Pinar Del Rio - History
The
city of Pinar del Río (Pop. 120,000) is the capitol of the province of
the same name. The name, meaning "pine of the river," refers to
the tall pines that grace river banks around the province, and especially
flourish near in the extreme western side of the island.
Historically,
the city of Pinar del Río the and surrounding area have been important in
tobacco production. In the 18th century, smugglers seeking to evade the
Spanish' monopoly on the tobacco trade chose this area because of its
distance from the government in Havana, as well as the prime soil and
conditions. As sugar cane became Cuba's primary cash crop, and single
greatest source of economic income, however, the importance of Pinar del Río's
tobacco crop fell and the city suffered from administrative neglect.
Today, Pinar del Río manufactures some of Cuba's finest cigars, using
tobacco leaves grown near the city. Pinar del Río is still
considered an unimportant city by many Cubans, despite its size and
economic significance relative to the rest of the towns in the province.
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