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| Alquízar | |
|---|---|
| Name | Alquízar |
| Settlement type | Municipality |
| Subdivision type | Country |
| Subdivision name | Cuba |
| Subdivision type1 | Province |
| Subdivision name1 | Artemisa Province |
| Established title | Founded |
| Established date | 1879 |
| Area total km2 | 193 |
| Population total | 29232 |
| Population as of | 2010 |
| Timezone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Utc offset | -5 |
Alquízar is a municipality and town in Artemisa Province on the island of Cuba. Located southwest of Havana, it functions as a regional center within a network of municipalities including Bauta, Güines, and San José de las Lajas. The town developed during the late 19th century amid sugar and coffee production linked to plantations associated with families who participated in events connected to the Ten Years' War and the Cuban War of Independence.
The settlement originated in the 19th century as part of colonial-era expansion tied to Spanish Empire agricultural estates and the transatlantic trade routes connecting Havana to ports such as Matanzas and Cienfuegos. Local landowners and settlers were involved with regional movements during the Ten Years' War and later conflicts leading to the Spanish–American War. Following the Treaty of Paris (1898), the area experienced land reform initiatives influenced by policies from the United States military government in Cuba (1898–1902) and later Cuban administrations such as those of Tomás Estrada Palma and Gerardo Machado. In the 20th century, Alquízar's development reflected national trends during periods associated with leaders including Fulgencio Batista and revolutionary transformations following the Cuban Revolution led by figures like Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. Post-1959 agrarian changes aligned with reforms enacted by the Revolutionary Government of Cuba and later provincial reorganizations culminating in the creation of Artemisa Province in 2011 under the law restructuring provinces.
The municipality lies in western Cuba within the coastal plain that transitions to low hills near the Guaniguanico Mountains and river valleys feeding into the Bahía de La Habana watershed. Nearby municipalities include Quivicán, Mariel, and San Antonio de los Baños. The terrain supports tropical agriculture with soils similar to those in Mayabeque Province and Pinar del Río. Alquízar experiences a tropical savanna climate influenced by the Caribbean Sea, with a wet season coinciding with the Atlantic hurricane season that affects Greater Antilles weather patterns. Climatic conditions resemble those recorded in Havana and Artemisa (municipality), marked by warm temperatures year-round and seasonal precipitation driven by easterly trade winds and occasional tropical cyclones such as Hurricane Ike and Hurricane Gustav that have impacted western Cuba.
Census data reflect a population comprising descendants of settlers from Spain, Afro-Cuban families with ancestral links to the transatlantic slave trade involving ports like Havana and Matanzas, and internal migrants from provinces including Santiago de Cuba and Camagüey. Population shifts occurred due to agricultural mechanization, state-directed industrial projects under administrations associated with Raúl Castro, and national programs such as urbanization initiatives parallel to those in Cienfuegos and Santa Clara. Religious and cultural affiliations include institutions like the Roman Catholic Church in Cuba and Afro-Cuban traditions traceable to connections with Santería practitioners historically active across Cuba.
Local economic activity historically centered on sugar cane, coffee, and livestock linked to plantation estates connected to trade via Havana Harbor. The municipality adapted to national economic policies including central planning instruments used by the Council of Ministers (Cuba) and later partial market reforms introduced under administrations associated with Raúl Castro and policy shifts toward international partnerships with countries such as Venezuela and China. Small-scale commerce and state enterprises coexist with agricultural cooperatives modeled after frameworks used nationwide in places like Villa Clara and Holguín. Economic vulnerability to fluctuations in commodity prices and impact from international sanctions tied to decisions by the United States have influenced development trajectories.
Cultural life draws on influences from Havana and regional traditions evident in festivals similar to those in Bejucal and Matanzas. Local landmarks include colonial-era churches reflecting architectural trends found in Trinidad (Cuba) and municipal plazas used for communal events linked to national celebrations such as the Day of the National Rebellion. Museums and cultural centers in the area parallel institutions like the Museum of the Revolution in Havana and regional houses preserving the memory of independence struggles associated with figures connected to the Cuban War of Independence. Music and dance forms prevalent locally reflect styles shared with Guantanamo and Santiago de Cuba, while artisanal crafts show continuity with traditions from Pinar del Río.
The municipality is administered under the provincial structure established by the National Assembly of People's Power and provincial councils like the People's Power Provincial Assembly of Artemisa. Local governance aligns with administrative models used in municipalities such as Artemisa (municipality) and Bauta, implementing policies from ministries including the Ministry of Agriculture (Cuba) and the Ministry of Transport (Cuba). Electoral processes occur in the context of national frameworks that select delegates to municipal assemblies, which coordinate with provincial authorities and national ministries such as the Ministry of Tourism (Cuba) for regional development initiatives.
Transportation links include roads connecting to Carretera Central (Cuba) corridors and secondary routes to Havana and Mariel, with access to rail lines similar to those serving Matanzas and Cienfuegos during periods of freight movement. Infrastructure provision follows national programs overseen by agencies like the Ministry of Transport (Cuba) and energy distribution coordinated with the Union Electrica de Cuba. Proximity to José Martí International Airport in Havana and to the Port of Mariel shapes freight and passenger flows, while local public transit systems mirror models used across municipalities such as Güines and San Cristóbal (Cuba).
Category:Populated places in Artemisa Province