Geography of Cuba

{{short description|none}}

{{Country geography

|name= the Archipelago of Cuba

|map = Cuba_Nasa.jpg

|continent = North America

|region = Caribbean Sea

|coordinates = {{coord|22|00|N|80|00|W|type:country}}

|area ranking = 104th

|km area = 110860

|percent land = 99.06

|km coastline = 5746

|borders = 28,5 km² with {{flag2|United States}} at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base

|highest point = Pico Turquino
{{convert|1974|m|feet}}

|lowest point = Caribbean Sea
0 m

|longest river =Cauto River

|largest lake =

|exclusive economic zone = {{convert|350,751|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}

}}

Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. It comprises an archipelago of islands centred upon the geographic coordinates 21°3N, 80°00W. Cuba is the principal island, surrounded by four main archipelagos: the Colorados, the Sabana-Camagüey, the Jardines de la Reina and the Canarreos. Cuba's area is {{convert|110,860|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} including coastal and territorial waters with a land area of {{convert|109820|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, which makes it the eighth-largest island country in the world. The main island (Cuba) has {{convert|5746|km|mi|abbr=on}} of coastline and {{convert|28.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} of land borders—all figures including the U.S. Navy's Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. Its official area is {{convert|109,884|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}.

Cuba lies west of the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Gulf of Mexico, south of the Straits of Florida, northwest of the Windward Passage, and northeast of the Yucatán Channel. The main island (Cuba), at {{convert|104338|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, makes up most of the land areaStoner, K. Lynn. "[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569844_14/Cuba.html Cuba]" Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 2005. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091029160558/http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569844_14/Cuba.html |date=29 October 2009}} 31 October 2009. and is the 17th-largest island in the world by land area.

The island is {{convert|1250|km|mi|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|191|km|mi|abbr=on}} across its widest points and {{convert|31|km|mi|abbr=on}} across its narrowest points. The largest island outside the main island is the Isla de la Juventud is (Isle of Youth) in the southwest, with an area of {{convert|2204|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}.

The main island consists mostly of flat to rolling plains. At the southeastern end is the Sierra Maestra, a range of steep mountains whose highest point is the Pico Turquino at {{convert|1974|m|ft}}.

Havana is the largest city and capital; other major cities include Santiago de Cuba and Camagüey. Better-known smaller towns include Baracoa, which was the first Spanish settlement on Cuba, Trinidad, a UNESCO world heritage site, and Bayamo.

Physical geography

File:La2-demis-cuba.png

File:Sierra Maestra panorama1.jpg ]]

File:Valle vinales 1.jpg ]]

Cuba is located {{convert|77|km|mi|abbr=on}} west of Haiti across the Windward Passage, {{convert|22.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of The Bahamas (Cay Lobos), {{convert|150|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of the United States (Key West, Florida), {{convert|210|km|mi|abbr=on}} east of Mexico, and {{convert|140|km|mi|abbr=on}} north of Jamaica. It was made in three stages.{{cite journal |last1=Iturralde-Vinent |first1=M.A. |last2=García-Casco |first2=A. |last3=Rojas-Agramonte |first3=Y. |last4=Proenza |first4=J.A. |last5=Murphy |first5=J.B. |last6=Stern |first6=R.J. |title=The geology of Cuba: A brief overview and synthesis |journal=GSA Today |volume=26 |issue=10 |pages=4–10 |date=2016 |doi=10.1130/GSATG296A.1 |doi-access=free|hdl=2445/122345 |hdl-access=free }}

Cuba is the largest country by land area in the Caribbean. Its main island is the 17th-largest island in the world by land area. The island rises between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean. It is bordered on the north by the Straits of Florida, on the northeast by Nicholas Channel and the Old Bahama Channel. The southern part is bounded by the Windward Passage and the Cayman Trench, while the southwest lies in the Caribbean Sea. To the west, it reaches to the Yucatán Channel, and the northwest is open to the Gulf of Mexico.

