Cuba

We propose Cuba, the best holiday destination. Cuba is a Caribbean destination. Remains very safe for tourists, hiding many secrets, unpredictable. Boasting magnificent white sandy beaches with clean sparkling turquoise waters, Cuba is home to exceptionally friendly people, exotic flora, tropical climate, salsa music and nightlife. Latin beat, best cigars and warm welcome from the Cuban people make this biggest Caribbean island a very attractive destination. Geographical location and area Cuba consists of the Island of Cuba, the Isle of Youth and some 4,195 keys and islets. Cuba lies in central America, In the Gulf of Mexico. It is situated between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. Cuba is the largest country in the Caribbean and the most western island of the Greater Antilles. The geographical coordinates are 21 30 N, 80 00 W. It has an area of 110,860 sq km. It has 3,735 km of coastline. The climate is generally tropical; moderated by trade winds; there’s a dry season from November to April, and a rainy season from May to October. The terrain is mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast. There are also natural hazards: the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October (in general, the country has about one hurricane every other year), also, droughts are common.
Capital The capital of Cuba is Havana. Cuba consists of 14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara. There are a lot of tourists attractions: the Necropolis Colón, a national monument, The Capitolio, a statue, and much, much more… (see presentation) Population Cuba has 11,263,429 inhabitants (July 2003 census). They are called Cubans (noun), Cuban (adjective). 2,500,000 Cubans live in the capital, Havana. There are different ethic groups: 51% percent of the population is mulatto, 37% is white, 11% is black and 1% is Chinese. 85% of the population is Roman Catholic. Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented. The birth rate is 11.87 births/1,000 population (2003) and the death rate is 7.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003). The population rises with 0.34% every year. Language Cubans officially speak Spanish, due to the Spanish colonisation in the Medieval Times. Their Spanish has a slightly different accent and vocabulary. In tourist areas, English is also an important language. Government/Political system Cuba is a Communist State. It’s independent since 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902). The national holiday is called Independence Day, on 10 December (since 1898). The legal system of Cuba is based on Spanish and American law. Fidel Castro is the president of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976). The president is both the chief of state and head of government. The Flag of Cuba was designed in 1850 by rebels who wanted independence from Spain. The 3 blue stripes represent the divisions of the Island at the time, while the white stripes represent freedom. The triangle stands for freedom, equality and brotherhood. The red colour represents the bloodstain necessary to achieve independence. The star represents absolute freedom of the people. Principal economic activities The National currency is the Cuban Peso (CUP). 1.00 CUP = 0.0476190 USD; 21.0000 CUP = 1 USD. 4.3 million of the 11 million people of Cuba work (2000). Of the working people, 24% works in the agriculture sector, 25% in the industrial sector, and 51% in the services sector (1999). The main industries are: sugar, petroleum, tobacco (the famous Cuban cigars), chemicals, construction, services, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, biotechnology. Cuba mainly exports sugar, nickel, tobacco (the famous Cuban cigars), fish, medical products, citrus, coffee.
Nature
Flora Butterfly Jasmine is the official Flower of Cuba. It can be found in the wild along river banks and lagoons. It is also a favourite garden flower. Fauna
The national Bird of Cuba is the Tocororo, or the Cuban Trogon. This bird has the same colours as the flag of Cuba. Special Customs There is an official celebration, for the 15-year-old Cuban girls, because at that age, the girls become adults. They are dressed up as brides for the occasion. We are 7 hours “ahead” of Cuba. So if it’s 6 o’clock (in the evening) here, it’s 11 o’clock (in the morning) there.