Placetas

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Placetas
other_name =
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nickname = La Villa de los Laureles (Laurel City)
settlement_type = Municipality
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pushpin_label_position = none
pushpin_map_caption = Location of Placetas in Cuba
pushpin_mapsize = 280
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = flag|Cuba
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = Villa Clara
subdivision_type2 =
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established_title = Established
established_date = 1861
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = 1881 (town)
established_title3 =
established_date3 = 1925 (city)
area_magnitude =
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area_footnotes =
area_total_km2 = 601
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population_as_of = 2004
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population_total = 71837
population_density_km2 = 119.5
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timezone = EST
utc_offset = -5
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latd= 22|latm= 18|lats= 57|latNS=N
longd= 79|longm= 39|longs= 20|longEW=W
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 205
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postal_code =
area_code = +53-422
blank_name = Highways
blank_info = Carretera Central
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footnotes = Placetas is a city in the Villa Clara Province in the center of Cuba. Close towns include Zulueta (to the north), San Juan de los Remedios (to the northeast), Cabaiguán and Fomento (to the east), and Santa Clara and Camajuani (to the west). The town is also known as "La Villa de los Laureles" because of its wild laurel trees. Placetas is also a "municipio", one of 13 subdivisions of the Villa Clara Province. Cuba's geographical center, Guaracabuya, is located in this municipality.

History

Placetas was founded on September 9, 1861 mainly due to the sugar production industry. Nowadays, the main produce of the area is tobacco. The main contribution to its foundation came from Jose Martinez-Fortun y Erles, a Spanish Marques and former colonel in the Spanish Army. The town is located on the Carretera Central road, which cuts through the town. The town's position on this road has allowed it to serve as a stop for many travellers. Placetas has grown considerably over the years, being declared a town in 1881 and a city in 1925. In 1879 it was established as its own municipality. Placetas is also known by the great carnavals which take place in July and Christmas and new years eve.

Demographics

In 2004, the municipality of Placetas had a population of 71,837.Cite web| url=http://www.atenas.inf.cu/todo/Estadisticas/TABLA%20No_3balance.htm| title=2004 Population trends, by Province and Municipality| author= Atenas.cu| year= 2004| accessdate=2007-10-09 Es icon] With a total area of km2 to mi2|601|abbr=yes|wiki=yes,Cite web|url=http://www.statoids.com/ycu.html|title=Municipios of Cuba|author=Statoids| year=2003| month=July| accessdate=2007-10-09 ] it has a population density of Pop density km2 to mi2|119.5|abbr=yes. The city proper has a population of 42,000.

Placetas is also called, "Villa de los Laureles" due to the characteristic trees that are planted in strategic places around the town. The city is registered as the place where the river Zaza is born, the river runs from the outskirts of the town into the sea. The river Zaza is currently an environmental preservation area. The area is primarily a sugar producing region, with three "centrales" sugar producing factories. Placetas also has mayor railroad industries that operate from its area.The municipality is divided into the barrios of Cabecera, Guaracabulla, Hernando, Nazareno, San Andrés, Sitio Potrero and Tibisial. Cite web|url=http://www.guije.com/pueblo/municipios/vplacetas/index.htm|title=Placetas|author=Guije.com|accessdate=2007-10-09 Es icon]

Administration

In common with other Cuban towns, the city of Placetas was originally divided in barrios. These were: Cabecera, Guaracabulla, Hernando, Nazareno, San Andres Sitio Potrero and Tibisial.Cite web|url=http://www.guije.com/pueblo/municipios/vplacetas/index.htm|title=Placetas|author=Guije.com|accessdate=2007-10-04 Es icon] Annual celebrations displaying the local pride of each barrio used to take place until the 1990s, when the government stopped them.

The main Catholic church in the town is called San Atanasio de Placetas, after the town's patron saint. As of 1996, it had one library, a main post office, three middle-high schools(13 de Marzo, Rodolfo Leon Perlacia and Julio Antonio Mella), one police station and many recreational areas. Most of the town's structures were built before the Communist regime of Fidel Castro, and little of the town has been renovated since 1959.

ee also

*Municipalities of Cuba
*List of cities in Cuba

References

External links

*Encyclopaedia Britannica. [http://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-462609/Placetas Placetas]