About 4,195 islands, islets and cays make up the country. The southern coast includes such archipelagos as Jardines de la Reina and the Canarreos. The northeastern shore is lined by the Sabana-Camagüey Archipelago, which includes Jardines del Rey and is composed of approximately 2,517 cays and islands.{{cite journal |last1=Menéndez |first1=Leda |last2=Guzmán |first2=José Manuel |last3=Capote |first3=René Tomas |last4=González |first4=Armando Vicente |last5=Rodríguez |first5=Lázaro |title=Variabilidad de los bosques de manglares del archipiélago Sabana-Camagüey: Implicaciones para su gestión |url=http://www.mappinginteractivo.com/plantilla-ante.asp?id_articulo=874 |url-status=dead |journal=Mapping Interactivo: Revista Internacional de Ciencias de la Tierra |volume=100 |date=March 2005 |access-date=16 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060522045637/http://www.mappinginteractivo.com/plantilla-ante.asp?id_articulo=874#0 |archive-date=22 May 2006 |issn=1131-9100}} The Colorados Archipelago is developed on the northwestern coast.

{{see also|List of islands of Cuba}}

=Terrain=

Cuba's terrain is mostly flat or rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast. The lowest point is the Caribbean Sea at 0 m (sea level) and the highest point is Pico Turquino at {{convert|1974|m|ft|abbr=on}}, part of the Sierra Maestra mountain range, located in the southeast of the island.

Other mountain ranges are Sierra Cristal in the southeast, Escambray Mountains in the center of the island, and Sierra del Rosario in the northwest. White sand beaches (most notably in Varadero[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVvZCNcBy_Y Varadero – YouTube]), as well as mangroves and marshes can be found in the coastal area. The largest is the Zapata Swamp, with over {{convert|4520|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. A recent global remote sensing analysis suggested that there were 675 km2 of tidal flats in Cuba, making it the 38th-ranked country in terms of tidal flat area.{{cite journal |last1=Murray |first1=N.J. |last2=Phinn |first2=S.R. |last3=DeWitt |first3=M. |last4=Ferrari |first4=R. |last5=Johnston |first5=R. |last6=Lyons |first6=M.B. |last7=Clinton |first7=N. |last8=Thau |first8=D. |last9=Fuller |first9=R.A. |title=The global distribution and trajectory of tidal flats |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0805-8 |journal=Nature |volume=565 |issue=7738 |pages=222–225 |date=2019 |pmid=30568300 |s2cid=56481043 |doi=10.1038/s41586-018-0805-8|url-access=subscription }}

Cuba has negligible inland water area. The largest natural water mirror is Laguna de Leche at {{convert|67.2|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, while the man-made Zaza Reservoir, at {{convert|113.5|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, is the largest inland water surface by area in the country.

= Geology =

{{main|Geology of Cuba}}

=Climate=

File:Koppen-Geiger_Map_v2_CUB_1991–2020.svg

{{climate chart

|Casa Blanca, Havana

|19|26|64

|19|26|69

|20|28|46

|21|29|54

|22|30|98

|23|31|182

|24|31|106

|24|32|100

|24|31|144

|23|29|181

|21|28|88

|20|27|58

|source=Climate Charts[http://www.climate-charts.com/Locations/c/CU78325.html#data Cuba Climate data]

|float=right

}}

Most of Cuba has a tropical savanna climate (Aw according to the Köppen climate classification), although areas on the windward slopes of the Sierra Maestra and Sierra del Rosario have either a tropical monsoon climate or a trade-wind tropical rainforest climate, whilst a hot semi-arid climate occurs in the Guantánamo Bay area because of a rain shadow from the Sierra Maestra. In most areas, the dry season lasts from November to April and the rainy season from May to October.

The climate is tropical, though moderated by trade winds. In general (with local variations), there is a drier season from November to April, and a rainier season from May to October. The average temperature is {{convert|23.1|°C|1}} in January and {{convert|27|°C|1}} in July.

