Bayamo

Not to be confused with Bayamón, Puerto Rico.
Bayamo
Municipality

The "Boulevard" of Bayamo

Bayamo municipality (red) within
Granma Province (yellow) and Cuba

Location of Bayamo in Cuba

Coordinates: 20°22′54″N 76°38′34″W / 20.38167°N 76.64278°W / 20.38167; -76.64278Coordinates: 20°22′54″N 76°38′34″W / 20.38167°N 76.64278°W / 20.38167; -76.64278
Country  Cuba
Province Granma
Established November 15, 1513[1]
Incorporated 1827 (city)
Area[2]
 • Total 918 km2 (354 sq mi)
Elevation 55 m (180 ft)
Population (2004)[3]
 • Total 222,118
 • Density 242.0/km2 (627/sq mi)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
Postal code 85100
Area code(s) +53 23
Vehicle registration G
Urban agriculture in Bayamo

Bayamo is the capital city of the Granma Province of Cuba, and one of the largest cities in the Oriente region.

Overview

The community of Bayamo lies on a plain by the Bayamo River. It is affected by the violent Bayamo wind.

One of the most important education institutions in the province is the University of Granma.

History

Bayamo was the second of the seven cities founded by Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, and was established on November 5, 1513.[4] Francisco Iznaga,[5] a Basque landowner in the western portion of Cuba during the first thirty years of the colonization of Cuba, was elected Mayor in 1540. Iznaga was the originator of a powerful lineage which finally settled in Trinidad, where the Torre Iznaga (Iznaga Tower) is. His descendants fought for the independence of Cuba and for annexation to the U.S., from 1820 to 1900.

During much of the 16th century it was one of the most important agricultural and commercial settlements of the island. Its inland situation gave it relative security against the pirates who then infested West Indian seas, and the misfortunes of Santiago were the fortunes of Bayamo. Down the Cauto River, then open to the sea for vessels of 200 tons, and through Manzanillo, Bayamo drove a thriving contraband trade that made it at the opening of the 17th century the leading town of Cuba.[4]

A tremendous flood, in 1616, choking the Cauto with trees and wrecked vessels, cut it off from direct access to the sea; but through Manzanillo it continued a great clandestine traffic with Curaçao, Jamaica, and other foreign islands throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Bayamo was then surrounded by fine plantations.[4]

In 1827 it acquired the status of city. In the war of 1868–1878 it was an insurgent stronghold; near it was fought one of the most desperate conflicts of the war, and it was nearly destroyed by the opposing parties.[4]

Demographics

In 2004, the municipality of Bayamo had a population of 222,118.[3] With a total area of 918 km2 (354 sq mi),[2] it has a population density of 242.0/km2 (627/sq mi).

Transportation

Bayamo is an under recognized world leader in sustainable transportation. Per a UN study only about 15% of commuters rely on motorized transport and almost three times as many (39%) rely on about 500 licensed horse-drawn carriages generally following fixed routes. The rest of the non-pedestrian traffic is bicycle and bicycle taxi.[6][7]

Notable residents

See also

References

  1. ↑ Guije.com. "Bayamo" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-06.
  2. 1 2 Statoids (July 2003). "Municipios of Cuba". Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-06.
  3. 1 2 Atenas.cu (2004). "2004 Population trends, by Province and Municipality" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-10-06.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Public Domain One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Bayamo". Encyclopædia Britannica 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 553–554.
  5. ↑ Jorge Iznaga. FRANCISCO IZNAGA Iznaga Genealogy (IZNAGA - 1420 - Present), Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  6. ↑ "Getting the carriages out, Cuban-style". 2004. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
  7. ↑ "Bayamo, an unacknowledged leader in horse dependent/ ecological transport". Retrieved 2009-12-01.

External links

Media related to Bayamo at Wikimedia Commons

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