Environment

Cuba is part of the West Indies and is situated within the Antilles Archipelago. Havana is a mere 170km (105mi) from Florida's Key West, in the USA, and Pinar del Río Province is 210km (130mi) from Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. Cuba's other close neighbours are Jamaica, the Bahamas and Haiti, 77km (48mi) away across the Windward Passage. Cuba's main island is the 15th largest island in the world, measuring 1250km (777mi) long and 191km (9119mi) wide at its widest point. Cuba also lays claim to the Isla de la Juventud and a further 4200-odd coral cays and islets, most of which are low-lying and uninhabited.

Much of Cuba is made up of fertile flatlands where cattle are grazed and sugarcane, coffee and tobacco are grown. The Oriental, Central and Occidental mountain ranges cover 25% of the country, the highest point being Pico Turquino (1972m/6469ft). Cuba's longest river is the 343km (213mi) Río Cauto, although it's barely navigable, even for small boats. The North American and Caribbean tectonic plates meet in the 7200m/23622ft-deep Cayman Trench between Jamaica and Cuba, and the region is thus prone to earthquakes.