LAS TUNAS

provincia, south-central Cuba. It is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean and on the southwest by the Caribbean Sea. Part of former Oriente provincia until 1976, Las Tunas consists of rolling plains; swamps exist in the southwest along the Gulf of Guacanayabo. The principal economic activities traditionally have been cattle raising and sugarcane growing. In addition, tobacco, corn (maize), beans, rice, peanuts (groundnuts), cassava, and fruits, mainly bananas and oranges, are grown. Cedars are raised on plantations near Victoria de las Tunas, the provincia's capital, and sugar is refined near Puerto Padre, a port city on Puerto Padre Bay. The central highway and main railway of Cuba run through the provincia. Area 2,544 square miles (6,589 square km). Pop. (1989 est.) 485,136.