The center of the country corresponds to the departments of Artibonite and the Center. The department of Artibonite includes/understands the town of Saint-marc, which is the third city of the country with 45.000 inhabitants, but also Gonaves with 123.000 inhabitants, aui is the chief town. The department of the center has as a chief Hinche place, who counts 18.000 inhabitants. It was one of the Spanish establishments oldest of the island. In 1504, the village had already a certain importance. It increased to become a city cash 500 houses. In 1720, it lost of its importance and counted nothing any more but 120 of them. Then the city saw its population increasing forement since 1822, thanks to the installation on its territory of inhabitants originating in the departments of the West, Artibonite and North.

The valley of Gove, where the city is located, is very favorable to the breeding of cattle; many rivers sprinkle it, mainly Guayamunco, at the edge of which Hinche is located, making the place very fertile. The wood of mahogany tree originating in this department are conveyed with the Great Saltworks by the river of Artibonite. One finds a little everywhere beautiful grounds argillaceous. The principal cultures are those of the coffee and cotton. One finds there also the Kaolin, diamond, of jasper, porphyry and alabaster.

It is an area forsaken wrongly by the tourists. The landscapes are varied; a desert, a dry plain and a stone mountain are crossed. Since Hinche, it is absolutely necessary to visit Jump-in Eau, and the superb Zim basin.

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