The Province of Oriente is located toward the extreme eastern part of Cuba.
It has an area of 36,602 square kilometers (14,641 square miles) and
occupies approximately one third of all of Cuba. Oriente is the largest
province of Cuba. The population estimates according to the 1953 census were
approximately 1,797,606 residents. This province consists of the oldest
Indian areas of Maniabón, Cueiba, Bayamo, Macaca, Bayatiquirí, Maisí, and
Baracoa. The conquistador Diego Velázquez founded the capital of Oriente,
Santiago de Cuba, in 1514. This Province of Oriente consists of 22
municipalities, which are: Alto Songo, Antilla, Banes, Baracoa, Bayamo,
Campechuela, Caney, Cobre, Gibara, Guantánamo, Holguín, Jiguaní, Manzanillo,
Mayarí, Niquero, Palma Soriano, Puerto Padre, Sagua de Tánamo, San Luis,
Santiago de Cuba, Victoria de las Tunas, and Yateras.
Prior to 1976, Oriente (Spanish for East) was known as "Santiago de
Cuba Province" until 1905. The name is still used to refer to the eastern
part of the country.
This province forms the geographic region called Oriente, and is divided
into seven significant sub-regions: 1) Sierra Maestra; 2) Cuenca de Santiago
de Cuba; 3) Cuenca de Guantánamo; 4) Valle Central; 5) Subregión de Nipe; 6)
Llanura del Cauto; and 7) Subregión de Baracoa. Of all these sub-regions,
the Sierra Maestra is the most mountainous area, containing Cuba's highest
peaks and elevations. Oriente contains many key areas, specifically Baracoa
-- one of the first cities in Cuba, founded in 1513 -- Bayamo, Holquín,
Victoria de las Tunas, and Manzanillo. Other interesting places are the
Santuario del Cobre, Puerto Boniato, el Río Cauto, and the Sierra Maestra's
Pico Turquino.
Important agricultural products in Oriente were sugar and coffee, followed
by cacao, plantains, and significantly mineral resources. There were
forty-one major sugar mills in Oriente: Algodonal, Alto Cedro, América,
Báguanos, Baltony "Almeida", Borjita, Boston, Cacocún, Cape Cruz o Pilón,
Chaparra, Delicias, Dos Amigos, Ermita, Esperanza, Estrada Palma, Isabel (Bealtie),
Isabel, Jobabo, Los Caños, Mabay, Maceo, Manatí, Miranda, Niquero, Palma,
Preston, Río Cauto, Romelié, Salvador, San Antonio, San Germán, San Ramón,
Santa Ana, Santa Cecilia, Santa Lucía, Santa Regina, Sofía, Soledad, Tacajó,
Tánamo, and Unión. |
