Country Profile: Escondida
Hidden in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, the beautiful island nation of Escondida is home to just over half a million people. The island's scenery stretches across almost four thousand square kilometres: from the hills of the Betancuria peninsula in the east to the rocky northern coastlines of Cosuenda, the shimmering beaches of south western Aguarda to the rolling plains of Yugueros, and over the Jemez Straits to Santa Agnes.
A country with a turbulent history, Escondida witnessed two national uprisings in forty years - the first to throw out the Spanish colonial forces and claim Escondidan independence, the second to overthrow an increasingly corrupt national regime. Backed by overwhelming popular support, the successful Libertad campaign has at last bought stability and progress to the islands - if not, yet, democracy.
With plentiful natural resources and a hard-working populance, the Escondidan export economy is now thriving, and traditional industries - rum, farming and fishing - are stronger than ever. The new regime is determined that Escondida does not ever again become reliant on other countries, and so huge investments have been made in local suppliers. Modern manufacturing is increasingly a feature, but there is little demand around the island for the frivolities of the modern world.
There are few cars on Escondida - people mainly rely on the nationalised rail network to get from town to town, and horse and cart where the railways do not yet reach. The government tightly controls the press - there is a solitary national radio station, and three national newspapers (one daily, two weekly). Arts and literature are actively encouraged however, and the regime has recently taken steps to make the island more welcoming to visitors from around the world, including construction of the first aerodrome on the island, just outside Centenera. Though not (yet) a socialist utopia, the population of the islands are so far extremely happy with changes made by the Libertad regime, not least the introduction of a modern universal healthcare system and increased funding for schools.
A country with a turbulent history, Escondida witnessed two national uprisings in forty years - the first to throw out the Spanish colonial forces and claim Escondidan independence, the second to overthrow an increasingly corrupt national regime. Backed by overwhelming popular support, the successful Libertad campaign has at last bought stability and progress to the islands - if not, yet, democracy.
With plentiful natural resources and a hard-working populance, the Escondidan export economy is now thriving, and traditional industries - rum, farming and fishing - are stronger than ever. The new regime is determined that Escondida does not ever again become reliant on other countries, and so huge investments have been made in local suppliers. Modern manufacturing is increasingly a feature, but there is little demand around the island for the frivolities of the modern world.
There are few cars on Escondida - people mainly rely on the nationalised rail network to get from town to town, and horse and cart where the railways do not yet reach. The government tightly controls the press - there is a solitary national radio station, and three national newspapers (one daily, two weekly). Arts and literature are actively encouraged however, and the regime has recently taken steps to make the island more welcoming to visitors from around the world, including construction of the first aerodrome on the island, just outside Centenera. Though not (yet) a socialist utopia, the population of the islands are so far extremely happy with changes made by the Libertad regime, not least the introduction of a modern universal healthcare system and increased funding for schools.
Take a look at the old map of Escondida below - you can click on any town's name to find out a bit more information about it. Alternatively, you can click to jump down to the country factfile, a description of Escondida's smaller villages, or to view the gallery of maps.
LNE Towns
CENTENERA | LA CRUZ | PROGRESO | RIO HONDO | SAN RODRIGO | TAHÓN | VILLARDONDIEGO
Other Towns
Arroyo Prieto | Camazas | Casela | Clará | El Guate | Estollo | Herosa | Jares | Lomeda | Montgat | Navalesa | Quieva | Rielves | Santa Rita | Santana | Sierra Alta | Urrez | Zuya
CENTENERA | LA CRUZ | PROGRESO | RIO HONDO | SAN RODRIGO | TAHÓN | VILLARDONDIEGO
Other Towns
Arroyo Prieto | Camazas | Casela | Clará | El Guate | Estollo | Herosa | Jares | Lomeda | Montgat | Navalesa | Quieva | Rielves | Santa Rita | Santana | Sierra Alta | Urrez | Zuya
Factfile
Name: Escondida
Long-Form Name: La República Libre de Escondida
Diminutive: Escondidan
Long-Form Name: La República Libre de Escondida
Diminutive: Escondidan
Language: Spanish
Population: 515,301
Capital/Largest City: Centenera (pop: 102,054)
Capital/Largest City: Centenera (pop: 102,054)
Land Area: 3970 km²
Location: Caribbean Sea, 323 km due south from Kingston, Jamaica
Time Zone: GMT -5 hours
Independence (from Spain): 1889
Establishment of current regime: 1925
Type of Government: Socialist Dictatorship
Economy: Export-based ("Banana Republic")
Products: Oil, Sugar, Tomatoes, Limes, Tobacco, Rum, Nickel
Currency: Escondidan Peso (₱)
National Day: Día de la Libertad, 10th October
National Anthem: Marcha de la República Libre (March of the Free Republic)
National Anthem: Marcha de la República Libre (March of the Free Republic)
Around Escondida
Population: 5,984 (23rd out of 73)
Sat in the high plains of Yugueros, Arroyo Prieto is a fast moving, modern Escondidan town. With the rapid growth of nearby Progreso over the past decade, the town has benefited in increasing trade - both along its eponymous river and more recently by train - to Progreso, La Cruz, and the Caribbean beyond.
