What is the correct name for a cube? Cuba - Republic of Cuba

As one of the last strongholds of communism on the planet, the country arouses constant interest. While the rest of the world lives in the fast pace of the digital age, Cuba moves slowly along its own path, with only a minority having access to the Internet. The dinosaurs of the automotive world, patched up and painted American cars of the 1940s and 1950s, lumber along the dimly lit city streets. In rural areas, cars are replaced by oxcarts, omnibuses, Chinese bicycles and pedicabs. The dwellings are furnished with antique furniture inherited from their ancestors, and are illuminated with energy-saving light bulbs.

Cuba is inseparable from international politics in the second half of the 20th century. At the age of six, children become young pioneers - builders of communism. Across the country, giant posters contain mantras from the country's leadership such as "Socialismo o Muerte" ("Socialism or Death") and "Viva la Revolution" ("Long Live the Revolution"). Portraits of Che Guevara, the revolutionary martyr of the 1960s, can be found everywhere on the walls of shops, institutions and residential buildings.

Under harsh communist rule, the country was always coming apart at the seams. Its economic condition directly depends on global conditions, and the situation is further aggravated by the American trade embargo and the damage caused by hurricanes. Many families continue to live in cramped conditions in dilapidated housing; the monthly income of many Cubans, in terms of calculation, does not reach 25 US dollars.

The obvious weakness of the Cuban economy and the deprivation of the Cuban people cannot be ignored. In addition, there is no real freedom of speech, press or movement outside the country on the island, although some relaxations have taken place under Raul Castro. However, there is not the abject poverty here that is striking, say, in Bangladesh, India, and Latin American countries. Housing is provided by the state, and hardly anywhere in Cuba you will see homeless people sleeping on the streets, and although Cubans do not receive all the necessary food according to coupon books, no one really goes hungry. All residents of the country have the right to free healthcare and education. Average life expectancy has increased from 57 years in 1958 to 77.7 years in 2011. This is the 57th indicator in the world. The infant mortality rate in Cuba is lower than in the United States and the European Union.

The dilapidation, poverty and restrictions only emphasize the unbending spirit of the Cuban people. These people are characterized by remarkable resilience, patience and love of life, which, it seems, cannot be undermined by any economic hardship. Cubans are extremely friendly and hospitable and always willingly invite island guests into their modest homes. Overflowing with energy, schoolchildren - all in the same uniform - are everywhere: rushing through the streets, playing a yard version of baseball - stickball, riding homemade skateboards, flying kites.

Cuba today

Modern Cuba is slowly but surely beginning to make concessions to some capitalist benefits, which under Fidel seemed completely unthinkable. Moreover, people here are no longer so aggressive towards their eternal enemy - the United States. Several years ago, in order to somehow strengthen the shaky state economy, Cuba tried to develop tourism, which seriously changed its appearance.

The number of people wishing to visit the poor but proud island of socialism is only growing every year, which, of course, also affects government reforms. Gradually, the country acquires the notorious “elements of the sweet life”, contrasting with the picturesque ruins that have been preserved since the time of the revolution. For example, the ban on the import of foreign cars into the country was recently lifted, thanks to which now quite modern taxis can be seen at Havana airport. In recent years, the coast of Cuba has been actively developed with fashionable hotel complexes and spa hotels. And even though the level of service in most of these establishments still gives off a “Soviet flavor,” the holiday here can be called quite civilized and comfortable.

Paradise Island

Many people arriving on the island for the first time are struck by Cuba as being different from the rest of the Caribbean. The best Cuban poet Nicolas Guillen compared the island to a “long green alligator.” It’s long, that’s for sure – the distance from “nose” to “tail” is 1250 km. Comparable in size to England, Cuba is divided into 14 provinces and has approximately 450 islands and islets called “cayos,” which means “reefs” and “keys.”

Given its size, it would take at least a month to explore the entire country. Most start in the capital, Havana, and then head to the famous tobacco plantations to the west, before visiting the sugarcane valleys and the most beautiful colonial towns in the central part of the island. The easternmost region, called Oriente, is known for its high mountains and its second largest and first most musical city.

Along the truly Caribbean beaches, mainly on the northern coast, many resort hotels have sprung up. Although many organized tourists still stay close to the sea, each region of the island has its own charming towns, enticing people to venture further inland.

Cuba's white sand beaches are stunning, with Varadero's long stretches of coastline in the north being best known. Other beach tourism centers include Guardalavaca, Playa Esmeralda and the islands of Coco and Largo. Sailing enthusiasts appreciate the countless natural harbors, anglers hunt for marlin off the coast, and divers explore coral reefs and shipwrecks.

Most tourists prefer a holiday with a full range of services, but the variety of attractions in Cuba also attracts a large number of independent travelers who find a lot of interesting things to do besides the sea and beaches. At the eastern tip of the island rises its highest mountain range, the Sierra Maestro (up to 1974 m), the birthplace of many uprisings; in the west, in the province of Pinar del Rio, lies the green Viña Les valley with huge mogotes, steep hills made of limestone up to 400 m high; in the central part of the island are the lush Sierra del Escambray mountains and the old sugar cane plantations of the De los Ingenios valley.

But there are still big and small cities. Havana combines beautiful Spanish colonial architecture with vibrant street life and a range of cultural events and attractions; Trinidad, a shining colonial-era gem, boasts beautiful homes, churches and other buildings on winding cobbled streets; - a colorful cocktail that incorporates elements of Spanish, French and African cultures.

Climate

Cuba belongs to the tropical trade wind climate zone. As for the seasons, in this part of the Caribbean there are only two weather seasons: dry (from October to April) and rainy, accompanied by fairly strong hurricanes (from May to September).

Cold is a concept no Cuban is unfamiliar with. Even in January, the temperature on the island rarely drops below +22 °C. The apotheosis of the heat occurs in August, when the thermometer freezes at +28 °C in the shade. An additional bonus to the ocean winds and tropical stuffiness is high air humidity, which often darkens the first days of the trip. But you shouldn’t worry about a specific reason: it usually takes no more than a couple of days to get used to local climatic realities.

Main tourist destinations

What Cuba really lends itself to is a lazy beach holiday: in fact, the entire coastline of the main island is a continuous beach from a Bounty advertisement with starchy white sand and azure shallow waters. If your plans are not only to lie royally on a sun lounger and get a chocolate tan, try to stay longer in the main city of Cuba - Havana. Firstly, you still won’t deprive yourself of pleasant beach relaxation, because the city has carved out a 20-kilometer piece of the sea coast for itself, arranging it in accordance with the tastes of tourists. And secondly, you will be able to fully enjoy the old architecture for which the Cuban capital is famous.

It’s worth a visit to immerse yourself in the typical Caribbean flavor, gain impressions from exploring the historical part of the city (after all, this is where the Spanish colonization of the island began) and dance to the fiery melodies of street musicians. The cradle of the Cuban revolution, Santa Clara, is visited mainly by those who continue to be haunted by the romanticized image of ex-comandante Che Guevara. For your information, the remains of the Argentine rebel still rest in the local mausoleum. The cigar capital of Cuba, Pinar del Rio, is ready to offer its guests not only excursions to tobacco plantations, but also walks through the picturesque valleys surrounding the city. You can rewind time and return to the colonial era in Trinidad. Some of the local mansions, built by the “sugar kings,” are even included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Of all the islands of the Cuban archipelago, Cayo Largo, Cayo Caco and Cayo Guillermo are recognized as the most tourist-oriented. The first piece of land is notable for its coral reef and iguanas walking freely along the shore. There is practically no local population on Cayo Largo, but there are plenty of hotels and bars with visiting staff, as well as clean municipal beaches. The best way to escape the blues and relieve tension is in Cayo Coco. The main feature of the island is the cave disco, organized for tourists on Tuesdays. From Cayo Coco you can cross a sandy dam to the neighboring island of Cayo Guillermo, whose main attraction is the pink flamingos that live here. It’s a paradox, but the Cubans themselves are not allowed here unless they work in one of the island hotels, so only overseas guests can enjoy the fantastic sunsets and all the benefits of the all inclusive system on Cayo Guillermo.

