La Romana, Dominican Republic

La Romana is the capital of La Romana Province in the southeastern Dominican Republic, positioned opposite Catalina Island. Officially founded in 1897 as an oil town, its economy shifted dramatically after 1917 with the construction of a large sugar mill, drawing workers from across the Caribbean as global sugar prices rose, and the city grew for decades as a company town dominated by the Central Romana Corporation. The 2022 census recorded 153,241 residents within city limits, with roughly 270,000 across the La Romana-Villa Hermosa metropolitan area, and the Tabacalera de Garcia factory there is today one of the largest cigar factories in the world, producing Montecristo, H. Upmann and Romeo y Julieta brands. The city is also known for the Casa de Campo resort complex, built in 1975, the reconstructed Mediterranean village of Altos de Chavon, and a modern cruise ship port.