Cárdenas, Cuba
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cárdenas (San Juan de Dios de Cárdenas) |
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| Country |  Cuba |
| Province | Matanzas |
| Founded | 1828[1] |
| Established | 1859 |
| Area [2] | |
| - Total | 566 km² (218.5 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 10 m (33 ft) |
| Population (2004)[3] | |
| - Total | 103,087 |
| - Density | 182.1/km² (471.6/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| Area code(s) | +53-52 |
Cárdenas (San Juan de Dios de Cárdenas) is a municipality and city in the Matanzas Province of Cuba, about 150 km (75 mi) east of Havana.
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[edit] Geography
Cárdenas is a maritime port town on the level and somewhat marshy shore of a spacious bay of the northern coast of the island (Bay of Cárdenas), sheltered by a long promontory (Hicacos peninsula). The city lies between the sea and hills.
A large quantity of asphalt has been taken from the bed of the harbour. A flow of fresh water from the bed of the harbour is another peculiar feature; it presumably comes from the outlets of subterranean rivers.
There are mostly narrow streets, various squares (including the Plaza de Colón, with a bronze statue of Columbus given to the city by Queen Isabella II. and erected in 1862) and substantial business buildings.[4]
The municipality is divided into the barrios of Cantel, Fundición, Guásimas, Marina, Méndez Capote, Pueblo Nuevo and Versalles.[1]
[edit] History
Cárdenas was founded in 1828[1], and in 1861 already had 12,910 inhabitants. The completion of the railroad in 1841 led to further development.
In 1850 General Narciso López landed here on a filibustering expedition, and held the town for a few hours, abandoning it when he saw that the people would not rise to support him in his efforts to secure Cuban independence.
On 11 May 1898, during the Spanish-American War, the Battle of Cárdenas was fought here. In this engagement an American torpedo boat and revenue cutter attacked a Spanish gunboat and shore batteries, and Ensign Worth Bagley was killed—the first American naval officer to lose his life in that war.
In the early 20th Century, Cárdenas was one of the main sugar-exporting towns of Cuba. By 1907 the population was 24,280. The shallowness of the harbour necessitated lighterage and repeated loading of cargoes. The surrounding region is farmed for its fertility.
Cardenas is home of Elian Gonzalez, child used as political dispute between Cuba and the United States.
[edit] Demographics
In 2004, the municipality of Cárdenas had a population of 103,087.[3] With a total area of 566 km² (218.5 sq mi),[2] it has a population density of 182.1/km² (471.6/sq mi). Cardenas experiences a population growth of 0.24%/year.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Guije.com. Cárdenas. Retrieved on 2007-10-07. (Spanish)
- ^ a b Statoids (July 2003). Municipios of Cuba. Retrieved on 2007-10-07.
- ^ a b Atenas.cu (2004). 2004 Population trends, by Province and Municipality. Retrieved on 2007-10-07. (Spanish)
- ^ Cardenas Ciudad Bandera (Spanish)
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
[edit] External links
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Varadero | Bay of Cárdenas | Martí |
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