Cienfuegos is a city located on the southern coast of Cuba and serves as the capital of Cienfuegos Province. Situated approximately 250 km from Havana, the city had a population of 178,368 in 2022. It is often referred to by the nickname La Perla del Sur.
Since the late 1960s, Cienfuegos has developed into one of Cuba's primary industrial centers, specifically within the sugar and energy sectors. The city hosts various factories as well as nuclear and electrical plants. Although its name translates to "one hundred fires," it is actually derived from the surname of José Cienfuegos Jovellanos, an Asturian-born Captain General of Cuba who served between 1816 and 1819.