Holguín, city, eastern Cuba, capital of Holguín Province. It is the chief transportation and commercial center for a rich agricultural region and has a considerable trade in sugarcane, coffee, tobacco, and livestock. Gibara, to the north, is the seaport for the city. Founded by the Spanish in 1523, Holguín was a center of anti-Spanish activity during the Cuban struggle for independence in the late 19th century. Population (1994 estimate) 242,085.
