Azua, Dominican Republic Azua, Dominican Republic Azua de Compostela, also known simply as Azua, is a municipality ("municipio") and capital of Azua Province in the Dominican Republic. It is located 100 kilometres west of the national capital, Santo Domingo. Founded in 1504, Azua is one of the oldest European settlements in the Americas. As of the Dominican Republic's 2012 census, the municipality had a total population of 128,264 inhabitants, of which 92,585 resided in urban areas and 35,679 in rural areas. It includes the municipal districts ("distritos municipal") of Barreras, Barro Arriba, Clavellina, Emma Balaguer Viuda Vallejo, Las Barias-La Estancia, Las Lomas, Los
People of the Dominican Republic time mostly from the lower-class. Today, emigration from the Dominican Republic remains high, facilitated by the social networks of now-established Dominican communities in the United States. Besides the United States, significant numbers of Dominicans have also settled in Spain and in the nearby U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. The culture of the Dominican Republic, like its Caribbean neighbors, is a blend of the cultures of the European colonists, African slaves, and Taíno natives. Spanish is the official language. Other languages, such as English, French, German, Italian, and Chinese are also spoken to varying degrees. European, African, and Taíno cultural elements