As well as traders, there are a growing number of townsmen entering the tobacco business. Land around the the town is perfect for cultivating the cash crop, and its revenue has seen a great deal of investment in local infrastructure. One such example is sport - the local council have built a brand new baseball field on the edge of town, hoping that they may be able to bring professional ball to the people before too long. In the meantime, the field has been used to host a training camp each winter for aspiring young Torneo Desafío Juventud players.
As well as traders, there are a growing number of townsmen entering the tobacco business. Land around the the town is perfect for cultivating the cash crop, and its revenue has seen a great deal of investment in local infrastructure. One such example is sport - the local council have built a brand new baseball field on the edge of town, hoping that they may be able to bring professional ball to the people before too long. In the meantime, the field has been used to host a training camp each winter for aspiring young Torneo Desafío Juventud players.
Population: 30,994 (5th out of 73)
The bustling city of Camazas, fifth biggest on the island, is home to over 30,000 Escondidans, and has seen rapid growth over the past couple of decades. The city sits straddling the río Hondo, a short way inland from its estuary, which reaches the Caribbean at one of the many inlets along the island's rocky northern coastline.
Long a town of industry, these days Camazas has found dual importance as the builders of Escondida's railways and navy. The Ferrocarril Nacional is based in the city, which is also home to the main railworks on the islands - the Libertad regime have invested heavily in the works, seeking to ensure that Escondida can build for itself the locomotives to keep the people moving, rather than having to rely on importing them from abroad. Meanwhile, the island's naval shipyards are located in the river's estuary, the nation's growing defence fleet taking shape at the hands of Camazians. The hard, dirty and vital work has given the locals an unrivalled reputation for toughness, a reputation that they relish.
Long a town of industry, these days Camazas has found dual importance as the builders of Escondida's railways and navy. The Ferrocarril Nacional is based in the city, which is also home to the main railworks on the islands - the Libertad regime have invested heavily in the works, seeking to ensure that Escondida can build for itself the locomotives to keep the people moving, rather than having to rely on importing them from abroad. Meanwhile, the island's naval shipyards are located in the river's estuary, the nation's growing defence fleet taking shape at the hands of Camazians. The hard, dirty and vital work has given the locals an unrivalled reputation for toughness, a reputation that they relish.
Population: 8,366 (16th out of 73)
Perched on Escondida's north-eastern tip, Casela boasts stunning views out across the Caribbean. Sat atop some spectacular craggy cliffs, it is a sight to behold if approaching the island by sea, and some of the most fantastic cliff-top walks are to be found around the town.
Casela itself is a traditional market town, that hasn't changed a great deal over the past 200 years. Always somewhat isolated, it offers different wares than many other parts of the island - and the arrival of the railway line has encouraged more out-of-towners to come and visit. One particular local speciality that is rapidly spreading across the island, is a spiced, jerked beef. Very few farms away from the north-eastern tip of Escondida keep cattle, but Caselans have long been favouring them to the pigs and sheep that are the norm among the island's livestock keepers.
Casela itself is a traditional market town, that hasn't changed a great deal over the past 200 years. Always somewhat isolated, it offers different wares than many other parts of the island - and the arrival of the railway line has encouraged more out-of-towners to come and visit. One particular local speciality that is rapidly spreading across the island, is a spiced, jerked beef. Very few farms away from the north-eastern tip of Escondida keep cattle, but Caselans have long been favouring them to the pigs and sheep that are the norm among the island's livestock keepers.
Population: 102,054 (1st out of 73)
Escondida's capital and largest city, Centenera is a sight to behold. With a population of over 100,000 people, one in five people on the island call the town their home. Counted among that number is El Presidente himself, who resides in La Casa Grande, the sprawling presidential mansion located at the heart of the Parque Centrale.
Centenera sits at the eastern end of the massive inlet known locally as La Boca del Cielo - literally, 'Heaven's Mouth'. The inlet serves as an outstanding natural harbour, making the city the obvious home port for Escondida's fishing and trading boats over the course of the past three hundred years. As a Spanish province in the 18th and 19th centuries, Centenera was one of the busiest ports in all the Caribbean - and a main base for the Spanish navy in the fight against piracy.
Long the base of power on the island - for the original settlers, the Spanish colonizers, the government of the republic and now the Libertad regime - Centenera boasts a more modern, multicultural feel than the rest of the island. Even among the relative hustle and bustle though, tradition reigns supreme.
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| La Casa Grande |
The city is focused around two areas - the waterfront Pescadería, and the Parque Centrale. The Pescadería is a never-ending hive of activity. It's still home to the best seafood markets on the island, and row upon row of street grills churning out amazing fish dishes, famous across the country for their taste and freshness. Parque Centrale, on the other hand is a tranquil oasis in the middle of the city. A hundred acres of green grass, trees and ponds, wrapping itself around the grounds of La Casa Grande. Circling the park are the hubs of government for the island, not to mention the state radio and newspaper offices. As well, now, as the official head office of the Liga Nacional.
