The state of Cuba occupies the island of the same name and many other smaller ones that are part of the Greater Antilles. Moreover, most of the country is the island of Cuba, whose area is 105,000 square kilometers. And all other island possessions of the Cuban state account for less than 5% of its area. It is worth noting that after the conflict between the United States and Spain, the American military received the right to a small plot of land in the province of Guantanamo, where to this day there is a world-famous military base with a once secret CIA prison. Cuba is washed on all sides by the waters of the Caribbean Sea, and beaches almost all over coastline countries are considered among the best in the world.
Absolutely all beaches in Cuba are free and belong to local municipalities. Only some hotels are assigned small areas of the coast where there are no local residents.
Where is Cuba and what is the climate like there?
Cuba has an amazing warm and mild climate, which is due to its geographical location. Cuba is separated from the famous American state of Florida by the small Strait of Florida, the width of which does not exceed 153 kilometers. A warm current passes along the surface of this strait, which can be considered part of the Gulf Stream. Thanks to the abundant warm sea currents along the coast of the island, even in winter period The water temperature on the beaches of Cuba does not drop below 22°C, and in summer this figure is at the level of 27-29°C. In general, the climate in Cuba is tropical trade wind, which in practice means a clear division into two seasons: rainy and dry. Rain falls on Cuba between May and October, while dry and sunny weather can be enjoyed from November to April.
Cuba is separated by a small sea from the Yucatan Peninsula, which is the territory of Mexico. Liberty Island is also surrounded by paradises such as the Bahamas, Jamaica and Dominican Republic. Cuba is separated from these geographical features by small straits ranging in width from 70 to 160 kilometers.
In clear weather, you can see Florida from the northern coast of Cuba, since the distance here does not exceed 150 kilometers. Illegal immigrants also take advantage of America's proximity, crossing the strait on homemade boats.
How to get to Cuba from Russia
The total flight time to Fidel's homeland will be about 12 hours. Direct flights from Russia are operated by Transaero and Aeroflot, whose planes arrive in Havana and Varadero, a resort city in the north of Cuba, whose beaches are the best in this part of the world, according to UNESCO. As a rule, you can only count on direct regular flights to Cuba from Moscow and St. Petersburg. Most charter flights also depart from metropolitan hub airports, so travelers should look for convenient connecting flights in advance.
Alternative name - Republic
origin of name
Christopher Columbus landed on the island in 1492 and named it Juana, in honor of Prince Jaun, heir to the throne of Castile. The name "Cuba" is an abbreviation of the word "Cubanacán".
Education of the country
The history of the Cuban people dates back to colonial rule. Formally, Cuba ceased to be a Spanish colony in 1989 after the invasion, which made the island their colony.
With the victory of the Revolution on January 1, 1959, Cuba finally gained true independence for the first time since the colonial invasion of 1511.
The pre-Columbian population was 112 thousand people. Mostly the Arawaks lived here (Taino and Sub-Taino), who moved from the central and eastern part of the country closer to the west, to Pinar del Rio. The land was quickly divided between European conquistadors and gold miners, and the indigenous people were enslaved and worked in the mining and agricultural industries.
Everyone who decided to resist was killed. Malnutrition, overwork, suicide, abuse - within 50 years of the conquest of Cuba, the local indigenous population was practically extinct.
The past it left behind was practically forgotten. Only a few vestiges of language and architecture remained from the native Indians. The only people living on the island were peninsulares (those born in Spain), creoles (descendants of colonists born on the island) and African slaves. The confrontation between these groups determined the character of the colony.
The Peninsulares lived here in order to earn fortunes and return back to Spain. Their privileged status depended on the support of the colonial structure. Peninsulares occupied high positions in government and church service, and had an exclusive monopoly on trade with Spain and other countries.
The high position of the peninsulares caused discontent among the Creoles. The Creole population had its own elites - merchants in Havana, for example. The emergence of nationalist sentiments in this group was accompanied by growing anxiety among Africans, who were the majority in Cuba.
