WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CUBA?
Cuba ais the largest of the Greater Antilles Islands. It lies about 90 miles from Florida and about the same distaance from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.
Population:
11 Million
Area:
46,300 sq.miles. Cuba is an archipelago, the main island accounting for 94.7 per cent of total area and the remainder made up of more than 1,600 islets and keys.
Capital: Havana City
Population: 2,124,0000
Language
Spanish is the official language. English is quite widelyspoken, as it is the main foreign language taught in schools.
Ethnic Mix
Ethnic make up: Whites make up 66%. Mulattoes and Mestizos 21.9%. Blacks 12%. Asians 0.1%.
Time
Five hours behind GMT, four hours in summer (March to October)
Currency
Currency: Cuban Peso divided into 100 centavos. The official exchange rate is 1 Cuban
Peso = US$1.
In July 1993, the US dollar became legal tender.
Most international credit cards are widely accepted unless they have been issued in the
US. American Express is not accepted because US banksrefuse to deal with any financial transactions related to Cuba. (US - Trading with The Enemy Act).
Visa requirements
Tourists from the majority of countries need a passport, along with a tourist card obtainable from Cuban embassies, consulates or approved Cubatur agents.
Business people and countries with reciprocal visa-free arrangement need to check with the consulate.
Head of State
President Fidel Castro Ruz
Working hours
Government offices: Monday - Friday 0830-1230 and 1330-1730.
Banks: Monday - Friday 0800-1230 and 1330-1500 Saturday 0830-1030.
Shops: Monday - Friday 1230-1930.
Public holidays
January 1 (Independence Day)
May 1 (Labour Day)
July 25-27 (Aniversary of the 1953 attack on Moncada Barracks)
October 10 (Wars of Independence Day)
Climate
Cuba lies just below the Tropic of cancer and enjoys a year round "border tropical" climate. There are just two seasons, the rainy season, from May to Ocotber, and the dry season, from November to May. The west of Cuba lies in the middle of the area of maximum hurricane frequency.