Two of La Liga's eight teams call Centenera home, Atlético and Los Metropolitanos. The richest team in the league are Los Metros - they play their home games in a purpose-built stadium across the street from the Parque Centrale. El Presidente himself - a huge baseball fan - is rumoured to have a complimentary season ticket. Not that any club would ever deny him a seat at the ballpark, of course. With sell-out crowds a common occurrence, sneaking in to a Metros game has quickly become something of a rite of passage for young baseball fans in Centenera. Atlético meanwhile - nowadays the poor relations, in financial terms at least - play at a smaller stadium on the southeastern edge of town called Campo del Presidente. But while the crowds might be smaller, those that are there are among the most loyal on the island - firm in their belief that bigger (and richer) doesn't always mean better.
Atlético
Los Metropolitanos
Population: 14,110 (10th out of 73)
An old farming town, Clará has grown into, perhaps, the modern agricultural centre of Escondidan life. While many farming towns on the island continue to use traditional methods, Clarans have embraced technological advancements, and have reaped the benefits for it.
Now home to over 14,000 people, the town has increased in size rapidly over recent years. Farms in the area are varied, but it is fruits that are the main crop - indeed, Clará now provides around three-quarters of all the bananas and oranges eaten on the island. The area's speciality, however, is the lime, a particular local variety of which is famed throughout the Caribbean. Hundreds of tons of limes are grown each year, bringing zest to the locals, and much needed foreign cash to Escondida.
Now home to over 14,000 people, the town has increased in size rapidly over recent years. Farms in the area are varied, but it is fruits that are the main crop - indeed, Clará now provides around three-quarters of all the bananas and oranges eaten on the island. The area's speciality, however, is the lime, a particular local variety of which is famed throughout the Caribbean. Hundreds of tons of limes are grown each year, bringing zest to the locals, and much needed foreign cash to Escondida.
Population: 11,014 (12th out of 73)
El Guate - literally translated as The Guatemalan - is a peculiar town, sat just along the coast from San Rodrigo. As its name suggests, the town was founded by a visitor from Guatemala in the mid 19th century, perfectly located on a river delta - formerly the site of a pirate stronghold - on a sheltered south-coast inlet.
Now, with a population of 11,000 people, El Guate has become a centre for the literary arts. Its fabulously laid-back atmosphere, combined with a beautiful natural setting, has inspired some of Escondida's most famous authors. The townsfolk revel in this reputation, and have set about creating a haven for the culturally-inspired. Tourism has become big business, with literary readings, poetry and music now all prominently featuring in the beautiful town square. The roads leading to that town square are just as big an attraction, however, featuring as they do Escondida's most notorious street performers.
Now, with a population of 11,000 people, El Guate has become a centre for the literary arts. Its fabulously laid-back atmosphere, combined with a beautiful natural setting, has inspired some of Escondida's most famous authors. The townsfolk revel in this reputation, and have set about creating a haven for the culturally-inspired. Tourism has become big business, with literary readings, poetry and music now all prominently featuring in the beautiful town square. The roads leading to that town square are just as big an attraction, however, featuring as they do Escondida's most notorious street performers.
Population: 6,991 (20th out of 73)
With a picturesque view across the Jemez Straits, Estollo is a charming fishing town that many Escondidans love to visit. Situated some 20 kilometres northeast of La Cruz, it is far removed from the bustle of city life, and its pretty wharves are an idyllic location to while away the day.
The town's peacefulness is disrupted, however, for three days each summer as the locals celebrate the annual Festival del Tiburón. Street parties, fishing trips, and good food abound as thousands of out-of-towners descend on the town to join the revelry. Sharks are to be found year-round basking in the warm waters of the Yugueran coast, and indeed are such a staple of town life that the local baseball team, Liga de Desarollo side Estollo Tiburones, are named after them.
The town's peacefulness is disrupted, however, for three days each summer as the locals celebrate the annual Festival del Tiburón. Street parties, fishing trips, and good food abound as thousands of out-of-towners descend on the town to join the revelry. Sharks are to be found year-round basking in the warm waters of the Yugueran coast, and indeed are such a staple of town life that the local baseball team, Liga de Desarollo side Estollo Tiburones, are named after them.
Population: 9,631 (15th out of 73)
Sat by a lake on the edge of Escondida's uplands, Herosa was for many years one of the most isolated towns on the island. Now connected by the main line railway, the town has experienced rapid growth, with almost 10,000 people making their home among the hills.
Despite its beautiful setting, the growth hasn't done much for the town's appearance. The nearby hills are rich in raw materials, and a number of smoke-belching factories have sprung up across the town to take advantage of them. Herosans are a hard working bunch, naturally suspicious of out-of-towners, and they are keen to ensure that their hard work benefits their kinsfolk. As a result, the town is the most heavily unionised on the island - nowhere in Escondida is the Libertad regime's vision of a socialist utopia closer to being realised.
