City (pop., 1993: metro. area, 1,556,000), capital of the Dominican Republic.
It is situated on the southeastern coast of the island of Hispaniola , at the mouth of the Ozama River. Founded in 1496 by Christopher Columbus 's brother Bartolomeo as the capital of the first Spanish colony in the New World, it became the oldest permanent city established by Europeans in the Western Hemisphere. It was under French control (1795–1809), and it was annexed to Spain (1861–65). It became the capital of the Dominican Republic when the country gained independence from Spain in 1865. The city was renamed Ciudad Trujillo in 1936 for Pres. Rafael Trujillo , but it reverted to its original name after his assassination in 1961. It is the commercial and cultural centre of the republic and its principal seaport. Important industries include metallurgy and petrochemicals. It is the reputed site of the tomb of Christopher Columbus.