After the revolution in 1791, Creoles and Peninsulars believed that only the presence of the Spanish military could maintain order on the island. For fear of losing their position in society, the Creole elite refused to support the independence movement. The planters from the east were no less afraid of the uprising, since they land were smaller and did not have many slaves.
Farmers from Orienta organized a coup with the help of Masonic lodges, since the Catholic churches were dominated exclusively by Spanish clergy. In 1868, the Eastern Farmers of the Liberation Army declared war on Spain, calling for complete freedom from colonialism and the gradual end of the system of slavery.
They convinced Western planters to join their movement. The Ten Years' War was unsuccessful for the rebels, but led to the collapse of the economy, especially in Oriente and Camagüey. The Pact signed at Zanion in 1878 ended the war. The government promised reforms, but they never materialized. Afro-Cuban general Antonio Maceo continued to fight, but in 1880 he admitted defeat.
Over the next 17 years, thanks to the efforts of the poet and statesman Jose Marti, the “father of the Cuban nation,” developed a coherent political ideology that was so lacking in the first uprising. While working in the United States, Marty created the Revolutionary Junta, thanks to which the necessary funds were obtained.
American capitalists advocated independence - if they left this region, it would be easier for the United States to establish its economic order here by manipulating the terms “freedom” and “democracy.” They appealed to the United States government to intervene in the struggle for independence.
The new movement was stronger economically and militarily. Even some Western planters joined the fight. When the war began in Oriente in 1985, the rebels had an excellent system of organization and a more aggressive military strategy. In fact, the war was practically won in 1898, and independence was ready to be negotiated.
However, when an explosion sank a US warship near Havana, the US military, led by Secretary navy Theodore Roosevelt took this incident as a good reason and invaded Cuba. The United States declared Spain responsible for the explosion and declared war. was quickly defeated, and in the Treaty of Paris in 1989, the Spanish colonies (Cuba, and) became American property.
The victory of the Cuban people was stolen by another colonial power - the United States. In 1901, the United States agreed to withdraw its troops from Cuba, but on the conditions that they were given a 99-year lease of the naval base at Guantanamo Bay (Oriente), the right to veto trade and military treaties, and the right to intervene in the internal affairs of the island.
The law incorporating these points became known as the Platt Amendment - it was contained in the first Cuban Constitution of 1902.
In 1906, the Cubans again tried to protest US intervention - this led to military occupation, which lasted until 1909. The United States Ambassador became the de facto head of Cuba. The American corporation Cuba Colonizing Company sold Cuban land to US residents who wanted to make a profit on a cheap investment.
Gradually, the island became the property of non-Cuban residents, which greatly outraged the population. When America allowed the dictatorship of President Gerardo Machado y Morales (1924-1933) to be established in Cuba, which led to civil rights In favor of violence and corruption, the Cubans drew up the text of a new constitution that repealed the hated Platt Amendments (with the exception of the clause on the naval base at Guantanamo Bay).
Dreams of independence were dashed when Fulgencio Batista, who had staged a coup once before, in 1934, seized power again in 1952 and became a military dictator. The Batista regime was supported in , which infuriated most Cubans.
A year later, in 1953, a small group of independence fighters attacked the Moncada barracks in Oriente. The rebels were defeated and most were executed. The leader of the group, a lawyer named Fidel Castro Ruz, was saved thanks to the intervention of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cuba.
At his trial, Castro gave a five-hour speech on the theme “History will vindicate me,” which was then published as a manifesto for independence. The date of the attack on the barracks gave the name to the popular revolutionary movement Movimiento 26 de Julio (26 July Movement).
When Castro was released from prison, he fled to Mexico with his brother Raul Castro, Che Guevara and a small group of revolutionaries to plan the next military attack. On December 2, 1956, the revolutionaries landed one hundred miles west of the island on the small ship Granma.