Despite its beautiful setting, the growth hasn't done much for the town's appearance. The nearby hills are rich in raw materials, and a number of smoke-belching factories have sprung up across the town to take advantage of them. Herosans are a hard working bunch, naturally suspicious of out-of-towners, and they are keen to ensure that their hard work benefits their kinsfolk. As a result, the town is the most heavily unionised on the island - nowhere in Escondida is the Libertad regime's vision of a socialist utopia closer to being realised.
Population: 9,805 (14th out of 73)
The southern-most town on the island, Jares is the quintessential Caribbean beach town. Quieter - and warmer - than Villardondiego just around the coast, Jares remains less crowded and so, despite being more expensive, is the favoured getaway destination for those in the know.
Uniquely among Escondidan towns, Jares's waterfront features an old-fashioned boardwalk, complete with amusement arcades, food stands and shops abound. From it, two piers extend into the sea, one home to a beautiful open-air concert stage, the other eternally filled with locals casting their fishing lines and hoping for a bite. Between the piers, and beyond around the coast, stretches a beautiful sandy beach, warm water, and endless opportunities for relaxation.
Uniquely among Escondidan towns, Jares's waterfront features an old-fashioned boardwalk, complete with amusement arcades, food stands and shops abound. From it, two piers extend into the sea, one home to a beautiful open-air concert stage, the other eternally filled with locals casting their fishing lines and hoping for a bite. Between the piers, and beyond around the coast, stretches a beautiful sandy beach, warm water, and endless opportunities for relaxation.
Population: 40,781 (3rd out of 73)
The third-biggest town on Escondida, La Cruz is famous across the island as the home of revolutions. The war for independence began in the town in 1883 when a small group of nationalists laid siege to the mayor's office. From that seed, the rebellion took hold, and before the decade was out Escondida had its freedom.
Forty years later, amid growing unhappiness and allegations of corruption, the town was the launching pad for the 'Libertad' campaign. Landing at La Cruz having sourced supplies and set-up a small base on Santa Agnes, the military rebels soon found sympathetic ears within the town. With increased numbers and popular support behind them, they forged north along the Arroyo Prieto, and, as they say, 'lo demás es historia'.
These days, La Cruz is home to about 40,000 people, including many descendants of the independence fighters. It's now a busy little fishing port with a pleasant waterfront shopping district - and home to Escondida's main army base. The military make up almost a third of the day-to-day popultation in La Cruz, and much of the rest of town life is dedicated to serving them. The locals are fiercely proud of the role their town played in shaping the nation's history, and the role it now plays in keeping the islands safe. No true La Cruzian ever tires of showing visitors around the key sights of the revolutions' early days.
The baseball team - the Luchadores, or fighters - often used to feature soldiers from the local base, loaned to the team to play ball, in the belief that sport keeps soldiers in the best physical shape. The fans buy into the team passionately, they support their team at full volume all season. Visiting players often end up complaining to the umpires that the crowd give the home town team an unfair advantage; games at La Parque de la Revolucion are some of the most boisterous around.
La Cruz Luchadores
Population: 6,890 (21st out of 73)
With a centuries-old reputation as Escondida's lookout, Lomeda is the traditional early warning post for invaders sailing round towards the Centenera inlet. Though - hopefully - those days are gone, nearly 7,000 people live in the town ready to maintain its proud tradition.
Perched atop the imposing cliffs that are so typical of the northern Cosuenda coast, the island's largest lighthouse sits jutting out to see, warning ships away from the rocks below. Such a notorious hazard are the rocks in the area, Lomedans formed the first ever coastguard lookout in the early 19th century - a lookout still maintained to this day, as the headquarters of the island's coastguard service. While not rescuing ships in distress, daily life in the town is focused primarily on livestock farming.
Perched atop the imposing cliffs that are so typical of the northern Cosuenda coast, the island's largest lighthouse sits jutting out to see, warning ships away from the rocks below. Such a notorious hazard are the rocks in the area, Lomedans formed the first ever coastguard lookout in the early 19th century - a lookout still maintained to this day, as the headquarters of the island's coastguard service. While not rescuing ships in distress, daily life in the town is focused primarily on livestock farming.
Population: 24,220 (6th out of 73)
'The Central City', Montgat sits at the crossroads of Escondida. Benefiting from a location at the heart of the island, sat on the banks of the río Española, and with all major trading trails passing through the town, locals have long been able to move their wares with ease across the country.
Today, with 24,000 residents, Montgat is the nation's 6th largest city - and it remains one of the busiest. As well as its continuing role as a trading hub - boosted by the arrival of the cross-island railway - the city has established itself as one of the main centres of industry on Escondida. The island's biggest nickel mine is just a kilometre or so outside the town, and refineries and factories line the smoky waters edge throughout the city centre - a far cry from the quiet, peaceful atmosphere more commonly associated with the island.
Today, with 24,000 residents, Montgat is the nation's 6th largest city - and it remains one of the busiest. As well as its continuing role as a trading hub - boosted by the arrival of the cross-island railway - the city has established itself as one of the main centres of industry on Escondida. The island's biggest nickel mine is just a kilometre or so outside the town, and refineries and factories line the smoky waters edge throughout the city centre - a far cry from the quiet, peaceful atmosphere more commonly associated with the island.
