Holguín Province
Encyclopedia
Holguín is one of the provinces of
Cuba
, the third most populous after Ciudad de la Habana
and Santiago de Cuba
. It lies in the northeast of the country. Its major cities include Holguín
(the capital), Banes
, Antilla, Mayarí, and Moa
.
The province has a population of slightly over one million people. Its territory exceeds 9300 km² (3,590.8 sq mi), 25 percent of which are covered by forest.
Christopher Columbus
landed in what is believed to have been today's Holguín province on October 27, 1492. He declared that it was "the most beautiful country human eyes had ever seen".
The Holguín province was established in 1978, when it was split from the Oriente region.
, though other crops such as corn
and coffee
, as well as mining
, are also large earners for the province.
A large cobalt
processing plant with shipping facilities was built at Moa
, using foreign investment, much of it from Canada
. Chromium
, nickel
, iron
and steel
plants dot the province as well.
Tourism
has only recently begun to be developed, offering beach resorts in the outskirts of the region, with a number of hotels around the Guardalavaca
area, Playa Pesquero, and Cayo Saetia
. The Cuchillas del Toa
Biosphere Reserve
Sierra Cristal National Park
and Alejandro de Humboldt National Park
are partly located in the province.
:
Provinces of Cuba
Administratively, Cuba is divided into 15 provinces and one special municipality not included in any province. The last modification was approved in August 2010 , splitting Havana province into two new provinces: Artemisa and Mayabeque...
Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, the third most populous after Ciudad de la Habana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
and Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city of Cuba and capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island, some south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana....
. It lies in the northeast of the country. Its major cities include Holguín
Holguín
Holguín is a municipality and city, the capital of the Cuban Province of Holguín. It also includes a tourist area, offering beach resorts in the outskirts of the region.-History:...
(the capital), Banes
Banes, Cuba
Banes is a municipality and city in the Holguín Province of Cuba.The name comes from the inhabitants Taino language word Bani, meaning "valley".-Demographics:In 2004, the municipality of Banes had a population of 81,274...
, Antilla, Mayarí, and Moa
Moa, Cuba
Moa is a municipality and city in the Holguín Province of Cuba.Large nickel deposits located in the Moa area are exploited in part by joint ventures with the Canadian company Sherritt International.-Demographics:...
.
The province has a population of slightly over one million people. Its territory exceeds 9300 km² (3,590.8 sq mi), 25 percent of which are covered by forest.
History
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
landed in what is believed to have been today's Holguín province on October 27, 1492. He declared that it was "the most beautiful country human eyes had ever seen".
The Holguín province was established in 1978, when it was split from the Oriente region.
Economy
Like much of Cuba, Holguín's economy is based around sugarcaneSugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
, though other crops such as corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
and coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, as well as mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
, are also large earners for the province.
A large cobalt
Cobalt
Cobalt is a chemical element with symbol Co and atomic number 27. It is found naturally only in chemically combined form. The free element, produced by reductive smelting, is a hard, lustrous, silver-gray metal....
processing plant with shipping facilities was built at Moa
Moa, Cuba
Moa is a municipality and city in the Holguín Province of Cuba.Large nickel deposits located in the Moa area are exploited in part by joint ventures with the Canadian company Sherritt International.-Demographics:...
, using foreign investment, much of it from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Chromium
Chromium
Chromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odorless, tasteless, and malleable...
, nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
, iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
and steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
plants dot the province as well.
Tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
has only recently begun to be developed, offering beach resorts in the outskirts of the region, with a number of hotels around the Guardalavaca
Guardalavaca
Guardalavaca is a town in the Holguín Province of Cuba. It is a tourist location due to its white sandy beaches and warm waters.thumb |left |Beach at Guardalavaca...
area, Playa Pesquero, and Cayo Saetia
Cayo Saetia
Cayo Saetia is a cay in Holguín Province, Cuba.It is located southeast of Holguín between the Bay of Nipe & the Atlantic Ocean. The landmass is connected to the mainland by an animal control bridge. Once a private government game reserve, it now houses a resort managed by the Grupo de Turismo...
. The Cuchillas del Toa
Cuchillas del Toa
Cuchillas del Toa is a Biosphere Reserve in Cuba. It is located in the eastern part of the country, mostly in the Guantánamo Province and reaching to the north into the Holguín Province. Most of the reserve is established in the drainage area of the Toa River, which flows for to the Atlantic...
Biosphere Reserve
Biosphere reserve
The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
Sierra Cristal National Park
Sierra Cristal National Park
Sierra Cristal National Park is a national park in Cuba. It is located in the municipalities of Mayarí and Sagua de Tánamo in southern Holguín Province. It was the first National Park created in Cuba in 1930, and covers an area of ....
and Alejandro de Humboldt National Park
Alejandro de Humboldt National Park
Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt is a national park in the Cuban provinces of Holguín and Guantánamo. It is named after the German scientist Alexander von Humboldt who visited the island in 1800 and 1801...
are partly located in the province.
