Ranchuelo


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. The municipality counts the town proper and the consejos populares of Carlos Caraballo, Castaño, Conyedo, Diez de Octubre, Esperanza, Horqueta-Delicias, Ifraín Alfonso, Jicotea, Osvaldo Herrera, Rancho Grande-Jagua and San Juan de los Yeras.
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