Sights and entertainment in Cuba

The main historical attractions of Cuba are concentrated in Havana and several other large cities. In the capital, first of all, you should pay attention to the Old Havana area with its St. Christopher Cathedral, Prado Boulevard and Colon Cemetery, dotted with pretentious marble monuments. Contemplation of the Havana Capitol (a recognizable copy of Washington's) will also give you a pleasant experience. It is also interesting to wander through the old city squares, bordered by ancient colonial-style mansions. Plaza de Armas, Plaza Vieja, Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza de San Francisco - all these paved areas are included in the mandatory minimum tourist program.

The tiny town of Remedyos is worth a trip for its Carnival Museum, Alejandro García Cuturla Music Museum and the Church of St. John the Baptist. People go to Pinar del Rio to see the Guasch Palace, go to a performance at the Milanes Theater and watch the process of producing real Cuban cigars at the Francisco Donatien tobacco factory. In Matanzas, Vigia Square, San Severino Castle and Montserrat Chapel are considered must-sees.

Cuba is not Cuba without mentioning old Hemingway. Here the writer is loved and honored, without missing the opportunity to make a little money from his fame. If you are also partial to the work of old Ham, take a look at the Finca Vigia estate in the vicinity of San Francisco de Paula (a district of Havana), to which the genius devoted 20 years of his life.

For ecotourists in a country with 14 national parks and more than two dozen biosphere reserves, the possibilities are almost endless. The best known and most visited protected natural areas are the parks of Bacanao, Desembarco del Granma, Sierra del Rosario and Topes de Collantes.

It is difficult to ignore the Cuban resorts, the most luxurious of which is Holguin. Although it is expensive to relax here, it is fun and prestigious. In addition, the resort is assigned the most beautiful beach in the country - Playa Esmeralda. Cheaper and less pretentious, Varadero has made its reputation on its active nightlife. The regulars of this paradise are party fans, sex tourists and simply lovers of all-inclusive holidays. Well, travelers who do not belong to any of the listed categories can be advised to stop by Varadero for an excursion to the Jose Smith sugar factory, where the production of the rum legend, Havana Club, was first launched.

All sights of Cuba

Without exaggeration, divers in Cuba live a comfortable life. If you wish, you can go in search of underwater adventures directly from the beaches of Havana, Varadero and Santiago de Cuba. The transparency of sea water is high almost everywhere, and the bottom is replete with coral thickets and interesting finds. But it’s better, of course, to choose less crowded places that have been tested by experts. These include the islands of Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo, Juventud and Jardines del Rey. You can also chase exotic fish near the coral reef in the province of Cienfuegos.

There is no shortage of experienced instructors on Liberty Island, but most of them speak only Spanish and, less often, English. Russian-speaking diving gurus can be found only in Varadero and Jardines del Rey. It is also possible to undergo training in basic diving skills in Cuba, but it is unlikely that you will be able to acquire a more advanced level certificate (PADI).

It is not necessary to bring diving equipment with you. Almost all Cuban diving centers have their own material and technical base: sometimes thoroughly shabby, but quite working. On average, dive prices range from 30 (daytime) to 40 (at night) CUC.

Holidays you can celebrate with Cubans

Communist holidays are still trendy on Liberty Island. Here, May Day and Cuban Revolution Day (January 2) are still celebrated with great pomp. On July 26, the country is swept by a wave of parades and demonstrations in honor of National Uprising Day. On October 10, all Cuban patriots do not go to work, but gather at the monument to Carlos Manuel Cespedes to lay flowers and express their deep gratitude to the “Father of the Motherland.”

Despite the fact that the vast majority of local inhabitants are ardent Catholics, Christmas in Cuba is celebrated quietly, modestly and without traditional gifts. But on New Year's Day, large cities experience unimaginable festive chaos, accompanied by drunken parties and concerts.

Features of the national mentality

The indigenous population of Cuba lives mostly in poverty, but is carefree and cheerful. All these stories about dancing in the middle of the street, the amazing talkativeness of the locals, prehistoric Cadillacs and Buicks carefully passed down by inheritance, as well as generously scattered compliments towards white-skinned European women have a very real basis. The average Cuban behaves like a typical careless dreamer who dreams all his life of how he will one day get rich, but at the same time will not agree to leave his usual comfort zone for any treasure. But there is also a sacred meaning in this way of life: it is more expensive for oneself to exert oneself in a country where there is a general leveling system and revolutions break out from time to time. Although cursing their regime in front of the Cubans is a kind of bad manners. Despite the fact that local residents have meager wages, receive food stamps and pay exorbitant prices for white sugar, which they themselves produce, outwardly they look quite happy with this existence.

As for the attitude towards tourists, then, of course, for most Cubans they are just fat wallets, from which, if possible, they need to shake out as much as possible. If not everyone, then very many are involved in money scams on Liberty Island: from the state that put into circulation a special tourist currency, to petty scammers who deliberately provoke road accidents in order to rip off financial compensation from a naive traveler. Recently, the country has begun to experience such a hitherto unprecedented phenomenon as financial stratification of society: Cubans involved in the tourism sector and having the opportunity to receive tips in addition to their main income have become a real elite.

Religion

Catholicism in Cuba is closely intertwined with Afro-Cuban religions, in particular with Santeria. Tourists have the opportunity to experience many aspects of these religious practices. The government stripped the Catholic Church of much of its power and influence in the early 1960s, but Masses still take place in churches across the island, and Catholic services and rituals have become increasingly common since the pope's visit to Cuba in 1998.

Language

The entire population of Cuba speaks Spanish. Recently, due to the development of the tourism industry, various courses for studying foreign languages, mainly European, have begun to gain popularity among islanders. In particular, the overwhelming majority of luxury hotel staff and taxi drivers speak good English. But since mass mastery of Shakespeare’s language is still a long way off here, before your trip it’s better to get a paper or electronic Russian-Spanish phrasebook.

Food in Cuba

Spanish, Creole and African motifs are closely intertwined in Cuban cuisine. The favorite side dish here is rice, to which black beans or kidney beans are often added. It is most often served with pork or chicken, since beef in Cuba is a pleasure accessible only to a select few. It is worth trying the Creole ajiaco, which is a meat stew with vegetables and spices. By the way, it is better to look for the most peppery and spicy dishes in the vicinity of Santiago de Cuba.

In some establishments you can also taste exotic meats (crocodiles, turtles). Quite popular types of dishes include huevos habaneros (a local type of omelette with a spicy sauce), chicharrones (crispy pork rind chips), pulpeta meatloaf and the ever-present lobster, which is not available to the average Cuban, but is in great demand among the tourist fraternity. For dessert, you should take maduros (fried bananas), caramel cream dulce de leche (similar to domestic boiled condensed milk) and churros cookies, which are fried right on the street. In addition, there is an abundance of fruits in Cuba, so you can find them not only in the form of desserts, but also as a side dish for meat dishes.

Among the drinks, it is worth appreciating Cuban rum and, of course, the legendary daiquiri - the favorite cocktail of John Kennedy and Papa Ham. Tourists drink guarapo cane juice more out of curiosity than for pleasure. But local beer enjoys a good reputation. In Cuba they brew the strongest coffee, generously flavoring it with sugar, and sometimes adding a couple of drops of rum into the cup.

In most hotels that provide breakfast or three meals a day, the cuisine is more Europeanized. Usually the morning begins with a buffet with all that it implies. If you are looking for a typical Cuban tavern, welcome to public dining rooms in private homes (paladares), which have recently been actively replaced by classic restaurants.

Money

Theoretically, the country's currency is the Cuban peso. In fact, there are two types of money in circulation: for the indigenous population it is the same Cuban peso (CUP), and for tourists it is the convertible peso or cook (CUC). 1 cookie is 57.43 rubles, exactly 1 US dollar or 1.18 euros (as of 2017).

It is most profitable to exchange euros (no commission) or Canadian dollars at local banks. It is worst to convert American currency, since the commission for its exchange can reach up to 20% of the amount. Money is exchanged at the airport, hotels and banks. The latter are open from Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 15:00, and from 12:00 to 13:30 the establishments close for the traditional siesta.

