Holguin Province
| Holguín Province | |
|---|---|
| Province of Cuba | |
 |
|
| Country | Cuba |
| Capital | Holguín |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9,209.71 km2 (3,555.89 sq mi) |
| Population (2010-12-31) | |
| • Total | 1,037,161 |
| • Density | 110/km2 (290/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| Area code(s) | +53-024 |
| Website | Holguín.cu |
Holguín (Spanish pronunciation: [olˈɣin]) is one of the provinces of Cuba, the third most populous after Havana and Santiago de Cuba. It lies in the southeast 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 9,300 km2 (3,600 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.
Like much of Cuba, Holguín's economy is based around sugarcane, 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. Recently a large number of tourists are being reported to have had visited the city and its rich culture and beauty.
...
Wikipedia