# Higüey

> capital city of La Altagracia Province, Dominican Republic

**Wikidata**: [Q1020261](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1020261)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higüey)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/higuey

## Summary
Higüey, officially recognized as Salvaleón de Higüey, is a city and municipality within the Dominican Republic. It serves as the capital city of the La Altagracia Province. Founded in 1503, it is situated at an elevation of 106 meters and had a recorded population of 251,243 inhabitants according to the 2010 census.

## Key Facts
- **Classification**: Higüey is a municipality of the Dominican Republic and a city, defined as a large human settlement.
- **Location**: It is located in the La Altagracia Province of the Dominican Republic at coordinates 18.618055°N, 68.711111°W.
- **Founding**: The city was established in 1503.
- **Elevation**: It sits 106 meters above sea level.
- **Population**: The city had a population of 251,243 as determined by the 2010 census.
- **Area**: The municipality covers an area of approximately 2,029.14 square kilometers (also recorded as 2,017.3 square kilometers in 2010).
- **Capital Status**: It functions as the capital of the La Altagracia Province.
- **Identifiers**: The city holds the VIAF ID 150337703, GeoNames ID 3504569, and Library of Congress Authority ID n2010051916.

## FAQs
**What are the different names and aliases for Higüey?**
The city is known by several names and aliases, including Salvaleón de Higüey, Higuey, Salvaleon de Higüey, and the Chinese name 西歸 (Xīguī). Historical or specific designations also include "Alcalde" and "Rafael Baron Duluc Rijo (Cholitín)."

**What are the geographic specifications of the city?**
Higüey is positioned at latitude 18.618055 and longitude -68.711111. It covers a total area of roughly 2,029 square kilometers and is situated 106 meters above sea level.

**What demographic data is available for Higüey?**
According to the 2010 census conducted by the Oficina Nacional de Estadística (ONE), the population of Higüey was 251,243.

## Why It Matters
As the capital of La Altagracia Province, Higüey serves as a primary administrative and political center in the eastern region of the Dominican Republic. Its establishment in 1503 marks it as a location of deep historical roots in the Caribbean. The city's significant population of over 250,000 residents (as of 2010) and its extensive area of over 2,000 square kilometers underscore its status as a major hub for human settlement and municipal governance in the country.

## Notable For
- **Provincial Capital**: Serving as the administrative center for La Altagracia Province.
- **Historical Foundation**: Being a city founded in the early 16th century (1503).
- **International Cataloging**: Being indexed in numerous international authority files, including the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the National Library of Israel, and Encyclopædia Britannica.
- **Digital Presence**: Having a significant footprint across knowledge bases, with Wikipedia articles in 32 different languages.

## Body

### Administrative and Geographic Status
Higüey is formally classified as a "municipality of the Dominican Republic" and a "city" (a large human settlement). It is geographically situated within the La Altagracia Province, where it holds the distinction of being the capital city. The precise coordinates for the entity are 18.618055 latitude and -68.711111 longitude. The city encompasses a substantial land area; geographic surveys indicate a total area of 2,029.14 square kilometers, while the 2010 census data records the area at 2,017.3 square kilometers. The elevation is recorded at 106 meters above sea level.

### Historical and Demographic Profile
The inception of Higüey dates back to 1503. In the modern era, the city has grown into a major population center. Demographic analysis based on the 2010 census reveals a population of 251,243 inhabitants. This data is supported by official references from the Dominican Republic's Oficina Nacional de Estadística.

### Nomenclature and Aliases
The entity is recognized globally by various names. Its official long-form name is Salvaleón de Higüey. It also possesses several aliases and transliterations, including:
- Higuey
- Salvaleon de Higüey
- 西歸
- Игёй
- Alcalde
- Rafael Baron Duluc Rijo (Cholitín)

### Global Authority and Database Identifiers
Higüey is extensively cataloged in national and international databases, reflecting its administrative and geographic importance.
- **Library Identifiers**: It is listed in the Library of Congress Authority File (ID: n2010051916), the Bibliothèque nationale de France (ID: 13571789n), and the National Library of Israel (ID: 987007562382405171).
- **Geographic IDs**: The city appears in GeoNames with two distinct entries: ID 3504569 (classified as a second-level administrative division) and ID 3493240 (classified as a human settlement under the name Salvaleón de Higüey). It also holds a Who's On First ID (1125982923) and an OpenStreetMap Node ID (250651118).
- **Academic and Cultural IDs**: It possesses an ArchInform Location ID (52245), an Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID (place/Higuey), and a Yale Lux ID (place/1687cd31-ff25-4115-9d1a-ec4423d8c944).
- **Other Systems**: Additional identifiers include a VIAF ID (150337703), a Freebase ID (/m/05dj3j), and a SNARC ID (John Hamilton).

### Digital Presence and Media
The city maintains an official website at `http://www.higuey.info`, which is presented in Spanish. Visual documentation of the city is available through the Wikimedia Commons file `Higuay.jpg` and a specific coat of arms image (`Escudo_del_Municipio_Salvaleón_de_Higüey.svg`). The entity has a strong presence on Wikipedia, with a sitelink count of 34 and articles available in 32 languages, including Spanish, English, German (de), French (fr), Japanese (ja), Russian (ru), and Chinese (zh), among others. It is also categorized under "Category:Higüey" on Wikimedia Commons. Furthermore, it is indexed in the iNaturalist place database (ID: 98822) and OpenWeatherMap (City ID: 3493240).

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. BnF authorities
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
4. [Source](https://www.one.gob.do/media/ohbh0mih/informegeneral-censo-2010.pdf)
5. GeoNames
6. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
7. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)
8. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File