Credit cards are accepted in resort areas of the island. Not long ago, the ban on the “plastic” of American banks was lifted in Cuba, but failures in payment transactions with MasterCard still occur. Protection from such awkward situations will be a supply of cash, which will be gladly accepted in any establishment.

On Liberty Island it is customary to give tips. In restaurants, this could be the traditional 10% of the bill. There will be enough change (in cookies) in bars. Porters, maids and street musicians are given no more than 1 cookie.

Note: before leaving, try to sell all the cookies in stores, or have time to exchange them at Havana airport. Otherwise, you risk returning home with a pile of useless pieces of paper - convertible pesos are not exchanged anywhere else.

Travel budget

Compared to the rest of Latin America and other developing countries, Cuba can be unpleasantly expensive, but staying on the island will cost you no more than a holiday on other Caribbean islands.

Road

Air tickets can become a major expense item, especially for residents of Europe and Asia. It is cheaper to travel in the off-season, from mid-December to mid-April, and with payment for a full range of services.

Accommodation

Car rent

You can rent a car in Cuba in any major city, but keep in mind that gasoline here is expensive: about 1.20-1.40 CUC/l. To rent a car, you must be 21 years old and have at least one year of driving experience. To conclude a rental agreement, a foreign passport and an international driving license will be sufficient.

Rental cost from 45 to 150 CUC per day without mileage limitation. Typically, a tourist pays rent, as well as a mandatory deposit of 150-300 CUS (in cash). You will need to buy insurance on the spot, even if you pre-paid for the rental before arriving in the country. If you take the car in one place and want to return it in another, you will have to pay the cost of the return trip. If your vehicle is damaged, you must pay the first few hundred dollars needed for repairs unless you can prove that the damage was not your fault. Before accepting your vehicle, inspect it for dents and scratches.

Useful information: even while driving a rented car, it is unlikely that you will be able to disguise yourself as a real amigo on Cuban roads. Cars in the country are identified by the color of their license plates: yellow ones belong to private owners, blue ones belong to government agencies, and red ones are issued to tourists.

Republic of Cuba
Spanish Republic of Cuba
Motto: "Patria o Muerte" "Fatherland or Death"
Hymn: "La Bayamesa"
Independence date	December 10, 1898 (from)
Official language	Spanish
Capital
Largest cities	, Santiago de Cuba
Form of government	socialist republic
The president	Miguel Diaz-Canel
First Secretary of the CPC Central Committee	Raul Castro
Territory	104th in the world
Total	110,860 km²
Population
Score (2013)	▼ 11,061,886 people (77th)
Census (2015)	▲ 11,239,004 people
Density	102 people/km²
GDP
Total (2010)	114.1 billion (PPP). dollars (67th)
Per capita	$9,900 (2010)
HDI (2013)	▲ 0.765 (high; 67th place)
Currency	peso (CUP, 192) convertible peso (CUC, 931)
Internet domain	.cu
ISO code	C.U.
IOC code	CUB
Telephone code	+53
Time Zones	-5

Cuba(Spanish) Cuba), official name - Republic of Cuba(Spanish) Republic of Cuba), unofficial since 1959 Liberty Island- an island state in the northern Caribbean Sea. The country occupies the territory of the island of the same name as part of the Greater Antilles, Isla Juventud and many small islands. It is separated from Cuba by the Strait of Florida in the north and the Yucatan Strait in the west. The country has been a member of the UN since 1945.

The capital and largest city is .

Etymology

The name "Cuba" has its origins in the now dead languages ​​of the Taino Indians who inhabited the Greater Antilles. The exact meaning of the name is unclear; there is a point of view that it may mean “a place where fertile soil is abundant” ( cubao), or “wonderful place” ( coabana). There is also a hypothesis that Christopher Columbus named the island after the village of Cuba in the Beja region.

Physiographic characteristics

Geographical position

Relief of Cuba

Minerals

Cuba ranks third in the world (after New Caledonia and Australia, 2007) in terms of nickel reserves, production of which began in 1943 and increased significantly in the period after the 1959 revolution, when, with the assistance of the USSR, mining equipment was modernized and a mining and processing plant was built.

Cuba has large reserves of cobalt and ranks third in the world in terms of its mining and production volumes.

Also, Cuba has large deposits of copper ores (in the provinces of Oriente and Pinar del Rio), manganese ores (in the province of Oriente), chromites (in the province of Camagüey), kaolins (on the island of Pinos), iron ore, asbestos, rock salt, phosphorites. There are no coal deposits.

In 1984, oil and gas fields were discovered in the west of the country. In 2006, development of an oil and gas field began to the north of the island, off the coast of Florida. According to some sources, oil reserves on the Cuban shelf exceed 5 billion barrels (Havana insists on the figure of 20 billion barrels), and gas reserves - 300 billion m³. Total confirmed oil reserves for 2010 amount to 178.9 million barrels, natural gas - 70.9 billion m³.

Climate

Tropical, trade wind. The average annual temperature is 25.5 °C. The average temperature of the coldest month (January) is 22.5 °C and the hottest (August) is 27.8 °C. The temperature of surface waters off the coast in winter is 22-24 °C, in summer - 28-30 °C. The average annual precipitation, usually in the form of showers, is 1400 mm, but dry years often occur.

Cuba has clearly defined two climatic seasons: rainy (May-September) and dry (October-April). The rainy season accounts for 3/4 of the total annual precipitation.

A feature of Cuba's climate is its typical high humidity throughout the year. The combination of high humidity and high temperature has a generally unfavorable effect on people's lives. However, on the coast, the wind from the sea moderates the heat, brings freshness, and in the evenings, coolness. In any place, the winds are characterized by a certain constancy, so you can often see trees whose trunks have a corresponding slope.

Cuba is exposed to tropical cyclones, which originate in the summer-autumn period (June - mid-November) to the east of the Lesser Antilles and in the west of the Caribbean Sea, then moving towards. Cyclones are accompanied by heavy rainfall and strong winds that can cause great damage to the economy and population of the island (see Cuban Hurricane (1910)). The rivers in Cuba are short and shallow. Forests, covering about 10% of the territory, are preserved only in mountainous and swampy areas. The fauna of the land is relatively poor. At the same time, in the waters surrounding Cuba there are valuable commercial fish, shellfish, lobsters, shrimp, and sponges.

Administrative division

Cuba is a unitary state. For political and administrative purposes, until 2011, the national territory was divided into 15 provinces and the special municipality of Juventud Island, the provinces were divided into municipalities. On January 1, 2011, the decision to divide the province of Havana into the provinces of Artemisa and Mayabeque came into force, and the number of provinces increased to 16.

Pinar del Rio (Spanish) Pinar del Rio ) Artemis (Spanish) Artemisa ) (Spanish) Ciudad de La Habana ) Mayabeque (Spanish) Mayabeque ) Matanzas (Spanish) Matanzas )

Cienfuegos (Spanish) Cienfuegos ) Villa Clara (Spanish) Villa Clara ) Sancti Spiritus (Spanish) Sancti Spiritus ) Ciego de Avila (Spanish) Ciego de Avila ) Camagüey (Spanish) Camagüey )

Las Tunas (Spanish) Las Tunas ) Granma (Spanish) Granma ) Holguin (Spanish) Holguin ) Santiago de Cuba (Spanish) Santiago de Cuba ) Guantanamo Bay (Spanish) Guantanamo ) Isle of Juventud (Spanish) Isla de la Juventud )

The representative bodies of the provinces are the provincial assemblies of the people's power, elected by the municipal assemblies of the people's power, the executive bodies of the provinces are the executive committees of the provincial assemblies of the people's power, elected by the provincial assemblies of the people's power.

The representative bodies of municipalities are the municipal assemblies of people's power, elected by the population, the executive bodies of municipalities are the executive committees of the municipal assemblies of people's power, elected by the municipal assemblies of people's power.

Transport

Cuban railway map

The island of Cuba has a railway and a network of roads. Sea and air communications have been established with other countries. Cuba's leading airline, Cubana de Aviación, has offices in 32 countries.

Bridge in Cuba connecting the province of Matanzas with the province of Mayabeque

Population

Cuba's demographic curve. FAO data, 2005.