File:Show Your Stripes change in temperature graphic for All of Cuba with bars with labels.png

Climate change in Cuba is causing an increase in temperature, rising sea levels and shifting precipitation patterns, with an overall decrease in rainfall predicted. These will severely impact industries key to the economy, including agriculture, forestry and tourism. As rainfall is Cuba's only water source, water security is an issue. Warmer temperatures may affect the health of the population, causing an increase in cardiovascular, respiratory and viral diseases.{{Cite web |last=World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal |title=Cuba |url=https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/cuba |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org |language=en}} A temperature rise of 2°C above preindustrial levels can increase the likelihood of extreme hurricane rainfall by three times in Cuba.{{cite news |last1=BERARDELLI |first1=JEFF |date=29 August 2020 |title=Climate change may make extreme hurricane rainfall five times more likely, study says |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/climate-change-may-make-extreme-hurricane-rainfall-five-times-more-likely-study-says/ |access-date=30 August 2020 |agency=CBC News}} Cuba's climate mitigation and adaptation plans include renewable energy generation and nature-based solutions, such as restoring mangrove ecosystems.{{Cite book |last=Republic of Cuba |url=https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/NDC/2022-06/Cuban%20First%20NDC%20Summary%20%28Updated%20submission%29.pdf |title=SUMMARY OF THE FIRST NDC UPDATED (2020-2030) REPUBLIC OF CUBA}}{{Cite web |date=2022-05-10 |title=Small Island Developing States are on the frontlines of climate change – here's why {{!}} UNDP Climate Promise |url=https://climatepromise.undp.org/news-and-stories/small-island-developing-states-are-frontlines-climate-change-heres-why#:~:text=Cuba%20is%20restoring%20ecosystems%20within%20mangroves%20and,erosion,%20and%20channel%20freshwater%20to%20coastal%20areas. |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=climatepromise.undp.org |language=en}}

Cuba lies in the path of hurricanes, and these destructive storms are most common in September and October. The experience of hurricane damage has shaped Cuba's disaster risk reduction policies, contributing to a low mortality rate compared with neighbouring countries.{{cite journal |last1=Cederlöf |first1=Gustav |date=2025 |title=Disaster Risk Reduction and the Cuban Exception: Infrastructural and Ideological Power after Hurricane Flora (1963) |journal=Annals of the American Association of Geographers |pages=1–17 |doi=10.1080/24694452.2025.2473660|doi-access=free }}{{cite book |last1=Kirk |first1=Emily J. |last2=Story |first2=Isabel |last3=Clayfield |first3=Anna |date=2021 |title=Disaster preparedness and climate change in Cuba: Management and adaptation |location=Lanham, MD |publisher=Lexington Books}} Tornadoes are somewhat rare in Cuba; however, on the evening of 27 January 2019, a very rare strong F4 tornado struck the eastern side of Havana, Cuba's capital city. The tornado caused extensive damage, destroying at least 90 homes, killing four people and injuring 195.{{cite news |title=Havana tornado: Cuba's capital hit by rare twister |date=28 January 2019 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-47025852 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=28 January 2019}}{{cite web |url=http://www.startribune.com/the-latest-resident-havana-looks-like-a-horror-movie/504962142/ |title=The Latest: Havana hit by Category F3 tornado - StarTribune.com |website=Star Tribune |access-date=5 February 2019 |archive-date=29 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129181446/http://www.startribune.com/the-latest-resident-havana-looks-like-a-horror-movie/504962142/ |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |last=Guy |first=Jack |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/28/americas/cuba-tornado-dead-scli-intl/index.html |title=Cuba tornado: 4 dead and 195 injured |publisher=CNN |date=28 January 2019 |access-date=11 April 2022}}{{cite news |last=Cappucci |first=Matthew |title=A deadly tornado plowed through Havana on Sunday night. Here's how it happened. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/01/28/deadly-tornado-plowed-through-havana-sunday-night-heres-how-it-happened/?noredirect=on |access-date=29 January 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=28 January 2019}} By 4 February, the death toll had increased to six, with 11 people still in critical condition.{{cite news |title=Death Toll Rises to Six From Rare Havana Tornado |url=https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/Death-Toll-Rises-Six-Rare-Havana-Tornado?cm_ven=cat6-widget |access-date=5 February 2019 |work=Weather Underground |date=4 February 2019}}

