Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba | |
---|---|
GDP (PPP, constant 2015 values) | |
• Year | 2023 |
• Total | $6.2 billion[1] |
• Per capita | $14,000 |
Area code | +53 22 |
Website | www |
Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest city in Cuba and the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province. It lies in the southeastern area of the island, some 870 km (540 mi) southeast of the Cuban capital of Havana.
The municipality extends over 1,023.8 km2 (395.3 sq mi),[2] and contains the communities of Antonio Maceo, Bravo, Castillo Duany, Daiquirí, El Caney, El Cobre, El Cristo, Guilera, Leyte Vidal, Moncada and Siboney.[3]
Historically Santiago de Cuba was the second-most important city on the island after Havana, and remains the second-largest. It is on a bay connected to the
History
Santiago de Cuba was the seventh village founded by Spanish
The city was plundered by French forces in 1553, and by English forces in 1603. More than 50 years later the English raided again in 1662 under Christopher Myngs.
The city had a huge influx of French and British immigrants in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Some eighteen thousand
The French were withdrawing surviving troops after suffering heavy losses from warfare and yellow fever. The immigrants, who included freedmen as France had abolished slavery on Saint-Domingue, struggled to maintain their freedom in Cuba, which was still a slave society. Cuba initially allowed only white refugees, women of color, children, and loyal "domestics" to land; French troops and all men of color over the age of thirteen were held off shore, to be rapidly deported to the mainland, as they were considered a revolutionary threat.[6] Some French soldiers joined other refugees in Charleston, South Carolina, or New York City; others went to New Orleans.
The refugees who stayed added to the city's eclectic cultural mix, already rich with Spanish and African culture. Some of the women and children were impressed into slavery again, although they had been free. In 1809, after
Near the end of the century, during the Spanish–American War, Santiago was the site of the major defeat of Spanish troops at San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898. After capturing the surrounding hills, United States General William Rufus Shafter laid siege to the city.[8] Spain later surrendered to the United States after Admiral William T. Sampson destroyed the Spanish Atlantic fleet just outside Santiago's harbor on July 3, 1898.[8][9] Cuba had declared independence from Spain but was occupied by US troops for several years. Historians suggest they were there to ensure the sugar economy continued to be productive.[citation needed]
José Martí, a Cuban poet, writer, and national hero, is buried in Santa Ifigenia Cemetery in this city.
Role in the Cuban Revolution
País' group prepared carefully, accruing weapons, collecting money, collecting medical supplies. They published a cheap newsletter that reported news critical of the government, attempting to counter Batista's censorship of the mainline press.[11]
In the summer of 1955, País's organization merged with Castro's July 26 Movement. País became the leader of the new organization in
On January 1, 1959, Fidel Castro proclaimed the victory of the Cuban Revolution from a balcony on Santiago de Cuba's city hall. The ashes of País were interred in Santa Ifigenia Cemetery, where Marti had been buried.
Culture
Santiago de Cuba was the hometown of poet
It is the birthplace of the world-famous
Santiago de Cuba is well known for its cultural life. Some of Cuba's most famous musicians, including Compay Segundo, Ibrahim Ferrer and Eliades Ochoa (all of whom participated in the film Buena Vista Social Club) and trova composer Ñico Saquito (Benito Antonio Fernández Ortiz) were born in the city or in one of the villages surrounding it. They have contributed to the typical, country-like music of the city.
Santiago de Cuba is well known for its traditional music, most notably
A relatively high number of residents of the city adhere to Afro-Cuban religions, most notably
The city features several historic architectural styles, from Baroque to neoclassical. Many colonial buildings have huge windows and balconies, where people can enjoy views of the steep streets and wooded hills. Preserved historical treasures include the first Spanish dwelling in the Americas, the first cathedral in Cuba, Cobre mine, the first copper mine opened in the Americas; and the first Cuban museum.
World Heritage Site
The local
World Heritage Biosphere Reserve
The Baconao Park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Biosphere Reserve List in 1987.[13]
Geography
Santiago de Cuba is located in the southeast of the island at coordinates 20° 01' 17.42" N 75° 49' 45.75" W, some 870 km (540 mi) of the capital,
The city has developed at the foot of the bay and is surrounded on land by the Sierra Maestra. It has a hot and humid climate. The landscapes includes the complexity of urban elements, and natural greenery and marine settings, all at the same time. It has an irregular offset to the bay, which contributed to the development of an urban setting where the avenues and streets are steep or descend.
Climate
Under the Köppen climate classification, Santiago de Cuba has a tropical savanna climate with no significant wet and dry periods through the year.
Climate data for Santiago de Cuba | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28 (82) |
28 (82) |
28 (82) |
28 (82) |
28 (82) |
29 (84) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
30 (86) |
30 (86) |
30 (86) |
29 (85) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 21 (70) |
21 (70) |
22 (72) |
23 (73) |
23 (73) |
24 (75) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
23 (73) |
22 (72) |
23 (74) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 73.7 (2.90) |
43.2 (1.70) |
53.3 (2.10) |
58.4 (2.30) |
139.7 (5.50) |
101.6 (4.00) |
68.6 (2.70) |
94 (3.7) |
106.7 (4.20) |
193 (7.6) |
94 (3.7) |
81.3 (3.20) |
1,107.5 (43.6) |
Source: weather.com[14] |
Demographics
In the 2012 population census the city of Santiago de Cuba recorded a population of 431,272 people.
