Camagüey

Camagüey Provincia Camagüey
City
Ignacio Agramonte sculpture Church of Nuestra Señora de la Merced Cerro Pelado Stomatological Clinic Aerial photography of Camagüey Ignacio Agramonte International Airport Rovirosa Family House
Coat of arms
Nickname:  City of the Big Jars (Ciudad de los Tinajones)
Camagüey municipality (red) within Camagüey Province (yellow) and Cuba
Coordinates: 21°23′2″N 77°54′27″W
Country	Cuba
Founded	1528
Government
• President	Dixamy Rodríguez Gómez
Area
• Total	15,386 km2 (5,941 sq mi)
Elevation	95 m (312 ft)
Population
• Total	768,311
• Density	50/km2 (130/sq mi)
Demonym	Camagüeyano
GDP (PPP, constant 2015 values)
• Year	2023
• Total	$4.0 billion
• Per capita	$12,900
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
Postal code	70100
Area code	+53 322
Climate	Aw
Website	http://www.camaguey.gob.cu/es/
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Historic Centre of Camagüey
Criteria	Cultural: iv, v
Reference	1270
Inscription	2008 (32nd Session)
Area	54 ha (0.21 sq mi)
Buffer zone	276 ha (1.07 sq mi)

Camagüey Province is a large province in central-eastern Cuba. Its capital is the city of Camagüey, which serves as the province’s main administrative, cultural, and economic center. Camagüey is one of the largest provinces in Cuba by land area, and much of its territory is made up of flat plains and agricultural land, with some coastal zones along both the northern Atlantic coast and southern Caribbean coast.

The province has a strong agricultural identity, historically centered on cattle ranching, sugarcane production, and other forms of farming. Because of its broad plains and relatively low population density outside the main urban centers, Camagüey has long been associated with large-scale ranching traditions that date back to colonial times, when it was known as a major cattle-producing region of Cuba. In addition to agriculture, the province also has fishing activity in its coastal municipalities and growing tourism in areas such as the northern cays, including destinations like Cayo Coco.

The urban center of Camagüey city is known for its historic layout, which was designed with irregular street patterns in the colonial period to help protect against pirate attacks. This unique urban structure is one of the reasons the city’s historic center has been recognized for its cultural value. The city also functions as an important hub for education, healthcare, and regional trade within the province.

Administratively, Camagüey Province was established in its modern form in 1976, when Cuba reorganized its provincial divisions. Prior to this, the territory was part of the larger historic province of Oriente, which covered much of eastern Cuba. The 1976 reform divided this large region into smaller provinces, including Camagüey, to improve governance and local administration.