Florencia, Cuba
Encyclopedia
Florencia is a municipality and city in the Ciego de Ávila Province
Ciego de Ávila Province
Ciego de Ávila is one of the provinces of Cuba, and was previously part of Camagüey Province. Its capital is Ciego de Ávila, which lies on the Carretera Central , and the second city is Morón, further north....
of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. It is located in the western part of the province, south of Chambas
Chambas
Chambas is a municipality and city in the Ciego de Ávila Province of Cuba. It is located in the northern part of the province, bordering the municipalities of Morón and Florencia, as well as the province of Sancti Spíritus...
. This municipality merged in 1976 as result of the new political and administrative division of Cuba. Florencia
Florencia
-Places:*Florencia de Benito Juárez, a municipality in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico*Florencia, Caquetá, a town and municipality in the Department of Caqueta, Colombia*Florencia, Cauca, a town and municipality in the Department of Cauca, Colombia...
was formerly the barrios
Barrios
Barrios, de Barrios, Barrio or Berrios is a surname of Basque origin. The name may refer to:-People:*Agustín Barrios , Paraguayan guitarist and composer*Artur Barrio , Brazilian artist...
of Guadalupe, Tamarindo and Marroquí which were separated from the municipality of Moron
Moron
Moron may refer to* Moron , disused term for a person with a mental age between 8 and 12, and a common insult for a person considered stupid * "Moron" * "Moron"...
.
The municipality is a mountain region with beautiful rivers, forest and caves with subterranean rivers. A huge hydraulic complex was constructed under Fidel's government in 1991 named "Liberación de Florencia" ("Florencia Independence") since Florencia quarter was the first quarter taken for local revolutionary forces in the province of Camagüey on December 14, 1998. This hydraulic complex is located on the fertile valleys of Florencia and Tamarindo and it enforces the beauty of this Cuban area. Unlike all other municipalities in this province, Florencia is the only one where its economy is basically tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
.
Florencia is also the seat of the municipal government and the biggest city with around 7,000 people. Other towns are Tamarindo, Las Pojas, Lowrey, Guadalupe and Marroquí.
History
In 1920's the Norte de Cuba railroad opened between the cities of Santa Clara and Puerto Tarafa in Nuevitas (Camagüey). The origin of Florencia was the construction of a railroad station to provide its access to Guadalupe neighbors in 1926. Guadalupe is the oldest town in this region. This train station was built in a farm known as El Merino (in a site called Ojo de Agua (eye of water)). The railroad was crucial for this region, it actually was the first way of communication and transport that linked these lost valleys with the rest of country. In the 1920s the roads were almost nonexistent and people lived in complete isolation. The only ways of communication and transport were by arreas (mules). With the railroad the farmers become wealthier and as a result many merchants and businessmen moved their businesses to be near the new station. Real estate companies and the local owners of those farms started to develop what is now this enchanting town. The railroad station and then the new town was named Florencia. The name was suggested for one of the neighbors who said that the mountain view reminded her of the mountains near FlorenceFlorence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
The fast increase of its population was in part due to the Sansó & Cia, which opened a big food industry in the town in 1940's and also, after building the dams in the Chambas river. When the water of the dams flooded the Florencia and Tamarindo valleys in 1990, many of the affected farmers and their families moved to Florencia. As Florencia grew quickly, it has become in the most important cultural and economical center with the best communications facilities in the area.
Before 1976 Florencia was part of the municipality of Morón
Moron
Moron may refer to* Moron , disused term for a person with a mental age between 8 and 12, and a common insult for a person considered stupid * "Moron" * "Moron"...
, which was divided into six new municipalities of the also new province of Ciego de Avila. A new identity among its people was created after Florencia was a new municipality: Florencianos (Florencian).
Social, Economic and Cultural Life
The main economical activity is agriculture with tobacco grown as the major plant. Other important areas are the refinement of conserved food, plantations of vegetables and fruits, and livestock raising.The culture tradition of this municipality has fundamentally its origin in the country sector. This sector includes a large ethnic diversity formed mainly by the Canarian Migration from the late 19th century and early 20th century. The major artistic manifestation which more representativity has reached in Florencian lands during its history has been La Décima (literary composition to be sung write in 10 syllables). In 1968 was founded in Florencia the Primer Taller Literario Decimista de Cuba (First Decimista Literary symposium of Cuba)integrated by humble country men.
People are proud of their traditions and popular celebrations. The most important events are to spend whole nights on Saturdays in parrandas güajiras (Cuban country music parties), celebrations of 14 de Diciembre, los Pinos (pine tree), memorials of Isabel Victoria (the first teacher and the greatest contributor to public works in Florencia town) and Lucas Buchillon (the regional poet). In other times, the election of La Flor de Virama (the tobacco flower) (similar to a Miss Florencia contest) and the Carnaval Star were ones of the most exciting activities. In Tamarindo is important the celebration of January'28. All of this festivities are celebrated as party street, very common in Cuba.
There are many cultural institutions such as the Municipal Museum, which has a rich collection of objects of Cuban Natives recuperated at differentes areas of Chambas River shores, Casa de la Cultura (cultural house), and Municipal Library.
Boqueron a National Natural Reserve is 4 km west of Florencia city and it is a local, national and international touristic destination. This natural reserve has caves, rivers, and a rich forest and animal life. The "Hipic Center of Florencia" located at Boqueron area together with fishing at the "Liberación" Dam are the most importants turistic destination.
Demographics
In 2004, the municipality of Florencia had a population of 19,811. With a total area of 286 km² (110.4 sq mi), it has a population density of 69.3 /km2. Now, Florencia has an average of total population growing negative, it was -4.59 in 2004. The municipality population decreased of 19,856 in 2002 to 19,765 in 2004. This is controversial in Ciego de Avila when the province has one of the most high average of the total population growing on nation.Geography
This territory is located in the Northwest Ciego de Ávila ProvinceCiego de Ávila Province
Ciego de Ávila is one of the provinces of Cuba, and was previously part of Camagüey Province. Its capital is Ciego de Ávila, which lies on the Carretera Central , and the second city is Morón, further north....
of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. The Chambas River and its affluents flow South to North across the Florencia, Guadalupe and Tamarindo valleys. The Liberation of Florencia Dams, in this river, cover a great areas of those valleys. The valleys are surrounded by hills which are part of the Central Cordillera (one of the three Mountain Systems of the Island). Those elevations separate the municipality to the other part of the province which is almost flat and with different geographical features.
To the Northwest the North Jatibonico River merges into Jatibonico Sierra forming a system of caves with a singular beauty at a rich forest and fauna area known as Boqueron.
Boqueron is a National Natural Reserve with a camping area and the seat of the Florencia Hipic Center. Between Boqueron and Florencia Valley merges El Merino Hill, which is the highest peak of the Jatibonico Sierra with 396.6 m over sea level. The hill is visible from every point of the town.
Notable people
Omar Carrero is one of the most important pitchers of the history of the Cuban Beisbol Team and the most valuable player on 1976, as the list of most valuable playerMost Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
s ( or ) in the Cuban National Series
Cuban National Series
The Cuban National Series is the primary domestic amateur baseball competition in Cuba. Formed after the dissolution of the Cuban League in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, the Series is a part of the Cuban national baseball system.-League structure:...
. He was born and grown up in the village known as Lowrey, where today live his family and relatives.
Jaime Sarusky is a narrator and journalist. In 2004, he was the National Literary Award winner. The most notable among his works is The Ghost Of Omaja ( 1986 )