a seaport of Cuba, on the N. coast of the island, at the head of a deep bay, 57 miles E. of Havana; Lat. 23° 2', N.; Long. 81° 38', W. The town is well built, about a third of the houses being stone, but without much pretension to architectural beauty. The principal buildings are two churches, an hospital, barracks, theatre, and public library. The harbour is protected by a natural breakwater, consisting of a ledge of rock 4 feet below the surface, through which entrance is afforded by two channels, one to the N. and the other to the S.; but the former only is passable for large ships. The harbour has also been much reduced in size and depth by the mud carried down by two rivers, one of which flows on each side of the town. The number of vessels that entered the harbour in 1851 was 499; that cleared, 578. In the same year the exports amounted in value to L393,641, and the exports to L1,119,453; while the duties collected on imports were L118,372, and on exports L63,551. The surrounding country is one of the richest districts of Cuba; and the bay is large and convenient for ships, being sheltered from every wind but the N.E. Previous to 1809, owing to the restrictions put upon its trade, Matanzas was a place of small importance; but in that year these were removed, and the result has been an increase, not only in the commerce of the town, but in the raising of sugar, coffee, and other articles in the neighbourhood. The principal articles of export are sugar, molasses, and coffee. Pop. (1854) 26,000.