NUEVA GERONA

city, capital of the Cuban island provincia of Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth; until 1978, Isla de Pinos [Isle of Pines]), in the Caribbean Sea, just south of Cuba. It is situated on the western bank of the Las Casas River about 6 miles (10 km) above its mouth on the northern coast of the island. The city and its harbour are the principal market and export centre for the agricultural products of the island: citrus fruits (grapefruit, oranges, tangerines), mangoes, melons, and other tropical fruits. Marble-dimension stone and kaolin, used in the making of porcelain, are produced locally as well. For three centuries the island was the haunt of pirates of many nationalities, and it was not until 1830 that the city of Nueva Gerona was founded by Francisco Dionisio Vives. A museum and planetarium just south of the city contain archaeological exhibits of the island's history. Pop. (1990 est.) 40,411.