CAYEY

town and municipality, central Sierra de Cayey, Puerto Rico. The town, at an altitude of 1,300 ft (400 m), was founded in 1773 as Cayey de Muesas on the Spanish military highway linking San Juan with Ponce on the southern coast; its cool summers made it a favourite Spanish military post. It has some clothing and tobacco industries. Cayey University College, affiliated with the University of Puerto Rico, was founded in 1967. The municipality, with an area of 50 sq mi (130 sq km), has 2 urban and 20 rural barrios (wards). The principal economic activity is tobacco growing. Pop. (1980) town, 23,305; mun., 41,099.