All About Cuba - History, Culture and People

Cuba is one of the most well-known Caribbean islands, but most won't place it there. They think it's just off the coast of America and see it as a small island with a big history. They'll be half right.

Cuba is 42,803 sq miles - which is huge and has a population of around 11,394,000 people - again this is a substantial amount.

Cuba is located in an important position in the Great Antilles. It stands at the confluence between the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of Florida and near the Bahamas.

Cuba has a fantastic history. It was first noted in 1492 by Christopher Columbus, however, it was populated some 6 - 8,000 years before by various tribes from North and Central America.

For 400 years or so it was colonised by the Spanish (1511 - 1898) where its economy primarily focused on agriculture, mining and the export of sugar, coffee and tobacco to Europe and North America.

In 1762 Havana was temporarily seized by the English but was regained a year later.

In 1902 Cuba gained formal independence in 1902 and Tomás Estrada Palma became the first president. The issue was, however, that the USA retained its right to intervene in Cuban affairs, supervise its finances and involve itself in foreign relations.

Also under the Platt Amendment, Cuba also agreed to lease to the US the naval base at Guantánamo Bay - which we hear so much about to this day.

In 1906 there was an armed revolt following disputed elections and the country was placed in US occupation under governor Charles Edward Magoon until 1908 when self-government returned.

Cuba was in turmoil for much of the inter-war years due to racial-tensions, economic issues and international events. During the Second World War Cuba sided with the US and declared war on Japan and Germany in 1941 - although they paid no significant role in the war other than raw materials.

After the war there was the Cuban Revolution - which has too much history to be noted here.

During the Cold War, Cuba played a significant part and really came to the forefront of many people's minds and is probably why many of us want to visit the island to this day.

Today Fidel Castor is no longer president of Cuba, he has passed it onto his brother Raúl Castro who has started some very important reforms.

The history of Cuba is vary varied. It is a fantastic place to visit and I'd recommend anyone to book a holiday in Cuba to see its wonderful delights and witness an Island that isn't overly commercial and is a truly naturally fantastic country.