Cubans are a people of mixed origin. By the time the Spaniards arrived here, Cuba was inhabited by tribes of Sibones, Arawak Indians, Guanahanabeys and Indians who migrated from Haiti. But as a result of Spanish colonization, the Indians were mostly exterminated.

Since the Spanish colonists needed a lot of labor, primarily to work on plantations, they began to import slaves from (mainly Yoruba, Ashanti, Ewe, Congo). Over 350 years, the Spaniards imported more than 1 million African slaves, their descendants make up 40% of the population. In addition, Indian slaves from Yucatan were imported in small quantities, and. During the same period, 850,000 “Gallego” migrants arrived, mostly Galicians, Castilians, Navarreans, and Catalans, but not all of them remained to live in Cuba. From the end of the 18th century. a large influx of French from Haiti also arrived here. There was also a fairly intense flow of immigrants from Italy and Britain.

On June 3, 1847, the first 200 Chinese were brought to the island; subsequently, between 1853 and 1874, more than 125,000 Chinese were imported from Asia. “Chinatown” has still been preserved.

At the beginning of the 20th century, many Americans settled in Cuba and created their own colonies on the island of Pinos. There were very strong waves of immigration to Cuba during and after the First and Second World Wars, primarily Jews moving here.

In 1953, the proportion of the white population was 84%, but then decreased, mainly as a result of emigration after the revolution.

Data on the racial composition of Cuba is contradictory. According to official data from the 2002 census, the population of Cuba consists of whites - 65.1% (7,271,926), mulattoes - 24.8% (2,778,923), blacks - 10.1% (1,126,894), 1% - Chinese (113,828). According to the Institute of Cuban Studies at the University of Miami, 68% of Cubans are black or mulatto. Minority rights group International says 51% of the population is mulatto.

According to the census, in September 2012, the total population of Cuba was 11,163,934.

Matanzas

Population aging

According to the British magazine The Economist, Cuba is the only Latin American country whose population is declining. Cuba's population aging is also the highest in the region. According to The Economist, this is due to a sharp decline in the birth rate. Thus, the average number of children per woman decreased from five in 1963 to 1.9 in 1978 and 1.5 between 2004 and 2008. On the other hand, a good level of health care has led to an increase in the number of elderly people. As a result of these processes, in 2008, for the first time in the country's history, the share of the population under 14 years of age became equal to the share of those over 60 years of age - approximately 18% each. According to The Economist, this circumstance threatens the sustainability of Cuba's pension system. The trend towards an aging population is also visible in the example of the country's leadership: the average age of members of the Cuban Politburo is more than 70 years.

Story

Until the end of the 16th century, Cuba was inhabited by Indian tribes, first by the Guanahatabeys (in the 6th century BC), later by the Arawaks. The Indians were engaged in hunting and farming.

The first European to arrive here was Columbus, who landed in the east of the archipelago in October 1492. In 1511, Diego Velazquez de Cuellar subjugated the indigenous population of the islands, built Fort Baracoa and became the first Spanish governor of Cuba. By 1514, seven settlements had been founded. In 1515, Cuellar moved his headquarters to Santiago de Cuba, which became the first capital of Cuba. Colonization took place in the context of a struggle with the indigenous population of the island - the Taino Indians, who made up 75% of the population. Columbus reported the millionth Indian killed. The population of Cuba in the 15th century was about 1,800,000 people.

• In 1823, the first uprising for independence from Spain was suppressed.
• In 1868, the Ten Years' War for Cuban Independence began; the rebels were supported. Hostilities reached their climax in 1872-1873, but then the rebels fought only in the eastern provinces of Camagüey and Oriente. In 1878, a peace agreement was signed that eliminated the most unpleasant legislative acts for the inhabitants of the island.
• In 1895, a detachment of Cuban patriots under the leadership of Jose Marti landed in Cuba. This event became the starting point of a new war with the Spanish, during which the Cubans achieved control over almost the entire territory of the island, excluding large cities (see War of Cuban Independence).
• In 1898 they started a war with, in which they won (see Spanish-American War). Cuba is becoming dependent on . The constitution stipulated the right to send troops into the country's territory. This clause was repealed in 1934.
• In 1933, as a result of a coup organized by revolutionaries led by Sergeant Fulgencio Batista y Saldivar, dictator Gerardo Machado y Morales was overthrown and a democratic regime was established.
• On March 10, 1952, Fulgencio Batista carried out a coup d'etat and established a personal dictatorship.
• On July 26, 1953, a group of revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro attempted to seize the Moncada barracks. The attempt was unsuccessful, and the participants in the assault ended up in prison, but this event became the starting point of the Cuban Revolution. These events were immediately followed by political repression (see article Repression during Batista's reign). In 1955, the revolutionaries were granted amnesty. On December 2, 1956, a new group of revolutionaries disembarked from the yacht Granma in the east of the island and began military operations against the Batista government.
• On January 1, 1959, dictator Batista fled Cuba. At this point, rebel forces occupied the city of Santa Clara in the center of the island and controlled large swathes of terrain to the east, although the capital was not in immediate danger and Batista still had significant military forces at his disposal. In the conditions of the power vacuum that arose as a result of Batista's flight, on January 8, a column of rebels entered Havana, where they were greeted with popular jubilation.

As a result of the victory of the revolution, power in Cuba was given to a left-wing government headed by Fidel Castro, which then leaned towards the path of building socialism. The country's ruling and only permitted party is the Communist Party of Cuba. The government of Fidel Castro carried out agrarian reform, nationalized industrial assets, and launched broad social reforms. This caused discontent among part of the population and mass emigration occurred, mainly to the United States, where a large diaspora of opponents of Castro and his policies was created. Emigration was also facilitated by the Cuban Act passed by the US Congress in 1966, which guarantees permanent residence to any Cuban who came to the US legally or illegally.

Immediately with the 1959 revolution, political repression began (see repression during the reign of Castro), primarily directed against figures from the overthrown regime of dictator Batista and CIA agents.

• In April 1961, Cuban emigrants, with the active support of the United States, landed an armed force on the southern coast of the island with the goal of organizing a mass uprising against the policies of the new government, but the intervention was quickly stopped, and the expected social explosion never occurred. Subsequently, emigrant organizations repeatedly organized terrorist attacks and small-scale landings on Cuba, but without much results.

From the early 1960s to the early 1990s, Cuba was an ally of the USSR and actively supported Marxist rebels and Marxist governments in Latin America (Puerto Rico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Chile), Africa (Ethiopia, Angola) and Asia, and also pursued a policy of providing humanitarian assistance to various countries of the world. In the late 1980s, more than 70 thousand Cubans were abroad as part of military and humanitarian missions. At the same time, the USSR provided it with significant financial, economic and political support, often acting as a coordinator of foreign policy and determining participation in certain armed conflicts.

Castro reacted negatively to the policy of Perestroika in the USSR and even banned the distribution of a number of Soviet “pro-Yeltsin” publications in Cuba (“Moscow News”, “Novoye Vremya”, etc.).

After the collapse of the USSR, Cuba's economic situation deteriorated significantly (in 1990-1993, GDP decreased by 33%), and analysts predicted the imminent fall of the Castro government, but by 1994 the situation had largely stabilized, and the economic state of the country is currently assessed by international organizations as quite satisfactory.

On February 19, 2008, through the Granma newspaper, Fidel Castro announced his resignation as President of the State Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Cuban forces. “To my dear fellow citizens, who have given me the immeasurable honor of electing me as a member of Parliament, in which the most important decisions for the fate of the revolution will be made, I inform you that I do not intend and will not give my consent to take the post of Chairman of the State Council and Commander-in-Chief,” it says in circulation.

The current President of the State Council is Raul Castro.

On November 25, 2016 at 22:29 Cuban time, Fidel Castro died after a long illness.

State structure

According to the form of government, Cuba is a socialist republic of parliamentary type.

The majority of deputies in parliament represent the Communist Party of Cuba.

Executive power is exercised by the Chairman of the Council of State (head of state), who in practice is simultaneously both the General Secretary of the Central Committee (CC) of the Communist Party of Cuba and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (head of government) - the second secretary of the Central Committee, respectively.

