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Pinar Del Rio - Cuba
 
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Pinar Del Rio - Cuba |
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Pinar del Río is one of the provinces of Cuba. It is at the western end of
the island of Cuba.
The Pinar del Río province contains one of Cuba's three main mountain
ranges, the Cordillera de Guaniguanico, divided into the easterly Sierra del
Rosario and the westerly Sierra de los Organos. These form a landscape
characterised by steep sided limestone hills and flat, fertile valleys.
The province relies on tobacco farming, with Pinar del Río producing 70% of
Cuba's crop, used to make the cigars that are so prized overseas. The best
tobacco, used for more expensive cigar brands, is grown in the flat lands of
San Juan y Martínez. Tourism in the Viñales Valley is another important part
of the economy.Pinar Del Rio has an
area of 13,500 square kilometers (5,400 square miles), occupying
approximately 12% of the entire Island of Cuba. Pinar del Río is the fourth
largest province of Cuba.
The population estimates according to the 1953 census were approximately
448,422 residents. The population consisted of 34% urban and 66% rural,
making Pinar del Río the province with the most rural population in Cuba.
The caciques or Indian chiefs from Marién, Guaniguanico and Guanahacabibes
established Pinar del Río. It was originally called "Vuelta Abajo" with its
capital dating back to 1571. On the 9th of June 1878, a judicial decree
divided the Island of Cuba into six provinces, with the Vuelta Abajo area
established as the Province of Pinar del Río.
This province originally consisted of 25 municipalities, but they were
reduced to 15 municipalities after the 1878 decree. These municipalities are
Artemisa, Cabañas, Candelaria, Consolación del Norte, Consolación del Sur,
Guanajay, Guane, Los Palacios, Mantua, Mariel, Pinar del Río, San Cristóbal,
San Juan y Martínez, San Luis, and Viñales.
This province forms part of the geographic region called Occidente, which
encompasses the Provinces of Pinar del Río, La Habana, Matanzas, and Las
Villas. The Pinar del Río area is divided into seven subregions: 1) la
Cordillera de los Organos y sus valles intramontanos; 2) la Sierra del
Rosario; 3) las Alturas de Pizarra; 4) la llanura Costera del Sur de Pinar
del Río; 5) la llanura Costera del Norte de Pinar del Río; 6) la Península
de Guanahacabibes; and 7) la Isla de Pinos, even though this Isle belongs to
the Province of La Habana.
Pinar del Río contains some of the most beautiful landscapes in all of Cuba,
especially an area called the Valle de Viñales, a picturesque and profound
valley of small hills and dense groves. Also of significance is Pinar del
Ríos magnificent and breathtaking mountainous areas called la Cordillera de
los Organos, la Sierra del Rosario, and las Alturas de Pizarra.
Tobacco was the most important agricultural product produced in Pinar del
Río, the largest production in all of Cuba with 56% of the national output.
Other important agricultural products of this province were sugar cane,
cattle, sweet potato, cassava and rice. There were nine major sugar mills in
Pinar del Río: Andorra, Bahía Honda, El Pilar, La Francia, Merceditas,
Niágara, Orozco, San Cristóbal and San Ramón. |
Tobacco field in Pinar del Río Province
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