{{Weather box

|width = auto

|location = Havana (1961–1990, extremes 1859–present)

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|collapsed = Yes

|Jan record high C = 32.4

|Feb record high C = 33.0

|Mar record high C = 35.3

|Apr record high C = 37.0

|May record high C = 36.2

|Jun record high C = 35.4

|Jul record high C = 36.6

|Aug record high C = 37.7

|Sep record high C = 38.2

|Oct record high C = 39.6

|Nov record high C = 34.0

|Dec record high C = 33.2

|year record high C = 39.6

|Jan high C = 25.8

|Feb high C = 26.1

|Mar high C = 27.6

|Apr high C = 28.6

|May high C = 29.8

|Jun high C = 30.5

|Jul high C = 31.3

|Aug high C = 31.6

|Sep high C = 31.0

|Oct high C = 29.2

|Nov high C = 27.7

|Dec high C = 26.5

|year high C = 28.8

|Jan mean C = 22.2

|Feb mean C = 22.4

|Mar mean C = 23.7

|Apr mean C = 24.8

|May mean C = 26.1

|Jun mean C = 27.0

|Jul mean C = 27.6

|Aug mean C = 27.9

|Sep mean C = 27.4

|Oct mean C = 26.1

|Nov mean C = 24.5

|Dec mean C = 23.0

|year mean C = 25.2

|Jan low C = 18.6

|Feb low C = 18.6

|Mar low C = 19.7

|Apr low C = 20.9

|May low C = 22.4

|Jun low C = 23.4

|Jul low C = 23.8

|Aug low C = 24.1

|Sep low C = 23.8

|Oct low C = 23.0

|Nov low C = 21.3

|Dec low C = 19.5

|year low C = 21.6

|Jan record low C = 6.0

|Feb record low C = 11.9

|Mar record low C = 10.0

|Apr record low C = 15.1

|May record low C = 15.4

|Jun record low C = 20.0

|Jul record low C = 19.0

|Aug record low C = 20.0

|Sep record low C = 20.0

|Oct record low C = 18.0

|Nov record low C = 14.0

|Dec record low C = 10.0

|year record low C = 6.0

|Jan rain mm = 64.4

|Feb rain mm = 68.6

|Mar rain mm = 46.2

|Apr rain mm = 53.7

|May rain mm = 98.0

|Jun rain mm = 182.3

|Jul rain mm = 105.6

|Aug rain mm = 99.6

|Sep rain mm = 144.4

|Oct rain mm = 180.5

|Nov rain mm = 88.3

|Dec rain mm = 57.6

|rain colour = green

|Jan humidity = 75

|Feb humidity = 74

|Mar humidity = 73

|Apr humidity = 72

|May humidity = 75

|Jun humidity = 77

|Jul humidity = 78

|Aug humidity = 78

|Sep humidity = 79

|Oct humidity = 80

|Nov humidity = 77

|Dec humidity = 75

|Jan rain days = 5

|Feb rain days = 5

|Mar rain days = 3

|Apr rain days = 3

|May rain days = 6

|Jun rain days = 10

|Jul rain days = 7

|Aug rain days = 9

|Sep rain days = 10

|Oct rain days = 11

|Nov rain days = 6

|Dec rain days = 5

|unit rain days = 1.0 mm

|Jan sun = 217.0

|Feb sun = 203.4

|Mar sun = 272.8

|Apr sun = 273.0

|May sun = 260.4

|Jun sun = 237.0

|Jul sun = 272.8

|Aug sun = 260.4

|Sep sun = 225.0

|Oct sun = 195.3

|Nov sun = 219.0

|Dec sun = 195.3

|year sun =

|Jand sun = 7.0

|Febd sun = 7.2

|Mard sun = 8.8

|Aprd sun = 9.1

|Mayd sun = 8.4

|Jund sun = 7.9

|Juld sun = 8.8

|Augd sun = 8.4

|Sepd sun = 7.5

|Octd sun = 6.3

|Novd sun = 7.3