1861 | 1899 | 1907 | 1919 | 1931 | 1943 | 1953 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
36,752 | 43,090 | 45,470 | 62,083 | 101,508 | 118,266 | 163,237 | ||||
1970 | 1981 | 2002 | 2012 | 2021 | 2022 | |||||
277,600 | 347,279 | 423,392 | 431,272 | 508,105 | 507,167 | |||||
All figures are census figures. |
Transportation
Santiago is served by
The public transport in the city, as in Havana, is carried out by two divisions, Omnibus Metropolitanos (OM) and Metrobus.[15] The Metrobus serves the inner-city urban area, with a maximum distance of 20 km (12 mi).[15] Omnibus Metropolitanos (OM) connects the adjacent towns and municipalities in the metropolitan area with the city center, with a maximum distance of 40 km (25 mi).[15]
The city of Santiago is also crossed by the Carretera Central highway and by the southern section of the A1 motorway, largely unbuilt, that will link it with Havana when it is completed.
Schools
The main tertiary education institution is the University of Santiago de Cuba (Universidad de Oriente – Santiago de Cuba, UO).
Natives and residents
- Yordenis Ugás – boxer
- Desi Arnaz – television/film actor, producer and bandleader
- Emilio Bacardí– industrialist and philanthropist
- Anyer Antonio Blanco – dissident
- Eusebia Cosme – declamdora negra, actress
- Orestes Destrade – professional baseball player
- Emilio Estefan – music producer and husband of singer Gloria Estefan
- Silvina Fabars – National Dance Award recipient of 2014 and principal dancer of the Conjunto Folclórico Nacional
- Ibrahim Ferrer – musician
- Sindo Garay – musician
- José María Heredia y Heredia – poet
- Pancho Herrera- professional baseball player
- Alberto Juantorena – Olympic gold medallist, 1976 Olympics
- Faizon Love – television/film actor, comedian
- Konnan – professional wrestler
- Olga Guillot – singer
- Paul Lafargue – journalist, literary critic, political writer and activist
- La Lupe – salsa singer
- Antonio Maceo Grajales– independence hero
- Rita Marley – singer and wife of reggae singer Bob Marley
- José Martí – independence hero; interred in Santiago de Cuba
- Miguel Matamoros– musician
- Eliades Ochoa – musician
- Frank Pais – revolutionary and urban organizer for the 26th of July Movement
- Richard Pérez-Peña – New York Times reporter
- Carmen Quidiello – poet, playwright, First Lady of the Dominican Republic (1963)[16]
- Jorge Reyes – author
- Jorge Mas Canosa
- Marco Rizo – pianist, composer and arranger
- Mariblanca Sabas Alomá – feminist and journalist
- Esteban Salas y Castro – Baroque composer
- Ñico Saquito (Benito Antonio Fernández Ortiz) – musician and trova composer
- Compay Segundo – musician
- Rita Marley — reggae singer
-
Antonio Maceo
Cuban Independence general
(1845–1896)
International relations
Twin towns – Sister cities
Santiago de Cuba is
- Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil
- Naples, Italy[17]
- Oakland, California, United States
- Rosario, Argentina[18]
See also
- 1766 Cuba earthquake
- Battle of Santiago de Cuba, 1898
- Carnaval of Santiago de Cuba
- Communidad Hebrea Hatikva
- List of cities in Cuba
- List of places in Cuba
- Oriente Province
- Santa Ifigenia Cemetery – burial place for many important figures of Santiago de Cuba
References
- ^ "TelluBase—Cuba Fact Sheet" (PDF). Tellusant. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
- ^ Santiago.cu (2006). "Municipalities of Santiago de Cuba" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on December 15, 2007. Retrieved October 5, 2007.
- ^ Guije.com. "Palma Soriano" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved October 5, 2007.
- ^ "Santiago de Cuba (Municipality, Cuba) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ "Isla Cuba Pintoresca, Laplante". Graphics Arts Collection, Special Collections, Firestone Library, Princeton University website. 1856.
- ^ a b Rebecca J. Scott and Jean M. Hébrard, "Rosalie of the Poulard Nation" Archived November 27, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Assumed Identities: The Meanings of Race in the Atlantic World, ed. by John D. Garrigus, Christopher Charles Morris, Texas A&M University Press, 2010, p. 125
- ^ Scott and Hébrard (2010), "Rosalie", p. 127
- ^ a b Nugent. Walter. Habits of Empire, A History of American Expansion. New York: Alfred A Knopf, 2008. p 301
- ^ "American Battle Monuments Commission". Archived from the original on February 19, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
- ^ Cannon, Terrance (1981). "Frank País and the Underground Movement in the cities". historyofcuba.com. Archived from the original on June 18, 2006. Retrieved May 21, 2006.
- ^ "Who was Frank Pais?". historyofcuba.com. 1981. Archived from the original on June 18, 2006. Retrieved May 21, 2006.
- ^ "World Heritage Site". Archived from the original on May 31, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ^ Heritage Biosphere Reserve Site Archived October 9, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Average Weather for Santiago de Cuba, --Temperature and Precipitation". weather.com. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
- ^ a b c "Anuario estadístico de cuba 2009 transporte" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 22, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011. National Statistics Office – Transportation
- ^ "Ha fallecido, a los 105 años, doña Carmen Quidiello viuda Bosch". Listín Diario. December 19, 2020. Archived from the original on December 19, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
- ^ Vacca, Maria Luisa. "Comune di Napoli -Gemellaggi" [Naples – Twin Towns]. Comune di Napoli (in Italian). Archived from the original on July 22, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
- ^ "Town Twinning Agreements". Municipalidad de Rosario – Buenos Aires 711. Archived from the original on March 19, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
Bibliography
External links
- Municipality webpage (in Spanish)
- Map of Santiago Bay from 1639 (in Dutch)