The Municipio of Güines is one of the twenty six municipios in the province of Havana, Cuba. It is one of the municipios in the center of the province. This municipio covers a surface of 252 square kilometers. To the north it borders with the Municipio of Jaruco; to the northeast with Aguacate; to the east with Madruga; to the southeast with Nueva Paz; to the west Melena del Sur; and to the northwest San José de las Lajas.

Note: A “municipio” (plural: municipios) is the first political division of the provinces in Cuba. It is similar, in many ways, to the county or parish in which a state is divided in the United States.

Catholic patron saint: San Julián

Population: The population of this municipio in 1953 was 42,840 persons.

Barrios: The “barrios” (singular: barrio) are similar to the electoral districts in which a county is divided in the United Sates.

The barrios of Güines in 1943 were: Catalina, Norte, Rural Primero, Rural Segundo, Rural Tercero, Rural Cuarto and Sur.

Catalina: This barrio had a population of 2,359 persons in 1943. It was municipio of second class with its seat of government in the town of Catalina. Its seat of government is eight and a half kilometers from the City of Güines, seat of the Municipio of Güines.

Norte (North): Section of the City of Güines. In 1943 had a population of 8,682 people.

Rural Primero (First Rural): In 1943 its population was of 3,150 people.

Rural Segundo (Second Rural): Its population in 1943 was 3,672 people.

Rural Tercero (Third rural): In 1943 its population was of 2,011 people.

Rural Cuarto (Fourth Rural): Its population in 1943 was 3,212 people.

Sur (South): Section of the City of Güines. In 1943 had a population of 13,987 people.

The Census of 1899 provides 2,718 for the Municipio of Catalina with a note that the breakdown in barrios was not available. This municipio was annexed to the Municipio of Güines in 1902.

Cities, towns and places in this municipio: Amistad, Bizarrón, Buena Vista, Catalina, Cruz, Cruz Textilera, El Cangre, El Cuatro, El Resplandor, Gamarra, Güines, La Esperanza, La Gloria, La Loma, La Macagua, La Quinta, Loma de Candela, Menocal, Ojo de Agua, Palenque, Paraíso Uno, Paraíso Dos, Providencia, Pinillo, Río Seco, Sabana, Zaragoza, and other.

The land in this municipio is rather flat, except for the hills of Candela, Catalina and some smaller elevations. The rivers that run thru the Güines are Mayabeque, Mampostón, Culebra, Catalina, Cotilla and San Antón, with many smaller streams and an extensive man-made irrigation system considered the most complex and best overall in Cuba.

Elevations, plains, valleys, etc:

Candela Hill: Part of the second series of the Havana-Matanzas group toward the north of the municipio. Not too high but its plateau covers over two kilometers, from which can be seen most of the Valley of Güines. It is located about six kilometers from the City of Güines.