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Camajuaní is a municipality and town in the
Villa Clara Province Villa Clara is one of the provinces of Cuba. It is located in the central region of the island bordering on the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Matanzas Province to the west, Sancti Spiritus Province to the east, and Cienfuegos Province to the Sou ...
of
Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
.


History

In 1819 was decided the construction of a new port in near
Caibarién Caibarién is a municipality city in the Villa Clara Province, Villa Clara province of Cuba. Caibarién is known as "La Villa Blanca" () for its sands and beaches. They are famous for their "Parrandas" (Carnivals) along with Remedios, Cuba, Reme ...
to replace an old one located in Tesisco. From that moment, settlers established in the surroundings creating a new village. In 1832 blueprints for the new town of Caibarien were presented, and finally in 1841 this city was founded. Consequently, in 1864 an extension of the railway was planned in order to bring the sugar from the Camajuani valley to Caibarien and a new settlement began near the train station. This is the starting point and birth of Camajuaní village. January 1, 1871 Camajuani was declared a «villa» and on August 1, 1879 the city hall was established. The first mayor of the villa was Hipólito Escobar Martelo. In the 1907 census Zulueta, which was a barrio at the time was switched from being a part of the municipality of Camajuaní to Remedios. In 1909 Camajuaní was split into the barrios of Egido (main city of Camajuaní), Santa Fe, Sabana, Santa Clarita (including
Falcón Falcón State (, ) is one of the 23 States of Venezuela, states of Venezuela. The state capital is Coro, Venezuela, Coro. The state was named after Juan Crisóstomo Falcón. History Early history Present day Falcón State was first explored ...
), Guadalupe, and Salamanca (including José María Pérez).


Geography

Camajuaní is located in a valley, surrounded by an old range. Predominantly the city lies in a flat terrain. With the same name, the Camajuani river passes near the city, and Sagua la Chica river also passes through the region, playing both an important role in the fertility of the municipality. The municipality is divided into 9 '' consejos populares'' (i.e. "popular councils"): the main town of Camajuaní (municipal seat, divided in C. I and C. II), and the villages of Aguada de Moya, José María Pérez, Luis Arcos Bergnes (or Carmita), San Antonio de las Vueltas (or Vueltas),
Taguayabón Taguayabón is a Cuban village and ''consejo popular'' (ward) of the municipality of Camajuaní, in Villa Clara Province. In 2012 it had a population of 2053. History The village, whose name means "butterfly village" in Taíno language, has an ...
, Vega Alta, and Batalla de Santa Clara.


Demographics

In 2004, the municipality of Camajuaní had a population of 63,544. With a total area of , it has a population density of .


Economy

Main economic activity is agricultural in nature,
sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...
and high quality
tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
have been key. The foundation of the town was a natural consequence of the establishment of train station constructed by "Ferrocarriles Unidos de Caibarién", (United Railways of
Caibarién Caibarién is a municipality city in the Villa Clara Province, Villa Clara province of Cuba. Caibarién is known as "La Villa Blanca" () for its sands and beaches. They are famous for their "Parrandas" (Carnivals) along with Remedios, Cuba, Reme ...
) in 1864, this node connected the valley where the city now is with the port in Caibarien at the North, Santa Clara on the South, Vega Alta and
Placetas Placetas () is a city in the Villa Clara Province in the center of Cuba; before the change in the country's government in 1959 the province was called Las Villas. The town is also known as because of its wild Lauraceae, laurel trees. Placetas is ...
west and east respectively. The valley soon gain agricultural importance with important productions of Tobacco and Sugar. Most of the biggest sugar mills in the island were located in the Camajuani region, and its productions were exported to the rest of the country and the world using this port located in the near coastal city of Caibarien. Camajuaní’s cooperatives include 17 UBPC, 33 CCS, and 15 CPA. Major cooperatives include CPA Benito Ramirez in CP Vega Alta, UBPC Crescencio Valdés in CP Batalla de Santa Clara, CPA Roberto Rodríguez in CP Batalla de Santa Clara, CCS Julio Antonio Mella in Guajén, CP Aguada de Moya, and much more.


Culture

Camajuaní along with Remedios, Vueltas, Taguayabón and Caibarien, all located in the same region and just few kilometers from one each other are famous due to the parrandas, a carnival like party with origins date back to the 18th century. Every Parranda has its own difference in every town, but they share some similarities as well; like division of the population in two neighborhoods that compete each year in best decorative flat, plaza works or "Wall of lights" (a structure meant to support a display of lights or fireworks), traditional dance and fireworks display. In the case of Camajuani the city is divided in Chivos (Goats) and Sapos (Toads).


Transportation

Camajuaní has 3 total state highways, being Highway 4–321, from Crucero Carmita–Camajuaní–Taguayabón–Palenque, Highway 4–401, from Camajuaní–José María Pérez, and the Highway 4–I–3, from Pavón–Vueltas–Taguayabón–Palenque, with other paved and unpaved roads linking other towns.


Notable people

*
Juan Bruno Zayas Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso (June 8th, 1867 - July 30th, 1896) was a Cuban military leader and doctor of the Cuban War of Independence. Biography Early years and medical career Zayas was born on June 8, 1867, in Havana. His father, Dr. José Marí ...
, lived in La Quinta and Vega Alta * Leoncio Vidal, lived in Camilo Cienfuegos St, Camajuaní I, * María Matilde Alea Fernández, born in Camajuaní * Amaury Gutiérrez, born in Vueltas * Alberto Herrera Franchi, born in Vueltas *
José Ramón Machado Ventura José Ramón Machado Ventura (born 26 October 1930) is a Cuban revolutionary and politician who was the First Vice President of the Council of State of Cuba from 2008 to 2013. With the election of Raúl Castro as President of Cuba on 24 February ...
, born in Vueltas * Carlos Mendieta, born in Vueltas *
Raúl Planas Enrique Raúl Planas Fernández (September 18, 1920 – February 28, 2001) was a popular Cuban singer and songwriter. He performed and recorded with many bands and musicians, including Carlos Barbería y su Orquesta Kubavana, Sonora Matancera, C ...
, born in Camajuaní * Isabel Toledo, born in Camajuaní


See also

*
Municipalities of Cuba The Provinces of Cuba, provinces of Cuba are divided into 168 municipality, municipalities (). They were defined by Cuban Law Number 1304 of July 3, 1976Fifth United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names, Vol. II, publish ...
*
List of cities in Cuba This is a list of cities in Cuba with at least 20,000 inhabitants, listed in descending order. Population data refers to city proper and not to the whole municipality, because they include large rural areas with several villages. All figu ...


Notes


References

Camajuaní, Land of Valley and Sprees Sitio Web de los Joven Club de Camajuani – Inicio
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External links


Camajuaní - culture and heritage (Dirección Municipal de Cultura)

''Camajuaní, Land of Valleys and Sprees'', Joven Club de Computación de Camajuaní
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Camajuani Populated places in Villa Clara Province 1864 establishments in North America Populated places established in 1864 1864 establishments in the Spanish Empire