Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba consists of the island of Cuba (the largest of the Greater Antilles), the Isle of Youth and adjacent small islands. Cuba is located in the northern Caribbean at the confluence of the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Cuba is south of the eastern United States and the Bahamas, west of the Turks and Caicos Islands and Haiti and east of Mexico. The Cayman Islands and Jamaica are to the south.
Cuba is the most populous country in the Caribbean. Its culture and customs draw from several sources including the aboriginal Taíno and Ciboney peoples, the period of Spanish colonialism, the introduction of African slaves, and its proximity to the United States. The island has a tropical climate that is moderated by the surrounding waters; the warm currents of the Caribbean Sea and its location between water bodies also make Cuba prone to frequent hurricanes.
Cuba has more than 11,200,000 people, with 75 per cent of them living in urban areas. The country’s official language is Spanish, although most Cubans working in the tourism industry can communicate in English.
The Republic of Cuba is divided into 14 provinces, 169 municipalities and the special municipality of the Isle of Youth. From west to east, the provinces are: Pinar del Río, Havana , City of Havana , Matanzas , Cienfuegos , Villa Clara, Sancti Spíritus, Ciego de Ávila, Camagüey, Las Tunas, Holguín, Granma, Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo.
Cuba’ s climate is moderately subtropical and predominantly warm. The island’s average temperature is 25.5ºC and average relative humidity is 78 per cent. It also sees an average of 330 days of sunshine a year. Cuba’ s two clearly defined seasons are the rainy season (May to October) and the dry season (November to April).
Capital City of Cuba is Havana .
Currency of Cuba is Cuban Peso.
A handshake is the normal form of greeting. Cubans generally address each other as compañero , but visitors should use señor or señora . Some Cubans have two surnames after their Christian name and the first surname is the correct one to use. Normal courtesies should be observed when visiting someone’s home and a small gift may be given if invited for a meal. Formal wear is not often needed and hats are rarely worn. Men should not wear shorts except on or near the beach. Women wear light cotton dresses or trousers during the day and cocktail dresses for formal evenings.