Little evidence of those original colonial settlements are still visible in the town today, the harbour having been supplanted as base of operations by Centenera over 250 years ago. What does remain is a bustling maritime community and an active trading post. Wares of questionable origin are oft to be found there - the route from Central America into Navalesa being the preferred option for many smugglers, keen to avoid busier ports on the island. The local baseball team, the Navalesa Navegantes, play in the the Liga de Desarrollo.
Population: 21,872 (7th out of 73)
High up in the hills of Yugueros, on the shore of the Gran Lago, sits Progreso. A bustling town of almost 22,000 people, Progreso is the picture postcard for the Libertad regime. Its rapid growth from a small village into a blossoming centre of industry is widely used in propaganda from the Escondidan Interior Ministry.
After beginning life as a trading village - perfectly placed to take advantage of the fertile interior with access by water across the Lago, down the Arroyo Prieto and to the Caribbean beyond - Progreso came to national attention as the staging post for the Libertad rebels' push north from La Cruz. The leaders took a liking to the settlement, a liking they remembered when they set about putting their plans for the island in motion.
Less than ten years on from that, and Progreso (aptly translated as 'Advancement') is the shining light of the planned economy. It is cash crops that are the name of the game now across much of Escondida, and in Progreso tobacco is king. The plantations stretch for miles around the town, producing enough tobacco for thousands of the island's famous cigars. The modern town centre is a beacon of Escondidan optimism - elegant architecture, bright and clean, one of the finest modern towns in the western hemisphere.
On the edge of town sits the Campos de Tabaco, home of the Tabaqueros. The atmosphere at the ballpark couldn't be more Escondidan - relaxed, full of smoke, with rum, beer and tasty food in good supply. The people of Progreso are hard working, putting in long hours to make their town a success, so they like to make the most of their leisure time. A visit to the Campos is one of the finest stress-relieving experiences in all Escondida.
Progreso Tabaqueros
Population: 12,312 (11th out of 73)
The northern-most town on Escondida, Quieva is known as 'El Pequeño-Gran Ciudad' - the Little-Big town. Home to just over 12,000 people, Quieva is one of the most laid-back, untroubled places on the whole island, some might say the most Escondidan of all Escondidan towns.
Though not isolated, Quieva has always been somewhat detached from everyday Escondida. Locals tend not to worry about politics and revolution, or money and commodities, but instead always look to see how they can enjoy themselves. For many residents, one of the finest ways to do so is through the town's famed "platicas". Every evening after work, hundreds of Quievans gather in the park to share stories, tell jokes and give advice. For outsiders it can be quite overwhelming at first, but locals make it their business to ensure the whole town feels like one big family.
Though not isolated, Quieva has always been somewhat detached from everyday Escondida. Locals tend not to worry about politics and revolution, or money and commodities, but instead always look to see how they can enjoy themselves. For many residents, one of the finest ways to do so is through the town's famed "platicas". Every evening after work, hundreds of Quievans gather in the park to share stories, tell jokes and give advice. For outsiders it can be quite overwhelming at first, but locals make it their business to ensure the whole town feels like one big family.
Population: 18,357 (9th out of 73)
Across the Jemez Strait on the island of Santa Agnes, sits the storied city of Rielves. Now home to 18,000 people, for much of its history Rielves was little more than an outpost, albeit a particularly charming one, home of fishing, farming and little else. Two things were to change that, however - oil and politics.
Around the turn of the last century the first known oil reserve on the island was discovered just south of the town. Before long, Rielves was booming - local geologists identified the Jemez strait as the potential home of a large oil field, and the town now finds itself abound with industrialists seeking new ways to access the oil and the money it will bring. Meanwhile, as the oil hunt frenzy reached its climax, the Libertad rebels were setting up their first base on the outskirts of town. Whether the discovery of oil helped fuel the conviction that their island really did have the resources to make a clean break with history is unclear, but it is certain that it was from the town that they launched the glorious campaign in 1923 - a piece of history Rielvens remain immensely proud of.
Around the turn of the last century the first known oil reserve on the island was discovered just south of the town. Before long, Rielves was booming - local geologists identified the Jemez strait as the potential home of a large oil field, and the town now finds itself abound with industrialists seeking new ways to access the oil and the money it will bring. Meanwhile, as the oil hunt frenzy reached its climax, the Libertad rebels were setting up their first base on the outskirts of town. Whether the discovery of oil helped fuel the conviction that their island really did have the resources to make a clean break with history is unclear, but it is certain that it was from the town that they launched the glorious campaign in 1923 - a piece of history Rielvens remain immensely proud of.
Population: 7,242 (19th out of 73)
The little town of Rio Hondo is tucked away up in the hills of Betancuria, on the shores of a small lake. It's sat in amongst beautiful surroundings, isolated and peaceful. Just over 7,000 people live in the town, and it retains much of its rustic charm from the past century.
