Pinar del Río Province | |
---|---|
Province of Cuba | |
Country | Cuba |
Capital | Pinar del Río |
Area | |
• Total | 8,884.51 km2 (3,430.33 sq mi) |
Population (2010-12-31) | |
• Total | 592,851 |
• Density | 67/km2 (170/sq mi) |
Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
Area code(s) | +53-48 |
Website | Pinar.cu |
Pinar del Río (formerly Nuevas Filipinas) is one of the provinces of Cuba. It is at the western end of the island of Cuba.
The Pinar del Río province is Cuba's westernmost province and 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 Órganos. These form a landscape characterised by steep sided limestone hills (called mogotes) and flat, fertile valleys. One such topographic feature, the Viñales Valley, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The northern coast opens to the great Gulf of Mexico, and is lined by the Colorados Archipelago, a string of cays and isles developed on a reef barrier. The westernmost point of Cuba, Cabo San Antonio, is located on the Guanahacabibes Peninsula, which is a National Park and a Biosphere Reserve.
The city and province was originally founded by the Spanish as Nueva Filipinas (New Philippines) due to the huge influx of Filipinos who arrived from the Manila Galleons. They brought with them tamarind (also known as sampaloc), camisa de chinos, and arroz caldo (also known as arroz caldoso)