The province has a population of slightly over one million people. Its territory exceeds 9,300 km² (3,590.8 sq mi), 25 percent of which are covered by forest.
Christopher Columbus landed in what is believed to have been today's Holguín province on October 27, 1492. He declared that it was "the most beautiful country human eyes had ever seen".
The Holguín province was established in 1978, when it was split from the Oriente region.
Economy
Like much of Cuba, Holguín's economy is based around sugarcane, though other crops such as corn and coffee, as well as mining, are also large earners for the province.
A large cobalt processing plant with shipping facilities was built at Moa, using foreign investment, much of it from Canada. Chromium, nickel, iron and steel plants dot the province as well.
Source: Population from 2004 Census.[1]Area from 1976 municipal re-distribution.[2]
Demographics
In 2004, the province of Holguin had a population of 1,029,083.[1] With a total area of 9,292.83 km² (3,588 sq mi),[3] the province had a population density of 110.7/km² (286.7/sq mi).
Notable people
General Calixto García (1839-1898), independence wars patriot
Commander in Chief Fidel Castro (1926), lawyer, former President of Cuba
Army General Raúl Castro (1931), former minister of the Revolutionary Army Forces and Vice-President of Cuba, current President of Cuba
Entrepreneur and Broadcaster Marcos Rodriguez, Sr. 1927-1992, former manager of CMKF Radio in Holguin