The Escondidan railways - forging east under the ambitious guidance of the Libertad regime - linked Rio Hondo on the Montgat to San Rodrigo line a little over 5 years ago, the first time in two hundred years anyone has been able to travel to the town except by boat (or on foot from the tiny outposts in the hills). A traditional market town, always busy but never rushed, the rails have helped the locals sell their fresh produce more widely across the island.
Chief of those products are tomatoes and sugar. Grown in the hills around the town, the tomatoes are a particularly juicy variety, a favourite delicacy of many an Escondidan. The sugar, meanwhile, is the lifeblood of the island. Some of it is shipped raw to the bigger cities, but some is kept back to use in the town's big distillery where the famous Rio Hondo dark rum is produced. A vibrant red in colour, deep full of flavour, it is the rum of choice across Escondida. No self-respecting connoisseur would be seen with a glass of anything else.
Surprisingly to many, Los Rojos have recently begun play in La Liga. By far the smallest ballpark in the league (in by far the smallest town), the Parque 10° Octubre is a compact, fiercely loud little place. The local fans are delighted just to be a part of the LNE, and they've quickly earned a reputation for making noise whatever's happening on the diamond.
Rio Hondo Rojos
Population: 31,585 (4th out of 73)
Sitting on the easternmost end of the Betancuria peninsula, San Rodrigo is a town far-removed from the regular day-to-days of Escondidan life. Its remoteness from the rest of the population centres on the island has allowed the town to develop a culture all of its own, in sharp contrast to the rest of the country.
A little more than 31,000 people live in San Rodrigo. Among them are many of Escondida's most prominent thinkers. The town is the site of the premier university on the island - an institution that survived the Libertad revolution thanks to its liberal political scene. Many of the highest government officials in the current regime cut their political teeth in highly controversial debates in the campus grounds of La Institución del Este. Today La Institución each year welcomes like-minded thinkers from revolutionary organisations across the globe, a fact that hasn't gone unnoticed by some of the world's biggest powers.
The town itself rises out of the Caribbean and directly up the steep slopes and into the hills behind. The huge university building dominates the waterfront; the more wealthy San Rodrigans live in the surrounding district. The workforce that powers the city live on the outskirts in the hills - with stunning views over the town below.
Club Orientales - literally the Eastern Club - have taken up residence in the Estadio Donio Campos on the university's grounds. Much like in the rest of their lives, the local fans tend to prefer a sophisticated brand of baseball - a thinking game of strategy and planning. Going to a game in San Rodrigo is not your typical Escondidan baseball experience.
Club Orientales
Population: 7,530 (18th out of 73)
With pristine beaches common to much of the Aguarda coast, Santa Rita has become a favourite day-trip for many people living in Centenera. Just an hour from the capital on the fast train, the town's smart eateries in particular do a roaring trade as office folk get out of town for the weekend.
Lacking the tourist amenities of Villardondiego and Jares, Santa Rita nevertheless welcomes visitors from far and wide. The town is a busy place in its own right, a few hundred yards from the main beach is a busy little fishing port, from where sailors have been casting their nets into the Caribbean for at least two centuries. The town is also home to a highly specialised military training base, details of which are a closely guarded secret by the government.
Lacking the tourist amenities of Villardondiego and Jares, Santa Rita nevertheless welcomes visitors from far and wide. The town is a busy place in its own right, a few hundred yards from the main beach is a busy little fishing port, from where sailors have been casting their nets into the Caribbean for at least two centuries. The town is also home to a highly specialised military training base, details of which are a closely guarded secret by the government.
Population: 7,822 (17th out of 73)
Sat in the shallow valleys of Cosuenda, the growing town of Santana is home to nearly 8,000 people. An unremarkable place to look at, the town has yet to benefit from the renewed investment in infrastructure that the Libertad regime have been placing a high priority on.
The major business in town is livestock, particularly pigs - pork farms in the area provide more than half the meat eaten on the islands. Glamorous it may not be, but Santanans take their work seriously, toiling for long hours and constantly striving to make their farms more efficient. When they're done, they like to relax - Santana's main street is a mile-long assortment of bars and gambling houses of dubious repute.
The major business in town is livestock, particularly pigs - pork farms in the area provide more than half the meat eaten on the islands. Glamorous it may not be, but Santanans take their work seriously, toiling for long hours and constantly striving to make their farms more efficient. When they're done, they like to relax - Santana's main street is a mile-long assortment of bars and gambling houses of dubious repute.
Population: 6,558 (22nd out of 73)
Sat on the edge of the Cosuendan plains, with stunning views of the nearby highlands, Sierra Alta has benefited more than many towns from the recently completed cross-island rail link. Now less than 2 hour's journey from four of Escondida's biggest cities, the town has quickly become a much-visited destination for day-trippers.
Historically an important trade centre on the trail from the North Coast towards the interior, the town has rapidly adapted to modern Escondidan life. Though trade still plays a role for many residents, guesthouses are now a more common site than ever before in the town centre, and many local businesses now offer escorted hikes for visitors into the foothills beyond. The town's baseball team, the Sierra Alta Sombras, play in the Liga de Desarollo.