|Decd sun = 6.3

|yeard sun = 7.8

|source 1 = World Meteorological Organisation,

{{cite web

|url=http://worldweather.wmo.int/131/c00280.htm

|title=World Weather Information Service – Havana

|access-date= June 26, 2010

|publisher= Cuban Institute of Meteorology|date=June 2011

}} Climate-Charts.com{{cite web

|url = http://www.climate-charts.com/Locations/c/CU78325.php

|title = Casa Blanca, Habana, Cuba: Climate, Global Warming, and Daylight Charts and Data

|access-date = June 26, 2010

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110623233609/http://www.climate-charts.com/Locations/c/CU78325.php

|archive-date = June 23, 2011

|url-status = dead

}}

|source 2 = Meteo Climat (record highs and lows),

{{cite web

| url = http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=2061

| title = Station La Havane

| publisher = Meteo Climat

|language = fr

| access-date = May 2, 2017}} Deutscher Wetterdienst (sun)

{{cite web

| url = http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_783250_kt.pdf

| title = Klimatafel von Havanna (La Habana, Obs. Casa Blanca) / Kuba

| work = Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world

| publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst

| language = de

| access-date = July 29, 2017}}

|date=August 2010

}}

class="wikitable"

|+Average Sea Temperature in Havana

Jan

!Feb

!Mar

!Apr

!May

!Jun

!Jul

!Aug

!Sep

!Oct

!Nov

!Dec

{{convert|23|°C|°F|abbr=on}}

|{{convert|23|°C|°F|abbr=on}}

|{{convert|24|°C|°F|abbr=on}}

|{{convert|26|°C|°F|abbr=on}}

|{{convert|27|°C|°F|abbr=on}}

|{{convert|28|°C|°F|abbr=on}}

|{{convert|28|°C|°F|abbr=on}}

|{{convert|28|°C|°F|abbr=on}}

|{{convert|28|°C|°F|abbr=on}}

|{{convert|27|°C|°F|abbr=on}}

|{{convert|26|°C|°F|abbr=on}}

|{{convert|24|°C|°F|abbr=on}}

{{Clear}}

= Maritime claims =

Cuba makes maritime claims that include a territorial sea of {{convert|12|nmi|km mi|1|lk=in}} and an exclusive economic zone of {{convert|350,751|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} with {{convert|200|nmi|km mi|1}}.

=Extreme points=

File:CubaOMC.png

{{geoGroup}}

Extreme points in Cuba are:

class=wikitable
PointNameLocationRemarks
North (on-shore)

|Punta Hicacos || {{coord|23.205364996518945

81.14309760226082}}On Hicacos Peninsula
North (off-shore)

| Cayo Cruz del Padre || {{coord|23.277666130750777

80.90271748882353}}Part of Sabana-Camagüey Archipelago
East

| Cape Maisí|| {{coord|20|12|32|N|74|08|01|W|scale:30000_region:CU|name=Punta Maisi|format=dec}} || Near Maisí

West

| Cape San Antonio|| {{coord|21|51|39|N|84|57|25|W|scale:30000_region:CU|name=Cabo San Antonio|format=dec}} || On Guanahacabibes Peninsula

South

| Cape Cruz|| {{coord|19|49|37|N|77|40|30|W|scale:30000_region:CU|name=Cape Cruz|format=dec}} || Near Niquero

