Placetas
title: "Placetas" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["placetas", "cities-in-cuba", "populated-places-in-villa-clara-province", "1861-establishments-in-north-america", "populated-places-established-in-1861", "1861-establishments-in-the-spanish-empire"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placetas" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| official_name | Placetas |
| nickname | La Villa de los Laureles (Laurel City) |
| settlement_type | Municipality |
| image_skyline | File:Placetas.jpg |
| image_caption | OPJM pioneers in town center |
| image_shield | Coat_of_Arms_of_Placetas.jpg |
| shield_size | 120x90px |
| image_map | Placetas (Cuban municipal map).png |
| map_caption | Placetas municipality (red) within |
| Villa Clara Province (yellow) and Cuba | |
| subdivision_type | Country |
| subdivision_name | Cuba |
| subdivision_type1 | Province |
| subdivision_name1 | Villa Clara |
| established_title | Established |
| established_date | 1861 |
| established_title2 | Incorporated |
| established_date2 | 1881 (town) |
| established_title3 | |
| established_date3 | 1925 (city) |
| area_footnotes | |
| area_total_km2 | 601 |
| area_land_km2 | |
| population_as_of | 2022 |
| population_footnotes | |
| population_total | 65,379 |
| population_urban | 19,894 |
| population_rural | 45,485 |
| population_density_km2 | auto |
| timezone | EST |
| utc_offset | -5 |
| coordinates | |
| elevation_footnotes | |
| elevation_m | 205 |
| area_code | +53-428 |
| blank_name | Highways |
| blank_info | Carretera Central |
| :: |
|official_name = Placetas
|other_name =
|native_name =
|nickname = La Villa de los Laureles (Laurel City)
|settlement_type = Municipality
|motto =
|image_skyline = File:Placetas.jpg
|image_caption = OPJM pioneers in town center
|image_flag =
|flag_size =
|image_seal =
|seal_size =
|image_shield = Coat_of_Arms_of_Placetas.jpg
|shield_size = 120x90px
|image_map = Placetas (Cuban municipal map).png
|map_caption = Placetas municipality (red) within
Villa Clara Province (yellow) and Cuba
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = Cuba
|subdivision_type1 = Province
|subdivision_name1 = Villa Clara
|subdivision_type2 =
|subdivision_name2 =
|subdivision_type3 =
|subdivision_name3 =
|subdivision_type4 =
|subdivision_name4 =
|government_footnotes =
|government_type =
|leader_title =
|leader_name =
|leader_title1 =
|leader_name1 =
|leader_title2 =
|leader_name2 =
|leader_title3 =
|leader_name3 =
|leader_title4 =
|leader_name4 =
|established_title = Established
|established_date = 1861
|established_title2 = Incorporated
|established_date2 = 1881 (town)
|established_title3 =
|established_date3 = 1925 (city)
|area_magnitude =
|unit_pref =
|area_footnotes =
|area_total_km2 = 601
|area_land_km2 =
|area_water_km2 =
|area_land_sq_mi =
|area_blank1_title =
|area_blank1_km2 =
|population_as_of = 2022
|population_footnotes =
|population_note =
|population_total = 65,379
|population_urban = 19,894
|population_rural = 45,485
|population_density_km2 = auto
|timezone = EST
|utc_offset = -5
|timezone_DST =
|utc_offset_DST =
|coordinates =
|elevation_footnotes =
|elevation_m = 205
|postal_code_type =
|postal_code =
|area_code = +53-428
|blank_name = Highways
|blank_info = Carretera Central
|website =
|footnotes =
Placetas () is a city in the Villa Clara Province in the center of Cuba; before the change in the country's government in 1959 the province was called Las Villas. 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, Guaracabulla, 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 Year's Eve.
Until the 1977 administrative reform, Placetas was divided into the following barrios: Cabecera (Placetas town proper), Guaracabulla (or Guaracabuya), Hernando, Nazareno, San Andres, Sitio Potrero and Tibisial. Annual celebrations displaying the local pride of each barrio used to take place until the 1990s, when the government stopped them.
Geography
Placetas lies southwest of its province, next to the borders with the one of Sancti Spíritus. Nearest towns include Zulueta (to the north), Remedios (to the northeast), Cabaiguán and Fomento (to the east), and Santa Clara and Camajuaní (to the west). The springs of Zaza River, that runs from the outskirts of Placetas to the sea, are located near the town. The river Zaza is currently an environmental preservation area.
The municipality borders with Manicaragua, Santa Clara, Camajuaní, Remedios, Cabaiguán and Fomento. Its territory includes the villages of Báez, Benito Juárez, Carbó Serviá, Falcón, Falero, Guaracabulla, Hermanos Ameijeiras, Manzanares, Máximo, Miller, Nazareno, Oliver and Suazo.
Demographics
In 2022, the municipality of Placetas had a population of 65,379. With a total area of 601 km2, it has a population density of 119.5 /km2. The city proper has a population of 42,000.
Economy
- Miguel Díaz-Canel (b. 1960), President of Cuba since 2018.
- Pepin Garcia (b. 1950), Cuban-American businessman
- Emilio Mola (1887-1937), Spanish-born general and instigator of the Spanish Civil War
- La Chelito (1885–1959), Cuban-born Spanish cuplé singer from the early 20th-century
- Alberto Rojas Espinoza (1868-1912), colonel of Cuban Liberation Army during Cuba's 1895 War of Independence from Spain and major of the municipality in 1901 and 1912.
References
References
- Guije.com. "Placetas".
- {{OSM. r. 5884797. Placetas
- "Cuba: Administrative Division (Provinces and Municipalities) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
- Statoids. (July 2003). "Municipios of Cuba".
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