The government consists of the State Council and the Council of Ministers. The government is formed by the parliament of the republic, called the National Assembly of People's Power. He also appoints the head of the State Council. Thus, the highest body of government in Cuba is the National Assembly.

Administratively, the republic is divided into 16 provinces, which include 169 municipalities. One of the municipalities - Juventud - reports directly to the central authorities, the rest - to local administrative structures.

Legal system

The highest court is the People's Supreme Court, appointed by the National Assembly of the People's Power, the appellate courts are the provincial courts, appointed by the provincial assemblies of the people's power, the courts of first instance are the municipal courts, appointed by the municipal assemblies of the people's power.

Economy

Beach in Cuba near the city of Varadero

Advantages: The tourism industry attracts foreign investors. Export of sugar and nickel. Elite cigars. The banking sector is strengthening. Oil rigs.

Weak sides: Due to the US embargo, lack of access to important markets and investments. Acute shortage of foreign currency. Fluctuations in world prices for sugar and nickel. Complicated trade restrictions discourage investment. Poor infrastructure. Shortage of fuel, fertilizers and spare parts.

In the period after 1960, the economic blockade imposed by the US government caused enormous damage to Cuba's economic development. According to official data from the Cuban government, as of early December 2010, direct damage from the economic blockade amounted to 104 billion US dollars (and taking into account the depreciation of the dollar against gold in the period after 1961, 975 billion US dollars).

According to the British weekly The Economist, the main reason for Cuba's economic problems is low productivity caused by a lack of incentives to work. In an article on the Cuban economy, the magazine writes:

Sugar cane plantations

The American embargo is annoying, but the main problem with the Cuban economy is that Fidel's paternalistic state has removed both the incentives to work and the penalties for idleness. That's why Cubans don't work too hard at their official jobs. People spend their working hours chatting and having long telephone conversations.

Original text (English)

The American embargo is an irritant, but the economy’s central failing is that Fidel’s paternalist state did away with any incentive to work, or any sanction for not doing so. So most Cubans do not work very hard at their official jobs. People stand around chatting or conduct long telephone conversations with their mothers. They also routinely pilfer supplies from their workplace: that is what keeps the informal economy going.

Cuba ranks 4-5 among Latin American countries (ranks higher) and 67 in the world according to the UN classification in terms of Human Development.

There are different points of view regarding the level of development of Cuba before the revolution. According to a number of sources, in terms of GNP per capita, Cuba was ahead even at that time. Robin Blackburn also wrote that Cuba was one of the richest countries in the underdeveloped category. Professor Maurice Halperin, who worked in Cuba immediately after the revolution, objected to the application of the term “underdeveloped” to pre-revolutionary Cuba, which, in his words, caused false associations with truly backward countries, and proposed calling it “moderately developed.” On the other hand, the Groningen Growth and Development Center, having conducted its own retrospective calculations using a special methodology, obtained data stating that Cuba in 1958 was inferior to these countries and a number of Latin American countries.

Source	Robin Blackburn	Humberto (Bert) Corzo	NationMaster	Angus Maddison
Units	U.S. dollars	US dollars at PPP	U.S. dollars	Geary-Khamis dollars
Year	1953-1954	1958	1960	1960	1953	1960
Cuba	360	356	4399	1900	2363	2052
Spain	250	180	396	396	2528	3150
Mexico		284	353	353	2439	3025
Chile		360	551	551	4112	4392
Costa Rica		230	381	381	2353	2605
Japan	254		471	471	2474	3289
USA			2881	2793	10613	11328

According to statistics, in 1951 in Cuba there were 122 thousand cars for a population of 5.5 million, that is, 1 car for 41 people. At the same time, according to the authors of the Area Handbook for Cuba, “all this as a fact has no meaning, since there were de facto two Cubas, in one the elite lived beautifully and comfortably, and in the other the most necessary things for life were not available.”

The KTP-1 combine harvester for mechanized sugar cane harvesting, developed at the Lyubertsy Agricultural Engineering Plant named after. A.V. Ukhtomsky in the second half of the 1970s for work in Cuba and subsequently produced under license in the city of Holguin.

In 1960, a massive nationalization of the private sector was carried out. Currently, Cuba has one of the most nationalized economies in the world. In the second half of the 1960s. the government tried to abandon central planning in favor of sectoral planning. Extensive experiments were carried out with moral incentives for labor and the use of non-monetized compulsory labor. Falling production levels and shirking forced a return to Soviet-style central planning. In the 1970s - 80s. With the help of the countries of the socialist bloc, the basis of the industry is being created in Cuba.

After the collapse of the USSR, there was a reduction in purchases of Cuban sugar and the cessation of economic assistance. For 1989-1993 Cuba's GDP fell by a third. Economic collapse was avoided by opening the country to foreign investment in industry and tourism.

According to the CIA directory, in 2010 real GDP growth was 1.5%.

The main sector of the Cuban economy is the sugar industry. The capacity of Cuba's sugar factories is capable of processing 670 thousand tons of sugar cane per day (production of 9-9.5 million tons of sugar per year). In the past, the industry developed extensively thanks to the support of the CMEA.

The Cuban government is creating free economic zones (FEZ) in order to attract foreign investment. In 1996, a law was adopted on the procedure for the creation and functioning of free economic zones. The validity period of the concession for the right to operate in the SEZ is 50 years. In 1997, three SEZs (Mariel, City and Vahai) began operating.

Exports ($3.3 billion in 2010) - sugar, nickel, tobacco, seafood, medical products, citrus fruits, coffee. The main export partners are China (26%), Canada (20%), Spain (7%), and the Netherlands (5%).

In November 2004, during a visit to Cuba by Chinese President Hu Jintao, an agreement was reached that China would invest $500 million in the Cuban nickel industry. In January 2008, Brazilian President Lula da Silva and the head of the state oil company Petrobras, Jose Sergio Gabrielli, who visited Cuba, announced their intention to invest $500 million in the exploration of Cuban hydrocarbon deposits in the Gulf of Mexico and the construction of a plant for the production of technical oils in Cuba. In May 2010, construction of another large nickel ore mining plant began in Holguin province.

Cuban cigars

Cuba imports ($10.3 billion in 2010) - petroleum products, food, industrial equipment, chemical products. The main import partners are Venezuela (31%), China (15%), Spain (8%), USA (7%).

An important role in Cuba's foreign trade is played by Havana, which, in exchange for the services of Cuban doctors, teachers and trainers, supplies Havana with cheap oil under the Petrocaribe program (part of the oil is then resold by the Cuban authorities). In 2011, trade turnover between the two countries reached $8.3 billion. At the beginning of 2013, there were 36 Cuban-Venezuelan enterprises in the fields of energy, transport, communications, tourism, agriculture, construction, and the mining industry.

The Cuban banking system consists of the Central Bank of Cuba, 8 commercial banks, 13 non-banking financial institutions, 13 representative offices of foreign banks and 4 representative offices of foreign financial institutions. There are 2 types of currency in Cuba. Citizens of Cuba receive black and white Cuban pesos, foreigners receive colored (convertible) pesos when exchanging currency. Western media reported on currency manipulations by the top Cuban leadership and the F. Castro family.

Since 1962, a card system has been in effect in Cuba; products are issued according to the same standards for the entire country. According to Cuban experts, the population currently receives from 40 to 54 percent of the minimum required calories from food distributed on ration cards. Milk is provided free of charge by the state to children under 6 years of age or purchased by the population at the market. Throughout the post-revolutionary years, a black market existed in Cuba. A number of goods, the distribution of which by cards is carried out irregularly or are intended only for beneficiaries, are still purchased on the black market.

In 2008, Cubans were allowed to buy cell phones, computers and DVD players, as well as 19- and 24-inch televisions, electric pressure cookers and electric bicycles, car alarms and microwave ovens (but only with convertible currency).

In 2009, about 100 thousand passenger cars were registered in the country, of which 60 thousand were old American cars that were on the island before the revolution.

The average monthly salary in Cuba as of January 2011 was 300-350 pesos (23-25 ​​pesos per dollar). However, domestic prices for goods produced within the country may differ significantly from the world average. There is a developed system of free services and government benefits. For example, free clothing is provided to workers. There is a system of free medical care and free higher and secondary education.