Municipalities
Holguín is divided into 14 municipalitiesMunicipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
:
| Municipality Municipalities of Cuba The provinces of Cuba are divided into 169 municipalities or municipios. They were defined by Cuban Law Number 1304 of July 3, 1976.-Summary:The municipalities are listed below, by province:... | Population (2004) | Area (km²) | Location | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antilla | 20°50′55"N 75°45′9"W | |||
| Báguanos Báguanos, Cuba -Demographics:In 2004, the municipality of Báguanos had a population of 54,854. With a total area of , it has a population density of .... |
20°45′47"N 76°01′46"W | |||
| Banes Banes, Cuba Banes is a municipality and city in the Holguín Province of Cuba.The name comes from the inhabitants Taino language word Bani, meaning "valley".-Demographics:In 2004, the municipality of Banes had a population of 81,274... |
20°58′12"N 75°42′41"W | |||
| Cacocum | 20°44′38"N 76°19′27"W | |||
| Calixto Garcia Calixto Garcia, Cuba Calixto Garcia is a municipality in the Holguín Province of Cuba. The municipal seat is located in the town of Buenaventura.The municipality was named for Calixto García e Iñiguez, an independence war hero.-Demographics:... |
20°51′15"N 76°36′7"W | Buenaventura | ||
| Cueto Cueto, Cuba -Demographics:In 2004, the municipality of Cueto had a population of 34,503. With a total area of , it has a population density of .... |
20°38′54"N 75°55′54"W | |||
| Frank País Frank País, Cuba Frank País is a municipality in the Holguín Province of Cuba. The municipal seat is located in the town of Cayo Mambí.The municipality was named for the revolutionary Frank País.-Demographics:... |
20°39′53"N 75°16′53"W | Cayo Mambí | ||
| Gibara | 21°06′26"N 76°08′12"W | |||
| Holguín | 20°53′20"N 76°15′26"W | Provincial Capital | ||
| Mayarí | 20°39′34"N 75°40′40"W | |||
| Moa Moa, Cuba Moa is a municipality and city in the Holguín Province of Cuba.Large nickel deposits located in the Moa area are exploited in part by joint ventures with the Canadian company Sherritt International.-Demographics:... |
20°38′24"N 74°55′3"W | |||
| Rafael Freyre Rafael Freyre, Cuba Rafael Freyre is a municipality and city in the Holguín Province of Cuba.-Demographics:In 2004, the municipality of Rafael Freyre had a population of 50,080... |
21°01′42"N 75°59′47"W | |||
| Sagua de Tánamo Sagua de Tánamo, Cuba Sagua de Tánamo is a municipality and city in the Holguín Province of Cuba.The Sierra Cristal National Park is partly located in the Sagua de Tánamo municipality and partly in neighboring Mayarí.... |
20°35′10"N 75°14′30"W | |||
| Urbano Noris Urbano Noris, Cuba -Demographics:In 2004, the municipality of Urbano Noris had a population of 43,892. With a total area of , it has a population density of .... |
20°36′5"N 76°07′57"W |
- Source: Population from 2004 Census. Area from 1976 municipal re-distribution.
Demographics
In 2004, the province of Holguin had a population of 1,029,083. With a total area of 9292.83 km² (3,588 sq mi), the province had a population density of 110.7 /km2.Notable people
- Aroldis ChapmanAroldis ChapmanAlbertin Aroldis Chapman de la Cruz is a Cuban-Andorran Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds. Chapman bats and throws left-handed. He is listed at 6'4" tall and weighing 195 pounds . He currently holds the record for the fastest recorded pitch speed in Major League Baseball,...
, left-handed pitcher in the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890.... - General Calixto GarcíaCalixto GarcíaCalixto García e Iñiguez was a general in three Cuban uprisings, part of the Cuban War for Independence: Ten Years' War, the Little War and the War of 1895, itself sometimes called the Cuban War for Independence, which bled into the Spanish-American War, ultimately resulting in national...
(1839-1898), independence wars patriot - Commander in Chief Fidel CastroFidel CastroFidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
(1926), lawyer, former President of Cuba - Army General Raúl CastroRaúl CastroRaúl Modesto Castro Ruz is a Cuban politician and revolutionary who has been President of the Council of State of Cuba and the President of the Council of Ministers of Cuba since 2008; he previously exercised presidential powers in an acting capacity from 2006 to 2008...
(1931), former minister of the Revolutionary Army Forces and Vice-President of Cuba, current President of Cuba - Mario Kindelan two times boxing olympic champion 2000 Summer Olympics2000 Summer OlympicsThe Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer OlympicsThe 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
in the lightweightLightweightLight-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing....
category - Entrepreneur and Broadcaster Marcos Rodriguez, Sr. 1927-1992, former manager of CMKF Radio in Holguin
- Cesar Morales, Pianist