Ranchuelo is a town and municipality in the Villa Clara Province of Cuba. It was founded in 1734 and has a municipal population of 59,062, of which about 16,804 in the town itself.
History
Originally named Boca de Ranchuelo, the settlement was founded by Dionisio Consuegra on October 1, 1734. In 1856 it was linked to the national rail network, and in 1879 gained the municipal status.
Geography
The town is divided into the barrios of Norte, Poza de la China, Sitio Viejo and Sur.
Ranchuelo is 7 km from San Juan de los Yeras, 9 from Esperanza, 16 from Cruces, 28 from Santa Clara, 43 from Cienfuegos and 256 from Havana. It borders with the municipalities of Santo Domingo, Cifuentes, Santa Clara, Manicaragua, Cruces and Lajas.
Demographics
In 2004, the municipality of Ranchuelo had a population of 59,062. With a total area of , it has a population density of .
Transport
Ranchuelo is served by the A1 motorway at the homonym exit, also known as "Ranchuelo-Cienfuegos". It counts a railway station on the Santa Clara-Cienfuegos line, that is also the western terminus of a freight line to Mataguá.
Esperanza, the most populated municipal hamlet, is crossed in the middle by the "Carretera Central" state highway.
Notable people
Samuel Feijóo (1914-1992), singer, born in San Juan de los Yeras
María Dámasa Jova Baró (1890-1940), writer, educator and feminist
See also
Municipalities of Cuba
List of cities in Cuba
References
External links
(historical info on guije.com)