Cuba (island)

Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean Sea, stretching roughly 1,250 kilometres east-west and covering close to 110,000 square kilometres. The island hosts the national capital, Havana, on its northwestern coast and comprises a main island plus numerous smaller cays and islets.

Cuba’s landscapes include lowland plains, karstic hills, coastal mangroves and mountain ranges such as the Sierra Maestra in the southeast, whose highest point, Pico Turquino, reaches 1,974 metres. The island supports a mix of large urban centres, agricultural plains and protected natural areas.

Human history includes pre-Columbian indigenous settlement, Spanish colonisation from the late 15th century, and independence movements culminating in the establishment of the modern Republic of Cuba in the early 20th century. Its cities and regions contain distinct historical and cultural sites, including colonial-era urban centres and coastal resort areas.

Major places of interest on the island include the capital Havana, the colonial town of Trinidad on the south coast, the tobacco-growing Valle de Viñales in the west, and popular beach areas such as Varadero on the north coast.

• Size and scale: Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean, approximately 1,250 kilometres long and covering about 110,000 square kilometres, with a coastline of many bays and headlands.
• Geographic position: The island lies across the northern Caribbean Sea and the southern approaches to the Gulf of Mexico, with the narrowest direct distance to the US state of Florida of about 150 kilometres across the Straits of Florida.

What to See #

• Havana: Havana is the capital and largest city, located on the island's northwest coast and serving as the political, cultural and economic centre of the country.
• Sierra Maestra and Pico Turquino: Sierra Maestra is a coastal mountain range on the southeast of the island that contains Pico Turquino, Cuba's highest point at 1,974 metres.
• Trinidad (colonial town): Trinidad is a well-preserved colonial town on the south coast, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its 16th-19th century architecture and urban fabric.