General Geography

Climate and Terrain

Cuba is a Caribbean island nation, renowned for its vibrant culture, rich history, and lively music scene. Cuba is located 90 miles south of Florida. The Bahamas lie to the north, Haiti to the east, the Cayman Islands to the south, and Mexico to the west. Cuba is one large island with more than 1,600 small islands. It covers 42,390 square miles and has a coastline of 3,510 miles. Topographically, the island is surrounded by mangrove swamps, rolling plains, beaches, and coral reefs. Cuba has three mountain systems, the first mountain system consists of the western highlands, the Sierra del Rosario, and the Sierra de los Organos. Minor ranges include the Sierra Cristal and Cuchillas de Toahe. The central mountain system includes the Escambray Mountains, Sierra de Trinidad, and Sierra de Sancti Spíritu. Cuba is mainly characterized by rolling plains, which are great for farming and agriculture.

The climate is tropical, and seasonally humid, with maritime influence and semi-continental features. The rainy period runs from May to October. It is characterized by the influence of the North Atlantic Anticyclone, with few variations of the weather. The dry season extends from November to April. Some common animals found in Cuba include the Antillean manatee, the hawksbill turtle, and the French angelfish. The three most common types of vegetation found in Cuba are mangroves along the coast, dry forests in the interior, and pine forests, with a significant portion of the island also containing scrub and savanna-like vegetation due to extensive agricultural use. Cuba is a long, narrow island in the Caribbean, with most of its terrain consisting of flat plains, rolling hills, and a mountainous southeast region.