Almost all of them were captured, but the three leaders and several others fled to the Sierra Maestra mountains, where they were joined by thousands of Cubans. The peasants of Oriente helped them with food, water and shelter. They all wanted to put an end to both Batista’s harsh dictatorship and its main sponsor, the US Army.
The American military and Batista's soldiers were superior to the rebels in terms of equipment, but the guerrillas had their own trump cards: knowledge of the area, support from the population, cooperation with some army deserters, non-military revolutionaries who were working in other parts of the island. "Revolutionary Directorate" of students of the University of Havana, Communist Party The 26 July Movement sabotaged Batista after Moncada's attack. Thanks to joint efforts, it took only three years to overthrow the dictator from his throne.
Millions of Cubans greeted the revolutionaries in Havana in late December 1958. Batista fled to Russia, taking with him $300 million in government funds. He was then joined by wealthy Cubans who supported his regime.
Finally became truly free. When Castro spoke to the Cuban people in Havana on January 8, 1959, a white dove sat on his shoulder - then the Cubans were finally convinced that this revolution was carried out by the will of God.
National identity in Cuba
There are several ways to trace the formation of national culture. Afro-Cuban cultural forms, particularly music and dance, were decisive in defining a new national identity within the neocolonial republic. Afro-Cuban culture, the result of a syncretic fusion of the culture of the African community and the dominant European culture, formed the basis of the concept of modern Cuban culture.
African rhythms have organically woven into popular music; Afro-Cuban dances “son” and rumba are becoming increasingly popular. When Cuba's national identity was threatened by US economic expansion in 1989, it was in Afro-Cuban music and dance that locals found a cultural layer that was free from the ideological influence of foreign culture. For a time, Afro-Cuban culture was at the center of nationalist ideas.
US policies and ideology influence Cubans in a different way. White-skinned Cubans are still upper class. They live by the standards of American fashion - Cadillacs, the latest technology, they send their children to expensive private schools in North America. Since 1989 (since 1959 this process has intensified), nationalist ideology has positioned itself in opposition to everything American.
Resentment over the military invasions of 1902-1959 and economic imperialism on the part of America led the Cubans to choose to abandon everything related to North America. The more the US government tries to “strangle” this Cuban embargo, the more revolutionary sentiments strengthen among the Cubans. Even those who did not particularly like the Castro government are willing to defend the ideal of a free Cuba.
Since the most ardent opponent of revolutions is the United States, the same country that tried to colonize Cuba about 50 years ago, this path seems to be the only option for Cubans to achieve independence.
Ethnic relations
In the 1980s, it was argued that there are no “blacks” and “whites” in Cuba, there are only Cubans - this is more of an ideological challenge to the colonial powers than a reflection of the real situation. Neither the gradual abolition of slavery from 1880 to 1886, nor the transfer of power over the island from Spain to Spain, eased racial tensions - a direct heir to slavery.
After the abolition of the slavery system in 1886, Afro-Cubans organized the Central Directorate of the Race of Color. Nine years later, 85% of the rebel army were black soldiers, who thought that when the war was won, their position in society would greatly improve. When this did not happen, Afro-Cubans founded the Independent Colored Party in 1908.
Its activities were banned in 1910. In 1912, protests against this decision led to the killing of Africans in Oriente. In subsequent years, the marginalization of Afro-Cubans and black mulattoes continued, despite the increasing popularity of Afro-Cuban music and dance.
The revolution of 1952-1959 took place under the slogans of an equal society. Since racism was created by capitalist society, it was believed that under a socialist system it would disappear. But even today, Afro-Cubans are virtually unrepresented in the highest echelons of power.
Castro acknowledged in 1986 that more Afro-Cubans and women should serve on the Central Committee, but it turned out that racism had much deeper roots in the Cuban consciousness than they had previously believed. The local population knows all the gradations of phenotypes and definitions that can be used to describe different skin tones.
