The province was created with the municipalities of Higüey and San Rafael del Yuma with the city of Salvaleón de Higüey as capital of the province. Las Lagunas de Nisibón was made a municipal district in 1982, La Otra Banda in 1987, Boca del Yuma in 2001, Bayahibe in 2002, and Verón Punta-Cana in 2006.