 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 lived 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 Jovillos, Sabana Yegua and Puerto Viejo.