo province and to the west by the Peravia and San José de Ocoa province. The Caribbean Sea is to the south.

Population
In (last national census), there were 0 people living in the San Cristóbal province, and 295,539 (NaN%) living in towns and cities. The population density was persons/km².

Its population represents NaN% of the total population of the country and the province is ranked as the 4th (out of 31 plus the National District) more populated province.

, the total estimated propulation of the province is 611,677 inhabitants.

The largest city of the province is San Cristóbal, its head municipality or capital, with an urban population (in ) of 138,455 inhabitants.

Geography
The San Cristóbal province has a total area of 1240.6 km2. It has 2.6% of the area of the Dominican Republic and it is ranked as the 19st (out of 31 plus the National District) largest province.

The altitude of the city of San Cristóbal, provincial capital, is 49 m above sea level.

The most important rivers are:
 * 1) Haina, in the eastern border of the province;
 * 2) Nigua, that crosses the provincial capital city; and
 * 3) Nizao, in the western border of the province.

Municipalities
There are 8 municipalities and 6 municipal districts (M.D.) in the province.