Santiago de Cuba province has been the site of many battles, both during the war for independence and the 1959 Cuban Revolution, where much of the guerrilla fighting took place in the forested and mountainous province.
Prior to 1976, Cuba was divided into six historical provinces. One of these was Oriente province, which was, prior to 1905, known as Santiago de Cuba province. The present day province comprises the south-central region of Oriente.
Economy
The province is rich in material resources such as iron and nickel. The economy, however, relies mostly on agriculture, with large plantations growing bananas, cacao, and coffee dotting the landscape. Industry is growing around the capital, as is tourism. The natural environment of the province attracts tourists from elsewhere in Cuba and from overseas.[citation needed]
In 2004, the province of Santiago De Cuba had a population of 1,043,202.[3] With a total area of 6,156.44 km2 (2,377.01 sq mi),[6] the province had a population density of 169.4/km2 (439/sq mi).
