Manzanillo is a municipality and city in the Granma Province of Cuba. By population, it is the 14th-largest Cuban city and the most populated one not being a provincial seat.
Geography
It is a port city in the Granma Province in eastern Cuba on the Gulf of Guacanayabo, near the delta of the Cauto River. Access by sea is limited by the coral reefs of Cayo Perla.
The municipality is divided into the barrios of Primero, Segundo, Tercero, Cuarto, Quinto y Sexto (part of the city of Manzanillo), as well as the rural communities of Blanquizal, Calicito, Canabacoa, Caño, Ceiba Caridad, Congo, Jibacoa, Palmas Altas, Purial, Remate, Tranquilidad and Zarzal.
History
Manzanillo was founded in 1784. The settlement was sacked by the French in 1792, and in the following year a fort was built for its protection. With a total area of , it has a population density of .
Culture
Manzanillo is also home of the medical science faculty of the University of Granma.
There is a large crocodile sanctuary located near the city.
Transport
The city is crossed by the state highway Circuito Sur de Oriente (CSO) and by the highway 17 to Las Tunas. The railway station is the western terminus of a line from Bayamo, and is served by regional and long-distance trains, the latter linking the city with Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Camagüey, Ciego de Ávila, Santa Clara and Havana.
Notable people
- (1929–2022), painter
- Mario Girona (1924–2008), architect
- Bartolomé Masó (1830–1907), military and patriot
- Rosa Porto (1930–2019), baker, businesswoman in Los Angeles
- Carlos Puebla (1917-1989), singer, guitarist, and composer
See also
- Sierra Maestra Airport
- Municipalities of Cuba
- List of cities in Cuba