Historically an important trade centre on the trail from the North Coast towards the interior, the town has rapidly adapted to modern Escondidan life. Though trade still plays a role for many residents, guesthouses are now a more common site than ever before in the town centre, and many local businesses now offer escorted hikes for visitors into the foothills beyond. The town's baseball team, the Sierra Alta Sombras, play in the Liga de Desarollo.
Province: Cosuenda
Population: 42,006 (2nd out of 73)
Population: 42,006 (2nd out of 73)
The second city of Escondida, Tahón has always struggled to shake off its reputation of being the poor relation of bustling Centenera a dozen miles to the east. Still, it's home to 42,000 people and is the centre of finance on the island, with the national bank's headquarters based there.
With a picturesque setting, just further along the inlet from Centenera, and sitting at the mouth of the Rio Venancio, many people feel Tahón could have been a fantastic resort town. Sadly - so the joke goes - it lacks just two things: a beach, and fun. The Tahón residents are widely branded as the most boring of all Escondidans - forever worrying about supply and demand, rather than sitting back with a rum and a cigar.
Whatever bad might be said about them though, Tahónians don't give up without a fight. The 'sturdy city' was the last Spanish holdout to fall into Escondidan hands at the end of the War for Independence, and the final stand for the national government against the Libertad rebels. El Reducto - the citadel where the last units of defenders were finally routed - has recently been converted into a national monument remembering those lost during the fight for freedom.
The town is home to the Leones - the Lions. Playing at the compact Parque Leones, Tahón's team simply will not settle for second best. Success is second nature for the fans in the town, and whatever the competition will throw at them in La Liga, there'll be no giving up.
Tahón Leones
Population: 5,012 (25th out of 73)
The second town of Santa Agnes, Urrez is home to just over 5,000 people. A small, traditional market town, it, rather than Rielves, serves as the main hub for outlying villages of the small island, and as the traditional seat of the Santa Agnes council.
Known primarily as the base of Escondida's elite fighting force, Los Rangeros, whose barracks are just outside the town, Urrez is hardly a major contributor to Escondidan culture. It does, however, hold a special place for historians on the island, as the country's oldest surviving building stands in the middle of town. The San Cristobal church, built by the Spanish in 1570, was, for the original settlers, the most holy place on the islands. Though hardly beautiful by any architectural standards, the church is a much loved symbol of Escondida's origins, and still a major hub for town life.
Known primarily as the base of Escondida's elite fighting force, Los Rangeros, whose barracks are just outside the town, Urrez is hardly a major contributor to Escondidan culture. It does, however, hold a special place for historians on the island, as the country's oldest surviving building stands in the middle of town. The San Cristobal church, built by the Spanish in 1570, was, for the original settlers, the most holy place on the islands. Though hardly beautiful by any architectural standards, the church is a much loved symbol of Escondida's origins, and still a major hub for town life.
Population: 19,502 (8th out of 73)
"El sol siempre brilla en Villardondiego" the locals say. And they are right. Villardondiego, way down on the south west coast of Escondida, is the place to go for guaranteed sunshine. A little under 20,000 people call the town their home, but twice that many again come visit for a vacation every year.
Escondidans are never much ones for punctuality, but in Villardondiego you can forget about anything starting on time. The locals are enjoying themselves too much, and the visitors are too swept up in the beauty of the Aguardan beaches to care. The main beach of the town stretches for some seven and a half miles up the coast, a wide ribbon of beautiful golden sand scattered with palm trees and wooden shacks serving ice cold cervezas.
Like any holiday town, Villardondiego suffers from time to time when the visitors stay away. The Libertad regime have recently started a program of subsidised holidays for national workers - shipping them down by the trainload for a week in the sun during the quiet season. The hotels - and there are dozens of them - welcome the trade; the public money they get for putting up the workers means that Villardondiego's hotels are some of the most spacious and modern around. And the local bars are famous island-over for their vast array of rum-based cocktails.
One of the new teams in La Liga, the Tropicales play their games on the seafront at the Parque del Sur. There is always a strange mix of locals and visitors in the park, which means things aren't as loud as they get in some places on the island. But the views are good, the weather is good, and Villardondiego is quickly establishing itself as the most looked-forward to of all the baseball road trips in Escondida.
Villardondiego Tropicales
Population: 5,111 (24th out of 73)
Set just around the bay from Centenera, the town of Zuya stands guard over the Río del Padre, a deceptively powerful river whose flood season irrigates much of the surrounding land. Indeed, for a month or so each year much of the business district (such as it is) in the town is to be found underwater, while the surrounding fields are refreshed for the coming spring.
Long a quiet, self-contained farming town, Zuya's fertile land has allowed it to grow to serve the ever-expanding capital, its many small-holders priding themselves in the vital role they play in helping to keep Centenera fed. The town itself is classic Escondida - rural, shambling and relaxed. Animals continue to be put to use working the land in preference to other mechanical alternatives, and the result is a peaceful air atypical of the modern world. In fact the only sop to modernism is the small baseball field at the end of the Main Street where the Zuya Elefantes take to the diamond in the Liga de Desarrollo.
