Artemisa | |
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Municipality | |
The Martyrs Mausoleum (Mausoleo de los Mártires)
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Artemisa municipality (red) within Artemisa Province (yellow) and Cuba |
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Location of Artemisa in Cuba | |
Coordinates: 22°48′49″N 82°45′48″W / 22.81361°N 82.76333°WCoordinates: 22°48′49″N 82°45′48″W / 22.81361°N 82.76333°W | |
Country | Cuba |
Province | Artemisa |
Founded | 1818 |
Incorporated | 1976 |
Founded by | Francisco de Arango y Parreño |
Area | |
• Total | 690 km2 (270 sq mi) |
Elevation | 50 m (160 ft) |
Population (2004) | |
• Total | 81,209 |
• Density | 117.7/km2 (305/sq mi) |
Demonym(s) | Artemiseño, -a |
Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
Area code(s) | +53-47 |
Climate | Aw |
Artemisa (Spanish pronunciation: [aɾteˈmisa]) is a municipality and city in Cuba, formerly part of La Habana Province. According to a law approved by the Cuban National Assembly in August 2010, Artemisa became the capital city of the newly formed Artemisa Province, which comprises 8 municipalities of the former La Habana Province and 3 from Pinar del Río.
The origin of the name of Artemisa is uncertain. It has been argued to have originated from the Greek goddess Artemis (Diana, in the Roman version) or that it refers to the name of Ragweed in Spanish, Artemisia (Ambrosia artemisifolia), abundant at the time.
Artemisa was an important source of fighters supporting Fidel Castro's Revolution during the attack on "Cuartel Moncada" in Santiago de Cuba (1953) and Sierra Maestra Guerrilla (1956–1959). The Martyrs Mausoleum (Mausoleo de los Mártires) in Artemisa is a National Monument of Cuba.
Artemisa belonged to Pinar del Río Province until 1970.
The municipality is divided into the barrios of Las Cañas, Lavandero (El Pilar), Cayajabos, Lincoln (Andorra), Pijirigua, Puerta de la Güira, Las Mangas, Neptuno and El Corojal.
In 2004, the municipality of Artemisa had a population of 81,209. With a total area of 690 km2 (270 sq mi), it has a population density of 117.7/km2 (305/sq mi).
Artemisa is widely known among Artemiseños by the name Jardín de Cuba (Garden of Cuba). Its ferric red soil is also an outstanding feature, and provides great fertility to the area, which produces banana, tobacco, sugar cane, and minor fruits. Due to the color of the soil, Artemisa is known as Villa Roja (Red Village).