Guantánamo, an Aboriginal name that means "land between the rivers", has a rich history, since it was on these lands that Admiral Christopher Columbus disembarked in 1492, the first Villa de Cuba (Baracoa) was founded by Diego Velasquez in 1511 and its territory was an important force during the wars of independence.
Guantánamo, an Aboriginal name that means "land between the rivers", has a rich history, since it was on these lands that Admiral Christopher Columbus disembarked in 1492, the first Villa de Cuba (Baracoa) was founded by Diego Velasquez in 1511 and its territory was an important force during the wars of independence.
Coming from Hait, many French settlers established in this part of the island and soon developed cacao, fruit and coffee plantations in the mountainous areas, of which we learned its agricultural culture and customs, now deeply rooted in the population. In the province, there are still remains of indigenous settlements in the area of La Caridad de los Indios, on municipality Manuel Tames, an element of great cultural-ethnic interest.
U.S funds began to enter the Guantanamo economy in the late 19th century, mainly in the sugar industry, services and jobs generated by the Guantanamo Naval Base.
The triumph of the Cuban Revolution marked the beginning of a deep socio-economic transformation in the country, manifested in the disappearance of large estates by the Agrarian Reform Law, the development of public health and education, as well as the diversification of economic activities.
Territory
According to extension between the provinces, Guantanamo is the eleventh province with 6,164.47 km2 (2,380.12 sq mi) that covers the 5.6 percent of the whole island.
Location: It is located in the eastern region, between 19 ° 54 ', 20 ° 30' north latitude and 74 ° 08 ', 75 ° 30' west longitude.
Geographical location:
North: Holguín Province and Atlantic Ocean
South: Caribbean Sea
East: Windward Passage
West: Santiago de Cuba Province
Longest river: Toa
116.2 km long
1052 km² area
53.2 m3 / s spending
58 tributaries
North Slope
The Toa rises in Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa Mountain, in the 20 ° 27 'north latitude and 75 ° 02' west longitude, altitude 780 meters and flows southeast-northeast into the Atlantic Ocean
Highest elevation: Pico El Gato with 1184 meters.
Physical geography
The Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa mountains dominate the province, also some areas of the Sierra Maestra, the valleys of Guantanamo, Central, Caujerí, plains and natural marine terraces. Its hydrography is represented by the rivers Toa, Duaba, Yumurí, Guantanamo, Guaso and Sabanalamar. La Salada is the main lagoon and Yaya and Jaibo are the largest dams. Brown soils predominates with carbonates, fersiallitic and hydromorphic in the low and marshy areas, and has deposits of salt.
This information dating from 2010.