Reform 2010

In October 2010, the country's government significantly increased the number of permitted types of business activities by adopting legislative and regulatory acts regulating private business.
Cuban President Raul Castro appealed to his fellow citizens to support his radical program of economic change, saying that "the future of the revolution hangs in the balance." According to him, reforms that provide for a significant increase in the role of private entrepreneurship are aimed at saving the socialist system, and not at returning to capitalism. R. Castro noted that the ruling Communist Party must correct its past mistakes and abandon its negative attitude towards small private business.

Private business

At the end of May 2016, the Cuban authorities announced the legalization of private small and medium-sized businesses.

Foreign policy

The largest cooperation to date is with Venezuela.

• Sino-Cuban relations.

Venezuela

The basic agreement on cooperation between the two countries was signed under Hugo Chavez in 2000. And already in 2009, 98 thousand Cubans worked in Venezuela. In 2011, an undersea cable was stretched from Venezuela to Cuba, providing the island with the Internet.

EU

In 1993-2003, the European Union provided Cuba with small support of about 145 million euros (including about 90 million euros in humanitarian aid). In 2003, the EU imposed sanctions against Havana, which obligated European countries, as part of a “common position,” to limit bilateral government visits, reduce the participation of European states in cultural relations with Cuba, proposed to intensify contacts with government oppositionists, and invite Cuban dissidents to events at their embassies on Cuba and other countries, etc. The sanctions were partially lifted in 2005, and in 2008 they were completely lifted.

Panama

• August 23, 2004 - President of Panama Mireya Moscoso announced the recall of the Panamanian ambassador from Cuba in response to the warning issued by the Cuban Foreign Ministry on August 22 about its readiness to sever diplomatic relations with Panama if its authorities amnestied the criminals who were preparing an assassination attempt on Fidel Castro. At the same time, the President of Panama noted that the recall of the Panamanian ambassador does not mean a severance of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
• August 25, 2004 - The Cuban Ambassador to Panama, Carlos Zamora, at the request of the Panamanian authorities, left for his homeland. Before leaving, he made a statement to the press in which he noted that “Cuba considers it its duty to achieve exemplary punishment for the terrorists” who were preparing the assassination attempt on Fidel Castro. In March 2004, the Supreme Court of Panama sentenced six conspirators detained in Panama in 2000 to prison terms. The new President of Panama, Martin Torrijos, who takes office on September 1, expressed the hope that the Panama-Cuban conflict would be resolved on the basis of mutual “respect and common sense."

Mexico

Bahamas

On October 3, 2011, an agreement was signed between Cuba and defining the maritime border between the two states.

USSR/Russia

Fidel Castro with Russian President V.V. Putin, 2000.

From the very beginning of the revolution in Cuba, the attitude of the CPSU leadership towards Liberty Island was ambiguous, in some ways similar to the position regarding the SFRY. First, neither the Castro brothers nor their associates were formally Leninists. Their theoretical basis was limited to the legacy of Marx and Engels. Secondly, among other things, Cuba, in principle, was not part of the military blocs. Highly valuing freedom, Cuba, since the Belgrade Conference (Yugoslavia, September 1-6, 1961), has been one of the most active participants in the Non-Aligned Movement. It joined the CMEA only in 1972.

January 21, 1964 - The USSR and Cuba signed a Long-term Agreement on the supply of sugar to the USSR.

mass media

The only state broadcaster in Cuba and the only broadcaster in Cuba in general is ICRT ( Instituto Cubano de Radio y Televisión- “Cuban Institute of Radio and Television”), created on May 24, 1962. Includes:

• Radio stations
  • Radio Progreso, launched in 1929, network partners - CMHA, CMIB, CMFC, CMMB, CMKB, CMLA, CMJB, CMAB, CMGB.
  • Radio Reloj, launched in 1947
  • CMBF Radio Musical Nacional, launched 1948
  • Radio Rebelde, launched 1959
  • Radio Havana Cuba, international radio station, launched in 1961
  • Radio Enciclopedia, launched 1962
  • Radio Taíno, launched in 1985
  • Provincial radio stations - Radio Ciudad de La Habana, Radio Metropolitana, Radio COCO, Radio Cadena Habana (all 3 in Havana), Radio Guamá, Radio Artemisa, etc.
• TV channels
  • Cubavisión (before nationalization in 1960 CMQ-TV, Canal 6), launched 1962
  • Tele Rebelde (formerly Canal 2), launched 1982
  • Canal Educativo, launched in 2001
  • Canal Educativo 2, launched in 2004
  • Multivision, launched in 2008
  • provincial TV channels
  • Cubavision International

Previously there were also radio stations CMQ and RHC-Cadena Azul (launched in 1939).

Culture

At the origins of national Cuban literature was Jose Maria Heredia (1803-1839), the author of love, philosophical and civil-patriotic poems. Its popular still in Cuba" Anthem of the Exile"(1825), permeated with bitterness and sorrow for the homeland oppressed by tyrants, ends with the anticipation of its inevitable liberation. The end of the 19th century was marked by the creative legacy of one of the founders of modernism in literature, the patriot, “ apostle"Cuban Revolution by Jose Marti. After the First World War, against the background of growing patriotic sentiments in the 1920-1930s, “ second republican generation"Cuban poets and prose writers, which united a variety of literary movements. In the novel " Sacred spring"A. Carpentier, one of the famous prose writers of this generation, gives a broad picture of revolutionary changes in the world over the decades of the twentieth century.

Independent Cuban painting emerged only at the end of the 19th century. In the 1930s, artists who visited Europe became acquainted with modern artistic movements there and brought them to Cuba. Thus, Marcelo Pogolotti used cubism to create images on themes related to the poverty of the Cuban people. The most famous Cuban artist, Wifredo Lam, painted in a surrealist style. Mario Carreno was greatly influenced by the work of Mexican muralists. Jorge Arche is known for his portraits, which are similar in style to the work of other Latin American artists of the 1930s.

In popular culture

Cuba in music

Santiago de Cuba

• Guantanamera is a famous Cuban song and the unofficial anthem of Cuba.
• Muslim Magomayev - “Cuba, my love.”
• Flame (group) - “This is us talking.”
• Hasta Siempre, Comandante - "Nathalie Cardon" - "Buena Vista Social Club" - "Panteon Rococo"
• Night snipers - "Cuba".
• Jah Division - "Cubana".
• Forbidden drummers - “Cuba is nearby.”
• Daniele Silvestri - "Cohiba".

Cuba in literature

• Ernest Hemingway. The Old Man and the Sea
• Graham Greene. Our man in Havana

Cuba in cinema

• The Godfather 2
• Havana (dir. Sydney Pollack)
• Havana I love you
• I am Cuba (dir. Mikhail Kalatozov)
• Ocean (2008, dir. Mikhail Kosyrev-Nesterov)
• Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights
• Zombie Slayer Dir. Alejandro Bruges.

Cuba in video games

• Driver 2
• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2, Soviet Campaign Begins in Cuba, Operation Red Dawn
• The Godfather II
• Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
• Call of Duty: Black Ops
• Corsairs III

Religion

In Cuba, church and state are separated. The country's constitution guarantees the population freedom of religion. The most common religion is Catholic.

Cubans are quite religious. Catholic churches exist throughout the country, with daily Masses and solemn services held on national or local religious holidays. Members of the Cuban Communist Party are not prohibited from attending churches. There are also 96,000 members of the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization in the country.

With the arrival of black slaves on the island, various beliefs of African origin spread. Over time, they formed the main movements that still exist and are popular today. This is La Regla de Ocha Ifa (Spanish) La Regla de Ocha-Ifá) or Santeria (Spanish) Santeria Cubana), Regla Palo Monte (Spanish) Regla Palo Monte) and La Sociedad Secreta Abakuá (Spanish: La Sociedad Secreta Abakuá), as well as other movements that have now disappeared or are on the verge of extinction, for example, La Regla-Yiessa (Spanish: La Regla Iyessa) and La Regla Arara (Spanish) La Regla Arara). As a result of the historical process, a mixture of Catholic dogmas and African cults also formed. For example, the Most Pure Virgin of Mercy from Cobre is considered by Catholics to be the patroness of Cuba. In Santeria she goes by the name Ochun.