Highest point

| Pico Turquino || {{coord|19|59|22|N|76|50|09|W|type:mountain_region:CU_scale:30000|name=Pico Turquino|format=dec}} || Part of Sierra Maestra, {{convert|1974|m|ft|abbr=on}}

Lowest point

| sea level ||  || Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean

Largest city

| Havana || {{coord|23|08|00|N|82|23|00|W|type:city_region:CU_scale:30000|name=City of Havana|format=dec}} || National capital, population 2,130,431

Oldest city

| Baracoa || {{coord|20|20|55|N|74|30|38|W|type:city_region:CU_scale:30000|name=Baracoa|format=dec}} || Founded in 1511

Natural resources

{{main|Economy of Cuba}}

{{see also|Agriculture of Cuba}}

File:Tobacco field cuba1.jpg field in Pinar del Río]]

Natural resources include cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, salt, timber, silica, oil and petroleum. At one time the whole island was covered with forests, and there are still many cedar (Cedrela odorata), chechem (Metopium brownei), mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni), and other valuable trees. Large areas were cleared to grow more sugarcane, and so few trees remained that timber had to be imported.

The most important Cuban mineral economic resource is nickel. Cuba has the second-largest nickel reserves in the world after Russia.http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/1997/9509097.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012091655/https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/1997/9509097.pdf |date=2017-10-12 }} The Mineral Resources of Cuba 1997 Sherritt International, a Canadian energy company, operates a large nickel mining facility in Moa, Cuba. Another leading mineral resource is cobalt, a byproduct of nickel mining operations. Cuba ranks as the fifth-largest producer of refined cobalt in the world.

Cuba has historically been dependent on oil imports.Neelesh Nerurkar & Mark P. Sullivan, [https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R41522.pdf Cuba's Offshore Oil Development: Background and U.S. Policy Considerations], Congressional Research Service (28 November 2011). As of 2011, Cuba had proven reserves of a mere {{convert|0.1|Goilbbl|m3}} of crude oil and 2.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and mostly used oil for power generation. In 2010, Cuba produced 51,000 barrels of crude oil a day (Kb/d) in 2010 in onshore or shallow near-shore development, "mostly heavy, sour (sulfur-rich) crude that requires advanced refining capacity to process." Offshore exploration in the North Cuba Basin had revealed the possibility of an additional {{convert|4.6|Goilbbl|m3}} of technically recoverable crude oil, 0.9 billion barrels of natural gas liquids, and 9.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. As of 2011, Cuba had six offshore petroleum development projects with foreign oil companies Petrovietnam (Vietnam), Petronas (Malaysia), PDVSA (Venezuela), Sonangol (Angola), ONGC (India), Repsol (Spain), and Statoil (Norway).

Sugarcane was historically the most important part of the Cuban economy,{{cite journal |last=Pollitt |first=Brian H. |title=The Rise and Fall of the Cuban Sugar Economy |journal=Journal of Latin American Studies |volume=36 |issue=2 |pages=319–348 |date=2004 |jstor=3875618 |doi=10.1017/S0022216X04007448}} and large areas are still dedicated to its cultivation; in 2018, Cuba produced an estimated 1.1–1.3 million tonnes of raw sugar.Marc Frank, [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-food-cuba-sugar/cuban-raw-sugar-production-headed-toward-30-percent-decline-idUSKBN1HN24L Cuban raw sugar production headed toward 30 percent decline], Reuters (April 16, 2018). The importance of the sugar harvest has declined, with tourism, tobacco, nickel, and pharmaceuticals surpassing sugar in economic importance.

Extensive irrigation systems are developed in the south of Sancti Spíritus Province. Tobacco, used for some of the world's cigars, is grown especially in the Pinar del Río Province.

Administrative subdivisions

Cuba is divided into 15 provinces and one special municipality. Provinces are further subdivided into 168 municipalities.Fifth United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names, Vol. II, published by the United Nations, New York, 1991

References

{{reflist}}