Geography of Cuba
The island of Cuba, part of the Greater Antilles, is located in the Caribbean Sea. The length of the island is 1,199 km, its territory is 105,006 square meters. km. Most of the island is occupied by hilly plains; in the southeast of the island there are the Sierra Maestra mountains with the most high point country - Turkino Peak (1975 m).
Government of Cuba
At the head socialist republic Cuba is the President of the Republic of Cuba, elected by the National Assembly of People's Power for a 5-year term. The country's main judicial body is the Supreme Court of Cuba. The main executive body of the country is the National Assembly of People's Power.
Weather in Cuba
The peak tourist season in Cuba is Christmas, Easter and the summer months of July and August, when hotels and other service establishments raise prices. In July and August, Cuba experiences very hot, dry weather. The most best time for a holiday in Cuba falls on the period from January to May (costs warm weather, there is no threat of hurricanes).
Language of Cuba
The official language of Cuba is Spanish, and it is spoken by the majority of the country's population. Immigrants speak Catalan and Corsican. English, German and Italian are the languages of tourism.
Religion of Cuba
About half of Cuba's population is Catholic. About 4% of the population professes Protestantism, and local folk beliefs are also common on the island.
Currency of Cuba
The monetary unit of Cuba is the Cuban convertible peso (CUC) and the Cuban peso (CUP). The country mainly uses Cuban convertible pesos.
You can exchange foreign currency at bank branches and exchange offices international airports. The commission for exchanging US dollars is 8%.
International bank cards accepted in large hotels, restaurants and shops.
Customs restrictions
It is prohibited to import weapons, narcotic and psychotropic substances, antiques, and precious metals into the country. It is allowed to export cigars (23 pcs).
You can import duty free:
- Tobacco products (200 pcs.)
- Perfumery
- Medicines and personal items.
Tips
In Cuba, it is customary to leave 10% of the bill as a tip. The hotel leaves 1 dollar for the maids.
Souvenirs
Tourists bring jewelry made from coral, tortoise shell, and national musical instruments(eg bongos). Do not deny yourself the pleasure of grabbing famous Cuban rum and Cuban cigars from Cuba. Don't forget about the famous Cuban untucked shirt - the guyabera.
Office hours
Banks are open from 8:30 to 12:00 and from 13:30 to 15:00 (Mon-Fri), on Saturday they are open from 8:30 to 10:30. Sunday is a day off.
Most shops in the country are open from 9 am to 6 pm from Monday to Friday. Don't forget about the midday siesta, when all retail establishments are closed. On Saturday, shops are open shortened from 9 am to 3 pm. Large supermarkets in tourist centers open at 10 am and close at 8 pm.
Photo and video shooting
Photo and video filming of strategically important objects (airports, bridges), as well as military equipment is prohibited.
Safety
Cuba has a generally calm crime situation, however, in Central Havana there is a high probability of being robbed, especially at night.
Medicine
There's enough in Cuba high standards medical care. Most species medicines you can find it at your local pharmacies. Tourists are advised to take out medical insurance before entering the country. In large cities, modern clinics with English-speaking staff are available to tourists.
Mains voltage:
220VCode of the country:
+53Geographic first level domain name:
.cuEmergency numbers:
National Police: 82-0116
Fire brigade: 81-1115
Ambulance: 24-2811
Representative offices of Cuba in the Russian Federation:
Having found out what the language is in Cuba, they sit down with Spanish textbooks and try to learn at least the basic phrases and expressions. And indeed, almost the entire population of Cuba does not speak any other language other than Cuban-Spanish.
It is possible that during your trip you will come across a Cuban who knows Russian, but this will be a person who studied in the Soviet Union, and there are very few such people.
