Santiago de Cuba Province
Encyclopedia
Santiago de Cuba Province is the second most populated province in the island of Cuba
. The largest city Santiago de Cuba
is the main administrative center. Other large cities include Palma Soriano
, Contramaestre
, Mayarí Arriba, San Luis
and Songo-la Maya.
s, both during the war for independence and the 1959 Cuban Revolution
, where much of the guerrilla
fighting took place in the mountainous province.
Prior to 1976, Cuba was divided into six historical provinces. One of these was Oriente province, which was, prior to 1905, known as Santiago de Cuba province. The present day province comprises the south-central region of Oriente.
and nickel
. The economy, however, relies mostly on agriculture
, with large plantations growing banana
s, cacao and coffee
dotting the landscape. Industry is growing around the capital, as is tourism
. The natural beauty of the area is attracting many tourists from both the rest of Cuba and from overseas.
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 largest city 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....
is the main administrative center. Other large cities include Palma Soriano
Palma Soriano
Palma Soriano is a municipality in the Santiago de Cuba Province of Cuba.The municipality is divided into the localite of Alto Cedro, Caney del Sitio, Guaninao, José Martí, Juan Barón, La Concepción, Las Cuchillas, Los Dorados, Norte, Palmarito de Cauto, San Leandro, San Ramón, Santa Filomena and...
, Contramaestre
Contramaestre, Cuba
-Demographics:In 2004, the municipality of Contramaestre had a population of 101,832. With a total area of , it has a population density of .-Education:Elementary Schools: Jose de la Luz y Caballero. Semi-internado: Orlando Pantoja T....
, Mayarí Arriba, San Luis
San Luis, Santiago de Cuba
San Luis is a town and municipality in the Santiago de Cuba Province of Cuba. It is located north of Santiago de Cuba.-History:The city was founded in 1827 on the location of a ranch. Arrival of the railroad accelerated its development...
and Songo-la Maya.
History
Santiago de Cuba province has been the site of many battleBattle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
s, both during the war for independence and the 1959 Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
, where much of the guerrilla
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
fighting took place in the mountainous province.
Prior to 1976, Cuba was divided into six historical provinces. One of these was Oriente province, which was, prior to 1905, known as Santiago de Cuba province. The present day province comprises the south-central region of Oriente.
Economy
The province is rich in material resources such as ironIron
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 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...
. The economy, however, relies mostly on agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, with large plantations growing banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s, cacao 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,...
dotting the landscape. Industry is growing around the capital, as is 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...
. The natural beauty of the area is attracting many tourists from both the rest of Cuba and from overseas.
Municipalities
| Municipality | Population (2004) | Area (km²) | Location | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contramaestre Contramaestre, Cuba -Demographics:In 2004, the municipality of Contramaestre had a population of 101,832. With a total area of , it has a population density of .-Education:Elementary Schools: Jose de la Luz y Caballero. Semi-internado: Orlando Pantoja T.... |
20°18′0"N 76°15′2"W | |||
| Guamá Guamá, Cuba Guamá is a municipality in the Santiago de Cuba Province of Cuba. It is located in the south-west of the province, and contains most of the Caribbean Sea coast west of Santiago de Cuba. The municipality seat is located in the small town of Chivirico... |
19°58′34"N 76°24′35"W | Chivirico | ||
| Mella Mella, Cuba Mella is a municipality in the Santiago de Cuba Province of Cuba. It is located north of Palma Soriano.-Demographics:In 2004, the municipality of Mella had a population of 33,667. With a total area of , it has a population density of .-References:... |
20°22′10"N 75°54′39"W | |||
| Palma Soriano | 20°12′51"N 75°59′30"W | |||
| San Luis San Luis, Santiago de Cuba San Luis is a town and municipality in the Santiago de Cuba Province of Cuba. It is located north of Santiago de Cuba.-History:The city was founded in 1827 on the location of a ranch. Arrival of the railroad accelerated its development... |
20°11′17"N 75°50′55"W | |||
| Santiago de Cuba | 20°02′25"N 75°48′53"W | Provincial capital | ||
| Segundo Frente | 20°24′43"N 75°31′43"W | Mayarí Arriba | ||
| Songo-La Maya | 20°10′24"N 75°38′46"W | La Maya | ||
| Tercer Frente Tercer Frente, Cuba Tercer Frente is a municipality in the Santiago de Cuba Province of Cuba. It is located in the western part of the province, neighboring the province of Granma, and is centered around the town of Cruce de los Banos.-Demographics:... |
20°10′19"N 76°19′38"W | Cruce de los Baños |
- Source: Population from 2004 Census. Area from 1976 municipal re-distribution.
Demographics
In 2004, the province of Santiago De Cuba had a population of 1,043,202. With a total area of 6156.44 km² (2,377 sq mi), the province had a population density of 169.4 /km2.See also
- Oriente Province
- Roman Catholic Diocese of CubaoRoman Catholic Diocese of CubaoThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Cubao is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines...
- Father José ConradoFather José ConradoFather José Conrado Rodriguez, a Cuban priest from the parish of Santa Teresita del Niño Jesús, in Santiago de Cuba Province, is best known for his strongly worded open letter to Cuban President Raúl Castro...