History of Modern Latin America

History of Latin America - Cuba

The largest island of the West Indies is Cuba. It is one of four islands with Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico that make up the Greater Antilles archipelago. Located just south of the Tropic of Cancer in the Caribbean Sea, Cuba's western tip extends into the Gulf of Mexico between Florida and the Yucatan Peninsula. Cuba commands three strategically located sea-lanes: the Straits of Florida, between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean; the Windward Passage, from the Atlantic to the Caribbean between Cuba and Haiti; and the Yucatan Channel, between the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Havana, the capital city, is on the northwest coast, 92 nautical miles (170 kilometers) from Key West, Fla.
The long, narrow main island lies in an east-west direction. It is about 780 miles (1,255 kilometers) long and averages 60 miles (97 kilometers) in width. The Isle of Youth with 926 square miles (2,398 square kilometers), off the southwest coast, and nearly 2,000 smaller islands bring the country's area to nearly 43,000 square miles (111,400 square kilometers). Cuba's population was nearly 10.5 million in 1988.

Official Name. Republic of Cuba.
Capital. Havana.
Area. 42,803 square miles (110,859 square kilometers).
Population (1991 estimate). 10,700,000; 250 persons per square mile (96.5 persons per square kilometer); 72.8 percent urban, 27.2 percent rural.
Major Language. Spanish (official).
Major Religion. Roman Catholicism.
Literacy. 96 percent.
Highest Peak. Pico Turquino.
Major River. Cauto.
Form of Government. Socialist Republic.
Chief of State and Head of Government. President.
Legislature. National Assembly of the People's Power.
Voting Qualification. 16 years of age.
Political Divisions. 14 provinces and 1 special municipality.
Major Cities (1989 estimate). Havana (2,077,938), Santiago de Cuba (397,024), Camaguey (278,958), Holguin (222,794), Guantanamo (197,868).
Chief Manufactured and Mined Products. Nickel, iron ore, copper, sugar, food, textiles, cement, cigars.
Chief Agricultural Products. Crops cane sugar, tobacco, citrus fruits, rice, coffee, tropical fruits, vegetables. Livestock pigs, horses, sheep, goats, cattle.
Monetary Unit. 1 Cuban peso = 100 centavos.