There is another category of Cubans who speak English - the so-called friends. These are young Cubans who are trying to make money from foreigners and harass them on the streets. They always begin their address to tourists with the phrase: “My Friend.” This is where the name of these “friends” comes from. white man. Friends themselves understand that without knowing in English, they will not be able to earn anything in Cuba, so they study it intensively. They make money from tourists by offering to find housing, a girlfriend, cheap cigars, a restaurant and coke. They will walk with you all day and you will have to support them, i.e. buy them food and drinks if you go to a bar with them.
When asking Cubans what language they learned in school in Cuba, the most common answer is English. Although in practice it turns out that they do not even understand basic words such as “Hello”, “Yes” and “No”. It is impossible to explain this phenomenon.
So what language is spoken in Cuba, and what should tourists who don’t know Spanish do?! The answer is simple, you need to learn Spanish and learn it seriously, since you cannot agree with the local population on your fingers. They don't understand sign language, unlike Asians.
If you fly on vacation through a travel agency, then most likely you will arrive in Varadero, where you probably won’t need Spanish if you don’t leave the hotel into the city. If you go on an excursion with a Russian-speaking guide, you won’t need Spanish either. But if you are an independent traveler, then take Spanish courses before your trip. And remember that Cuban pronunciation of words is different from Spanish.
The name of the country comes from “Akoba”, which means “land, dry land” in the language of the local Indians.
Cuba area. 110860 km2.
Population of Cuba. 11.39 million people (
Cuba GDP. $77.15 billion (
Location of Cuba. Cuba is a country located on the largest island of West and several nearby islands. In the north it is washed by the Strait of Florida, in the southwest - by the Yucatan Strait, in the east - by the Windward Strait, in the south -.
Administrative division cubes. The state is divided into 14 provinces and the special municipality of Isla Juventud.
Cuban form of government. Republic.
Head of State of Cuba. Chairman of the State Council.
Supreme legislative body of Cuba. National Assembly, which elects the Council of State.
Supreme executive body of Cuba. Council of Ministers.
Major cities in Cuba. Santiago de Cuba, Camagüey, Holguin, Guantanamo, Santa Clara, Cienfuegos, Matanzas.
Official language of Cuba. Spanish.
Religion of Cuba. 55% are atheists, 40% are atheists, 3% are Protestants.
Ethnic composition of Cuba. 65% are descendants of Europeans, 20% are mulattoes, 12% are Africans, 1% are Chinese.
Fauna of Cuba. Of the mammalian representatives of the animal world, the hutia and the slittooth should be distinguished. Home to a huge number of bats, almost 300 species of birds, including vulture, quail, finch, macaw, hummingbird. More than 700 species of fish and shellfish live in coastal waters. There are numerous insects, including very dangerous ones - the sand flea and the malaria mosquito.
Rivers and lakes of Cuba. The largest is Kauto.
Sights of Cuba. In Havana - National Museum, Colonial Museum, Museum of Anthropology, Moro Castle, Santa Clara Monastery, La Fuerza Fortress, Cathedral Immaculate Conception, City Hall, America's largest zoo; in Santiago de Cuba - Museum of Natural History; In Cardenas - the Oscar M. de Rojas Museum; in Camagüey there are a large number of churches and mansions from the colonial period. On the shore of the bay is the world's largest aquarium.
Helpful information for tourists
As souvenirs from Cuba, you can bring black coral and jewelry made from it, items made from tortoise shell (especially bracelets and hairpins). Don't forget to buy one or two bottles of unique Cuban rum and real Cuban cigars. When purchasing products made from crocodile skin, ask the seller for an export license, otherwise this souvenir will be confiscated during customs control. A good gift from Cuba there will also be tumbadora or bongo - percussion musical instruments. Another gift is the guayabera, a shirt worn by officials in the tropics. You will probably have to use currency shops, since pesos can only buy books and medicine.
In Cuba, it is customary to pay a tip of 5-15% of the cost of services. The porter and maid at the hotel are given 1 dollar.
