Jovellanos

Jovellanos
—  Municipality  —
Location of Jovellanos in Cuba
Coordinates:
Country  Cuba
Province Matanzas
Founded 1842 (Corral de la Bemba)[1]
Established February 26, 1866
Area[2]
 • Total 505 km2 (195 sq mi)
Elevation 45 m (148 ft)
Population (2004)[3]
 • Total 58,685
 • Density 116.2/km2 (301/sq mi)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
Area code(s) +53-45

Jovellanos is a municipality and city in the Matanzas Province of Cuba.

The municipality is divided into the barrios of Asunción, Isabel, Realengo and San José.[1]

It was founded in 1842 as Corral de la Bemba[1] on the location of an old ranch called Bemba. It took its current name in 1870, in honor of the Spanish writer Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos. The same year it achieved the status of villa (town).

Jovellanos is also called by "bemba" by its inhabitants and locals. "Bemba" means "big lipped" in Caribbean Spanish; this term refers to the black population of the city. To outsiders, it may have negative racial overtones, but in the city this is not the case. Inside Jovellanos, the black and white population for the most part live harmoniously, side by side. Therefore, "bemba" is an affectionate name for the town used by locals.

Jovellanos is an industrial town, with large and small factories, while sugar cane is cultivated in the surrounding areas.

Demographics

In 2004, the municipality of Jovellanos had a population of 58,685.[3] With a total area of 505 km2 (195 sq mi),[2] it has a population density of 116.2 /km2 (301 /sq mi).

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Guije.com. "Jovellanos". http://www.guije.com/pueblo/municipios/mjovellanos/index.htm. Retrieved 2007-10-07.  (Spanish)
  2. ^ a b Statoids (July 2003). "Municipios of Cuba". http://www.statoids.com/ycu.html. Retrieved 2007-10-07. 
  3. ^ a b Atenas.cu (2004). "2004 Population trends, by Province and Municipality". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. http://web.archive.org/web/20070927111826/http://www.atenas.inf.cu/todo/Estadisticas/TABLA+No_3balance.htm. Retrieved 2007-10-07.  (Spanish)
Limonar Cárdenas Martí
Unión de Reyes Perico
   Jovellanos    
Pedro Betancourt Jagüey Grande