Baraca
Baraca | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Baraca viewed from the Gabán Estuary | |
| Country |  Formosa |
| Region | Gabán |
| Founded | 1851 |
| Council | Baraca Municipal Council |
| Government | |
| • Municipal President | Egidio Owono |
| Area | |
| • Land | 65.42 km2 (25.26 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 189 km2 (73 sq mi) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • City | 703,940 |
| • Metro | 873,214 |
| Demonym | Baracano |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (WAT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+ |
| Postal Code | 0000 |
| Website | www.baraca.gov.fa |
Baraca, formerly Ciudad San Fernando Rey de Castilia, is the major city in the Gabán Region of Formosa. It is a key port on the Gabán Estuary and the Komo River. With more than 700,000 residents (2020) and a metro population approaching 900,000, it is the largest municipal agglomeration and city in southern Formosa.
Baraca was established during the Spanish colonial period by Franciscan priests as a base to spread Christianity among the native Africans, as well as to anchor Spanish claims in southern Iberian Guinea. The city was known as Ciudad San Fernando until the early 1960s, when it was renamed under the FRELIFO government. At the time of Formosan independence, Baraca had just 30,000 residents, but has grown rapidly since.
Baraca is one of the wealthiest cities in Formosa and has a comparatively high level of human development. It is well known as a luxury destination for Formosan elites and has a high percentage of luxury residential towers and amenities close to the water, contrasting with high-poverty districts in the city's inland areas. The city is home to a shipbuilding industry, sawmills and major shipping and export facilities. Key port infrastructure in the suburb of Ohuendo exports materials such as iron, wood, cocoa and rubber.