Geography of Cuba

Cuba is the "Pearl of the Antilles" with 110,860 square km, is the largest island in the Caribbean. It is located at the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico. The Straits of Florida and the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the South. At its closest point, Cuba is situated 170 km southwest of Key West, Florida, 210 km northeast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, 77 kilometers separating the easternmost point of Cuba (Punta de Maisi) from Haiti and Santiago Cuba is 270 km northeast of Jamaica. Cuba has about 1250 km-long island is the fifteenth largest in the world, and between 31 and 190 km wide. In addition to the big island, is the Isle of Youth, south-western portion of the thousands of cays and islets, thus more than an island, Cuba is an archipelago.

Cuba has hundreds of beautiful natural beaches of fine sand and crystal clear waters. The most famous of all is Varadero, however, there are many others that have nothing to envy to it as the Beaches East of Havana (only 20 km. From the city center) Guardalavaca Holguin, Cayo Largo del Sur, and the beaches of the northern cays of Ciego de Avila and Villa Clara. Three mountain ranges, two large areas of savanna and numerous valleys known worldwide for its natural beauty as Viñales, Yumurí in Matanzas and the Valley of Los Ingenios up next to Trinidad, among many other landscapes, the magnificent geography of Cuba; the which will delight nature lovers.

Seabed and transparent waters warm, impressive and biodiversity conservation of ecosystems, the great variety and their disparate coral formations attract diving enthusiasts. In our waters is home to about 500 species of fish and 200 other sponge, coral gardens, caves, meadows gorgonians, in addition to shellfish, algae and sea fans.
To complete the wonderful world unite beautiful underwater caves, vertical walls, tunnels, cliffs, flume and valuable wrecks, among other significant attractions.

Rivers

The rivers up short and low flow, some with waterfalls and waterfalls, and numerous natural and artificial reservoirs. The largest is the Cauto River, is located in the east, bathes in several provinces, to be very useful for agriculture.

Animals

The Cuban fauna is very attractive, retains some rarities such as zunzuncito or bird fly, the bird world's tiniest. The smallest frog, a tiny bat and butterfly called a scorpion that does not exceed 14 millimeters, are part of our most unique species.
Endemism is equally significant in amphibians and reptiles. The crocodile, perpetuated in hatcheries, is another indicator species of Cuba.
There are reported some 400 species of birds, none of which is harmful to humans.

Flora

Rich and diverse. In the country there are more than 300 protected areas that occupy about 22 percent of the national territory. Cuba holds six zones declared by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve: Guanahacabibes Peninsula, the Sierra del Rosario and the Cienaga de Zapata National Park in the west; National Park Caguana, in the center, and the Park and Baconao Blades of the Toa, in the east. More than 50 percent of the island is endemic flora and their variety is evident if one considers that the country is represented about four percent of the total flora of the planet. In the groups represented more vegetables and more attractive are the orchids, cacti and palms, the national tree.

Relief

It is heterogeneous, is composed plains, mountains and hilly areas. The latter occupy only a quarter of the floor. The three major mountain systems are: the Cordillera de Guaniguanico in the west; Escambray in the center and the Sierra Maestra, in the east. This has increased the height of Cuba, Pico Turquino, with 1 974 meters above sea level.
The rest of the land is flat and very fertile. There are numerous caves, some of remarkable beauty, as Bellamar in the province of Matanzas.

Climate

In Cuba, temperatures are generally high. The annual average values ranging from 24 degrees Celsius in the plains up to 26 degrees Celsius and more on the eastern coast, reported magnitudes of less than 20 in the highest parts of the Sierra Maestra.

The season from November to April is less warm and is known as "winter", while the months from May to October, warmer, are called "summer". The absolute maximum and minimum temperatures were recorded 38.6 degrees Celsius (Guantanamo, August 7, 1969) and 0.6 degrees Celsius (Bainoa, February 18, 1996). As is typical in tropical climates, the daily variation in temperature is higher than a year.

The average relative humidity is high, with averages close to 80 percent. The maximum daily, usually above 90 percent, occur at sunrise, while the minimum down at midday, up 50-60 percent inside the territory. The wetter areas are the western and central regions, along with the main mountain.