Camagüey

Camagüey (formerly Puerto Príncipe), city in eastern Cuba, capital of Camagüey Province, near the port of Nuevitas. It is Cuba's largest inland city. Situated at the junction of railways and trunk roads, it is an important commercial centre with a large trade in cattle, hides, and sugar, which are produced in the province. Industries in Camagüey include sawmilling, distilling, tanning, and processing of meat and dairy produce. The city has a cathedral, and many beautiful churches and houses. Founded in 1514 by the Spanish governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez, the original settlement occupied a site on the north coast of Cuba, and was moved to its present site about 1530. In 1668 the city was seized and sacked by pirates under the Welsh buccaneer Sir Henry Morgan. Population 327,046 (2007 estimate).