Holguín

Holguín (ōlgēn') [key], city (1994 est. pop. 246,000), capital of Holguín prov., E Cuba. It is a prosperous commercial center and transportation hub in a fertile region of diversified agriculture. Often called “Cuba's granary,” Holguín is located in a region where corn, beans, sugarcane, tobacco, and cattle are raised. Most exports are handled by its port, Gibara. The city, founded in 1523, was named for Garcia Holguín, a 16th-century conquistador in Mexico. It was moved to its present site in the 18th cent.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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