Mao, Dominican Republic

Santa Cruz de Mao Mao
Sign in Mao, Dominican Republic
Seal
Santa Cruz de Mao Mao in the Dominican Republic
Coordinates: 19°34′0″N 71°05′0″W / 19.56667°N 71.08333°W / 19.56667; -71.08333
Country	Dominican Republic
Province	Valverde
Founded	1875
Municipality since	1882
Area [1]
• Total	423.60 km2 (163.55 sq mi)
Elevation [2]	78 m (256 ft)
Population  (2019)[3]
• Total	207,818
• Density	490/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
• Demonym	Maeño(a)
Distance to  – Santo Domingo	210 km
Municipal Districts	3
Climate	BSh

The Dominican city of Santa Cruz de Mao, or simply Mao, is the head municipality of the Valverde province, in the northwest of the country.

It is the largest city of the Dominican northwest and the centre of the region. Its name, a Taíno word, comes from the River Mao, near the city. Its nickname is Ciudad de los Bellos Atardeceres (English, "City of the Beautiful Sunsets"); this was given by Juan De Jesus Reyes, renowned poet and Dominican literary icon. There are no mountains to the west of the city and it is common to see a "red" sky at sunset; it is a very dry region and there is much dust in the air which gives the sky a red color.