Long a quiet, self-contained farming town, Zuya's fertile land has allowed it to grow to serve the ever-expanding capital, its many small-holders priding themselves in the vital role they play in helping to keep Centenera fed. The town itself is classic Escondida - rural, shambling and relaxed. Animals continue to be put to use working the land in preference to other mechanical alternatives, and the result is a peaceful air atypical of the modern world. In fact the only sop to modernism is the small baseball field at the end of the Main Street where the Zuya Elefantes take to the diamond in the Liga de Desarrollo.
Villages
As well as the larger towns detailed above, there are almost 50 smaller villages dotted about the island, each home to fewer than 5,000 residents. Here's a quick run-down to help you find your way around.
Cosuenda
- Batey Birán - pop. 1,020. Located on the railway line just east of Centenera.
- Carballeira - pop. 589. Located on the railway line between Centenera and Tahón.
- Corral - pop. 750. Located on the north coast, the first stop on the railway line east of Quieva.
- Fuente Dueno - pop. 698. Located on the railway line, the first stop northeast of Tahón.
- La Oliva - pop. 1,300. Located on the north coast, the first stop on the railway line northwest of Camazas.
- Luzuriaga - pop. 58. Located on the second biggest of the small islands west of Tahón.
- Mieza - pop. 562. Located on the north coast, northeast of Lomeda.
- Nares - pop. 478. Located on the road northwest of Sierra Alta.
- Poutomillos - pop. 1,175. Located at the end of a railway branch line, due west of Santana.
- Riofrio - pop. 1,098. Located on the river between Camazas and Rio Hondo.
- Santa Madrona - pop. 960. Located on the biggest of the small islands west of Tahón.
- Seteventos - pop. 4,006. Located on the west coast, the first stop on the railway line south of Lomeda.
- Terriente - pop. 3,655. Located at the end of a railway branch line, southeast of Santana.
- Valdemanco - pop. 952. Located on the railway line, the first stop southwest of Santana.
Aguarda
- Biniaritx - pop. 2,045. Located on the railway line between Villardondiego and Jares.
- Chile - pop. 366. Located on the road, just southeast of Santa Rita.
- Covaticas - pop. 1,932. Located at the end of a railway branch line, northeast of Villardondiego.
- El Pica - pop. 145. Located on the road, due east of Villardondiego.
- Hacienda Nueva - pop. 68. Located on the west coast, just south of Santa Rita.
- Mangas Coveras - pop. 302. Located on the railway line between Villardondiego and Arroyo Prieto.
- Santa Fe - pop. 896. Located on the railway line, just northeast of Santa Rita.
Yugueros
- Acebo - pop. 74. Located on the road northwest of Jares.
- Cabio - pop. 521. Located on the coast, the second stop on the railway east of Jares.
- Catatumbo - pop. 103. Located inland on the road southwest of La Cruz.
- Deza - pop. 250. Located on the coast, on the road north of Estollo.
- Hita - pop. 956. Located at the junction of two rivers, due south of Montgat.
- Los Loros - pop. 651. Located on the coast, on the road east of La Cruz.
- Los Pocitos - pop. 1,963. Located on the railway line, the first stop east of Jares.
- Mainar - pop. 689. Located on the coast, the first stop on the railway line south of La Cruz.
- Panda - pop. 637. Located on the road just east of Progreso.
- Pedrezuela - pop. 1,385. Located on the railway line between Clará and Estollo.
- Uribarri - pop. 2,047. Located on the river due south of Progreso.
Betancuria
- Bazal - pop. 78. Located on the road south of Casela.
- Burjulú - pop. 3,665. Located on the railway line, the first stop west of Navalesa.
- Cazorla - pop. 105. Located on the coast, on the road just east of Navalesa.
- Cedemonio - pop. 386. Located on the railway line, the first stop west of Casela.
- Judacaquiva - pop. 3,685. Located at the end of a railway branch line, southeast of Camazas.
- Kayamo - pop. 1,002. Located on the railway line, the second stop west of Casela.
- La Tabla - pop. 875. Located inland, the second village on the road east of Navalesa.
- Natividad - pop. 124. Located on the railway line, the first stop southwest of El Guate.
- San Blas - pop. 1,055. Located at the end of a railway branch line, due west of Navalesa.
- San Fèlix - pop. 589. Located on the road, due south of Herosa.
- Siabo - pop. 997. Located on the road, due east of Herosa.
- Trez - pop. 2,000. Located at the end of a railway branch line, southwest of El Guate.
Santa Agnes
- Abati - pop. 965. Located on the north coast, on the railway line between Rielves and Urrez.
- El Junco - pop. 75. Located on the south coast of the island.
- Hato Nuevo - pop. 560. Located at the mouth of the river, north of Urrez.
- Yeste - pop. 1,008. Located on the road on the east coast.
Map Gallery
Click any of the maps in the gallery below to be taken to a larger version.
Escondida
Centenera
Tahón
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