In Holguín, the revolutionary seed was sown for posterity, in the land of Birán where the Castro Ruz family bequeathed its magnificent fruits: Fidel and Raúl, indisputable mentors of Cuban history.
But our history begins much earlier: October 28, 1492. On that date, through Bariay, the place that hosts our geography, Admiral Christopher Columbus arrived in Cuba, symbol of the meeting of two cultures. The Bariay Park, whose sculptural work was developed by the artist Caridad Ramos for the fifth centenary of this event, was declared a National Monument.
Already in the 16th century, on April 4, 1545, Captain Francisco García Holguín arrived from the Yayal to Cayo el Llano and founded the Hato. That same day but of 1720 that territory acquires the name of San Isidoro de Holguín, in honor to its patron, the archbishop of Seville and as it was natural, to its first owner. It is not until January 18, 1752 that it really begins to be urbanized, when it receives the title of city, for little by little to become important economic and cultural center of the Cuban east.
This land contributed 18 generals to the Wars of Independence. They stand out among them, Julio Grave de Peralta, who led 120 holguineros in the uprising in arms of October 14, 1868 in Guayacán del Naranjo, after the uprising in the Demajagua Sugar Mill, led by Carlos Manuel de Céspedes.
Also outstanding is the figure of Calixto García, leader of the Chiquita War and who played an important role during the Spanish-Cuban-North American War. Several squares and institutions of the town have taken his name in his honor, such as the central park of the provincial capital and the baseball stadium.
During the decade of the 30's of the XX century a revolutionary boom is manifested. Proof of this is the creation of the Cuban Communist Party by Felipe Fuentes in 1931 and the revolutionary work developed by Antonio Guitera who had a center of operations of the Young Cuba in Holguín.
In our city, the symbol of orthodoxy, "the broom", was born, with which the ills of authentic governments would be swept away, in the 1940s.
Between 1955 and 1956 the 26 de Julio movement was founded in our province. Between 1955 and 1956 the July 26th movement was founded in our province. The henchmen of the dictatorship in bloody repression assassinated 23 Holguin revolutionaries between December 23rd and 26th, 1957, an event known in our history as the Bloody Easter.
In the eastern zone of our territory, the forces of the II Eastern Frank País Front, led by Raúl Castro and created in 1958, operated.
General characteristics of the territory
Holguín is the third most populated province in Cuba, after Havana and Santiago de Cuba. The population of Holguín amounts to 1 035 072 inhabitants (50.43% men and 49.57% women), which represents 9.3% of the Cuban population, with a density of 112.6 inhabitants/km². 66.1% live in urban areas and 33.9% in rural areas.
Life expectancy
79.8 years for both sexes.
Annual growth rate
1,1 x 1000 habit.
Political-administrative division
The territory is made up of 14 municipalities, in which 1103 population settlements are located, 45 of them urban.
Main Natural Resources
Agricultural and forestry potentials, mineral deposits of nickel, refractory chrome, manganese, iron, metallic chrome, zeolite, feldspar and different materials used in construction
Economic Activities
It is a province of agro-industrial development and constitutes the third pole of tourist attraction in the country.
The economy is supported by six priority sectors: tourism, the sugar industry, the iron and steel industry, the agricultural sector, nickel production and energy generation.
Industrial Activity
In the branch of non-electric machinery, it has the Factories of Combined Sugarcane, Agricultural Implements; mechanical productions of Nickel, cutting elements, plastic hoses, among others.
The sugar industry has 5 sugar mills which are concentrated mainly in the western half of the country.
There is also a thermoelectric plant, other important industrial productions such as textile spinning, footwear, clothing, cigars and tobacco, crafts, processed meats, milk, corn, canned fruits and vegetables, beer, soft drinks, sorbets, cookies, shaped products derived from fish and other seafood.
Agricultural Activity
The province has a total land area of 921,572 ha, of which 488,098 ha are agricultural. Its diversity in crops or breeding is variable, taking into account the hydrographic potential and soil quality. We work to improve agricultural and livestock processes and mechanization, seeking productive reserves, with the aim of producing quality and efficiency in a sustainable manner.
For the production of vegetables and fresh vegetables, we apply the technology of protected, organoponic crops and sowings with technology (irrigation) that ensure the demand of the population, social consumption and tourism.
In the substitution of imports has been the presence of corn, beans, beef, milk and lumber. Exportable items include honey, charcoal and tobacco.
Development
The territory has a wide, diverse and annually updated portfolio of opportunities, in correspondence with the approval of the new Foreign Investment Law, which constitutes an important tool to concretize the sectorial policies, approved by the Cuban government, through businesses with foreign capital. Being the activities of highest priority:
Those that generate productive chains.
Those that transfer technology, including management techniques.
Those aimed at agricultural production.
Those that develop our industrial infrastructure
Those aimed at the production of mining.
Those that propitiate the development of the agro-alimentary industry.
To promote tourism, including health tourism
That they are energy generators, especially through renewable sources.