In recent years, Protestant churches have begun to appear, especially in the provinces.

On October 19, 2008, the first Orthodox church in Cuba, the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, was consecrated in Havana.

See also Islam in Cuba

Sport

Sports in Cuba are accessible to everyone, and this mass nature allows them to constantly replenish national teams in various sports, which have brought important world and Olympic awards to the small Caribbean island. Cuba is the birthplace of world famous athletes. Among the sports that stand out are baseball, boxing, athletics and volleyball.

As of August 18, 2016, Team Cuba has won the most medals of all time in baseball.

Armed forces

Guard at the mausoleum of Jose Marti

Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba ( Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias - FAR) are the main armed formation of Cuba, ensuring its national defense.

According to the constitution, the country's president is the supreme commander in chief and determines the structure of the armed forces.

The Cuban Armed Forces include the following types of troops:

• Ground troops
• Air Force and Air Defense.

mass media

The Liberty Island daily newspaper Granma bears the name of the yacht of the same name, on which a group of revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro landed in Cuba to carry out guerrilla warfare against the Batista regime. The newspaper is the official conductor and popularizer of the policies pursued by the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC). Once a week, “Granma Internacional” is published in English. Cuba’s press is also represented by such publications devoted to problems of economics, tourism, finance, culture, and politics as “Opciones”, “Bohemia”, “Juventud Rebelde”, “Trabajadores”.

Cuban emigration

New Jersey

Mostly, Cubans fled to the United States because President John Kennedy declared that “any Cuban who sets one foot on the shores of the United States is automatically entitled to political asylum in this country.” Now 1.5 million Cubans live just 150 kilometers from Cuba, creating a “little Cuba” here.

In 1965, relatives of Cuban emigrants who had previously left Cuba were allowed to leave the port of Camarioca. In the two months that the port was open, more than 250,000 people left the country.

In 1980, Fidel Castro opened the port of Mariel to everyone who wanted to emigrate from Cuba.

The Migration Act 1976 was amended on 16 October 2012 and came into force on 14 January 2013. If previously a resident of Cuba required a special permit to leave, the so-called. exit visa and to prepare documents for a trip abroad you had to pay about $300), and such categories of citizens as doctors were “restricted to travel” in principle, then from January 14, 2013, an adult Cuban for a trip abroad only needs a valid passport, an air ticket and (if necessary ) visa of the country of destination. Restrictions on leaving Cuba are left only for famous athletes, “secret carriers,” those under investigation, as well as those whose profession is “vital for the state.” According to press reports, the Cuban government hopes that the citizens who left will subsequently return to their homeland, gaining new skills and bringing money into the country's economy.

In total, from 1959 to January 2013, about 2 million Cuban citizens emigrated from the country, 86% of emigrants live in the United States.

• Symbol of Cuba - flower mariposa(Hedychium coronarium).
• In Cuba, the activities of Masonic lodges have never been prohibited or persecuted. This is the only country of the socialist camp where Freemasonry has been preserved. As of 2009, approximately 28,000 Cubans were members of the Grand Lodge of Cuba.
• In Havana there is a state-owned rock club, Maxim Rock, which is the center of Cuba's informal movement. In order for a local band to receive a share of the profits from concert ticket sales, it must audition with a national rock agency and be approved. The rest of the money raised at the events goes to the budget. The lyrics of Cuban rock musicians should not raise questions among censors: for example, they are prohibited from criticizing the government.

see also

Cuba

Notes

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73. TSB, 2nd ed., vol. 23, art. "Cuba"
74. Area Handbook for Cuba. p. 149
75. Cuba // Great Encyclopedia (in 62 volumes). / ed. coll., ch. ed. S. A. Kondratov. volume 24. M., TERRA, 2006. pp. 358-375
76. E.O. FOR A LOT.// Institution of the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
77. UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Public expenditure on education as % of GDP (English) . Retrieved March 25, 2011. Archived August 22, 2011.
78. « In 1992, CENIAI began uucp data transmission. About twice a week, they receive a dial-up call from Toronto for two-way transfer of mail and news. Their Canadian partner is Web, a part of the Association for Progressive Communications»
    Larry Press, Joel Snyder. A Look at Cuban Networks
79. Fiber optic cable Venezuela-Cuba reached the Cuban coast // RIA Novosti, February 9, 2011
80. Internet cable tests are being carried out in Cuba // RIA Novosti, January 24, 2013
81. The first 118 Internet cafes appeared in Cuba on June 3 // news service “RuNews24” dated June 5, 2013
82. Cuban authorities allowed citizens to buy mobile phones // RBC dated March 28, 2008
83. The fee for connecting to mobile communications in Cuba has decreased from $120 to $65 // RIA Novosti, December 12, 2008
84. Subichus B. Yu. From the history of Cuban literature - /Culture of Cuba - M.: Nauka, 1979. - 336 p.
85. Carpentier A. Sacred spring. - /translation by R. Soshina and N. Trauberg - M.: Raduga, 1982. - 480 p.
86. Elementos tangibles en la práctica de la variante cruzada del espitismo en la ciudad de Matanzas. - Lic. Andrés Rodriguez Reyes
87. Article dedicated to Cuba on the Pink Slon website
88. Los Iyessa. Por Israel Moliner Castañeda. Ediciones Olokum. Volume IV
89. La Regla Iyessa
90. Cuba: La Regla Arara
91. Leonid Velekhov. Cuba opposite Cuba // “Around the World”, No. 12 (2843), December 2010
92. Anna Papchenko. The roads of the revolution. 50 years later // “Around the World”, No. 2 (2821), February 2009
93. « Fidel Castro allowed free exit of Cubans through the port of Mariel and in six months 125,000 refugees arrived in Florida»
    Sergey Guriev, Oleg Tsyvinsky: Immigration is not an economic, but a political problem // Vedomosti, October 23, 2012
94. Sarah Rainsford. Dreams come true: Cubans receive international passports for the first time // BBC Russian Service, January 15, 2013
95. “Exit visas” have been canceled in Cuba // RIA Novosti, January 14, 2013
96. Grandes Maestros de la Gran Logia de Cuba de A. L. y A. M
97. Tiwy.com - Masonic secrets of Liberty Island - Natalya Laidinen
98. GLs Information
99. How Cuban metalheads live. hitkiller.com.

Literature

• Larin E. A. Cuba of the late 18th - first third of the 19th century / Rep. ed. Dr. History Sciences N. M. Lavrov. Institute of General History of the USSR Academy of Sciences.. - M.: Nauka, 1989. - 272 p. - 1,300 copies. - ISBN 5-02-008962-1.(in translation)

Links

Government agencies

• National Assembly
• Government of Cuba
• Communist Party of Cuba
• Ministry of Defense Archived
• Website of the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in the Russian Federation
• Ministry of Tourism

mass media

• "Bohemia"
• "Juventud Rebelde"
• "Granma"
• "Granma", English version
• Official news agency Prensa Latina, Spanish version.
• Links to radio stations and TV channels in Cuba

Other

• Tourism and recreation in Cuba
• Guide to Cuba in Russian.
• Information site about Cuba: photographs, information, stories, message board.
• Everything about Cuba: music, girls, photographs, information articles.
• Special report on Cuba The Economist, 24 March 2012

"Liberty Island" was discovered by Christopher Columbus on October 27, 1492. After this, the Spaniards tried for four centuries to colonize it and turn it into their overseas province. The British and Americans also wanted to succeed in this. However, none of them managed to establish their own rules there. That’s why they still say about Cuba that it is the “Island of Freedom.” Cuba is famous throughout the world for its carnivals, dances, songs, boxing, volleyball, Cuban cigars and Cuban rum, the beautiful sea and magnificent beaches.

Geography of Cuba

The island nation of Cuba is located in the Caribbean Sea. It consists of the islands of Cuba, Juventud and several other archipelagos. The United States is located 180 kilometers north of Cuba, and to the south and southeast are Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The total area of ​​the country is 110,860 square meters. km.

The island of Cuba is the largest island in the entire Caribbean. Most of its territory is plains. Only in the west, center and southeast can you find mountain systems. The highest peak is Peak Turquino in the Sierra Maestra mountain range, whose height reaches 1,974 meters.

