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CUBA

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Cuba (República de Cuba) is a socialist republic located on an island in the Caribbean Sea in Central America, between the Tropic of Cancer and the parallel 20° north, between Florida and the Yucatan Peninsula. The island of Cuba, with more than 105 000 sq km is the biggest island in the Great Antilles, the state is formed not only from the main island but also by numerous islands and archipelagos, including, Isla de la Juventud, the largest (2 340 sq km), to the north-west are the archipelagos of the Colorados, Sabana (or Jardines del Rey) and Camagüey, and along the southern coast of the main island lies the Jardines de la Reina and the Canarreos archipelagoes.
 

Cuba has a narrow and elongated shape along the parallel, in fact it extends, for 1 200 km from east (Punta Maisí) to the west (Cabo San Antonio), while the average depth is of 80-100 km, its coastal development is over 3 500 km. The island is largely flat, with isolated peaks that rarely exceed 1 000 metres, to the west in the province of Pinar del Rio is the Sierra de los Órganos, the landscape here is characterized by limestone rock formations that have the characteristic pipe organ form covered with vegetation, in the center of the island is located the Sierra de Trinidad with mountains no more than 1000 metres heights. To the south-east along the coast is finally the Sierra Maestra, where is the highest mountain in the country, the Pico Real del Turquino (1 974 metres). The rivers are full of water but short, the longest is the Rio Cauto (250 km). Regarding the economy, it is based mainly on agricultural products, particularly sugar cane and tobacco, but also on fruit tree pruning (bananas, pineapples, citrus fruits), coffee, potatoes, corn and rice. Important also is the breeding (cattle, pigs, sheep and goats). A certain importance is covered by mining, there are extracted cromite, nickel, cobalt, oil and manganese. The industry is linked to the processing of agricultural products, particularly in the processing of sugar and tobacco. Still more important is the tourism thanks to the beauty of the beaches and many historical attractions of the old colonial centers. 

 

Area: 110 922 sqkm. (Arable 30,4%, Pastures 26,8%, Forests and Woodlands 23,5%, Uncultivated and Unproductive 19,3%)

Population: 11 382 000 (agg. 2006) (European 70%, Mestizos (descendants of European and Amerindian) and Mulattos (descendants of European and African) 17%, African 12%), Asian 1%.

State Capital: Havana.

Language: Official language is Spanish.

Religion: Roman Catholic 33%; Protestant 3%, Santeria.

Currency: Cuban Peso (CUP)

Time: UTC-5 (Summer (DST) starts March 11; ends November 4, UTC-4)  

 

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