The coast of the island of Cuba is indented with picturesque bays and coves, and near the coast there are beautiful coral reefs. In general, there are about 4,000 thousand islands and reefs near Cuba.

Capital

Havana is the capital of the state of Cuba. More than 2.3 million people now live in this city. Havana was founded by the Spaniards in 1515 on the site of an ancient Indian settlement.

Official language of Cuba

The official language is Spanish.

Religion

More than 60% of the population consider themselves Catholics, but only about 5% of them regularly attend church.

State structure

According to the 1992 Constitution, Cuba is a socialist republic in which the Communist Party is the “leading force of society and state.” The First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba also serves as the President of this state.

The local parliament is called the National Assembly, it consists of 609 deputies elected for a 5-year term. Executive power belongs to the State Council and the Council of Ministers, consisting of 31 ministers.

Administratively, the country is divided into 15 provinces, which in turn are divided into 168 municipalities, and one special municipality (Juventud).

Climate and weather

The climate is subtropical, the average annual air temperature is about +27C. Hurricane season lasts from July to mid-November. Hurricanes and tropical storms most often occur in September and October.

You can vacation in Cuba almost all year round, but the best time is the winter months, when there is no rain.

Average air temperature in Cuba:

1. January - +26C
2. February - +27C
3. March - +28C
4. April - +29C
5. May - +31C
6. June - +30C
7. July - +30C
8. August - +32C
9. September - +31C
10. October - +29С
11. November - +27C
12. December - +26C

Sea in Cuba

The island of Cuba is surrounded on all sides by the Caribbean Sea. There are beautiful coral reefs off the coast.

Average temperature of the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Cuba:

1. January - +25C
2. February - +24C
3. March - +24C
4. April - +26C
5. May - +27C
6. June - +27C
7. July - +28C
8. August - +28C
9. September - +28C
10. October - +28C
11. November - +27C
12. December - +27C

Rivers and lakes

Several rivers flow through Cuba. The largest of them is the Cauto River, which begins in the Sierra Maestra mountains in the province of Santiago (its length is 370 km). The Almendares River flows through Havana, providing the capital with drinking water. In general, there are several hundred rivers and small streams on this island.

History of Cuba

On October 27, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed in Cuba, and from then on the modern history of this island, and then the state, began. At the beginning of the 17th century, Diego Velazquez founded the first seven settlement cities on the island - Baracoa, Bayamo, Santiago de Cuba, Trinidad, Sancti Spiritus, Camagüey and Havana. During the process of colonization, the Spaniards almost completely destroyed the indigenous population. During the 4 centuries of Spanish rule, tens of thousands of slaves from Africa were brought to Cuba.

The Spanish occupation of Cuba ended only at the end of the 19th century, but the country became politically dependent on the United States.

On January 1, 1959, the Revolution won in Cuba, and the country took the path of building socialism. One of the leaders of the Revolution, along with Camilo Cienfuegos and Ernesto Che Guevara, was Fidel Castro.

In April 1961, the Americans attempted to overthrow the Cuban government led by Fidel Castro, but their mercenaries were defeated at the Bay of Pigs.

Some capitalist countries, including the United States, have still not lifted economic sanctions against Cuba, which hinders the development of this amazing country.

Culture

Cuba's culture has been shaped by Spanish, African, French and Asian influences and is therefore known for its diversity. This country has become the birthplace of many musical styles and dances, among them the most popular are mambo and cha-cha-cha.

However, Cuba is famous in the world not only for music and dancing, but also for its sporting achievements in boxing and volleyball. Sports can also be considered a reflection of cultural traditions.

Cuba cannot be imagined without festivals. For example, every summer in Havana the famous “Carnival of Chariots” is held, during which special stages with music and dance groups ride through the streets of the Cuban capital for three days, and street processions of musicians are also held. In general, Carnival in Havana lasts, as a rule, 12 days, and the legendary Tropicana cabaret, founded in 1939, participates in it.

Havana also regularly hosts crafts fairs in the summer, in which various music, dance and theater groups participate.

Every September, Santiago de Cuba hosts the Festival del Son, a traditional Cuban music festival. This holiday lasts four days.

Cuban cuisine

Cuban cuisine has been strongly influenced by Spanish culinary traditions. Many Cuban dishes are very similar to those served in Andalusia (southern Spain). However, Cuban cuisine has also been influenced by African, Portuguese, French, Arabic and even Chinese culinary traditions.

The main foods are potatoes, malanga, yucca, wheat, fish and seafood (especially lobster), meat (chicken and pork), rice, bananas, vegetables, beans. Hot spices are rarely used.

We recommend that tourists try “Moros y Cristianos” (black beans with rice), “Arroz con Pollo” (yellow rice with chicken), “Ropa Vieja” (pieces of beef fillet), “Ajiaco” (vegetable stew with meat and garlic), “ Fufú (mashed boiled green bananas, often served with meat), Piccadillo (spicy beef with tomatoes and onions). Popular desserts are “Helado” (ice cream) and “Galletas” (sweet cookies).

The traditional non-alcoholic drink is coffee. The best Cuban coffee grows in the Sierra Maestra mountains.

Traditional alcoholic drinks are rum and cocktails with rum. Every self-respecting Cuban bartender should know at least 100 recipes for cocktails with rum or other alcoholic drinks.

Sights of Cuba

Most of the monuments of Cuban culture date back to the colonial era. Several monuments are considered UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

1. Havana Vieja Historic Center and Fort (Havana)
2. Old Town of Trinidad (Sancti Spiritus)
3. Sugar mills around Trinidad (Sancti Spiritus)
4. Fortifications of San Pedro de la Roca del Morro (Santiago de Cuba)
5. Ruins of the French coffee plantation La Gran Piedra (Santiago de Cuba)
6. Desembarco del Granma National Park

The Alexander Humboldt, Almendares and Sierra Maestra national parks, the Los Indios Nature Reserve and the Punta Frances Marine Park are of great interest to tourists.

Cities and resorts

The largest cities are Santiago de Cuba, Camagüey, Santa Clara, Holguin, Bayamo, Cienfuegos, Guantanamo, Holguin, and, of course, Havana.

Cuba is world famous for its beach resorts, where residents of Europe and North America come to relax. The most popular of them are Varadero, Cayo Guillermo, Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo and Holguin. Every year, for example, more than 1 million tourists vacation in Varadero (about 45% of them are foreigners).

Most local resorts offer tourists a well-developed recreation infrastructure, with restaurants, discos, nightclubs and entertainment shows in hotels. All resorts offer excellent beach holiday opportunities, including diving, boat excursions and yacht trips.

Souvenirs/shopping

The most popular souvenirs from Cuba are any items with the image of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, folk art, ceramics, Cuban coffee, coffee cups, Cuban cigars and rum.

Office hours

Banks:
Mon-Fri: 09:00-15:00

The shops:
Mon-Fri: 09:00-17:00
Sat: 10:00-14:00

Museums:
Tue-Sat: 09:00-17:00
Sun: 08:00-13:00

Visa

Ukrainians need a visa to visit Cuba.

Currency

There are two currencies in circulation in Cuba: the Cuban peso (CUP) and the convertible peso (CUC). Tourists must exchange dollars for convertible pesos. $100 = 87 CUC. In turn, 1 dollar = approximately 24 Cuban pesos. Credit cards are not widely used.

Customs restrictions

Free economic zones were created. In 1997, there were already three SEZs operating in the country (Mariel, Vahay and the city of Havana).

Cuba exports, bringing income to its country's budget, tobacco, seafood, sugar, nickel, medical goods, coffee, and citrus fruits.

Cuba's export partners are China, Canada, Spain, and the Netherlands. China invested $500 million in the Cuban nickel industry, Brazil - the same amount in the development of Cuban hydrocarbon deposits and in the construction of a plant for the production of technical oils. A large nickel ore mining plant has been built in the province of Holguin.

The country today imports food, petroleum products, industrial equipment, and chemical products. Its import business partners are Venezuela, China, and Spain. Particularly close and productive ties in terms of the PetroCaribe oil program with Venezuela. Trade turnover between states annually reaches about $10 billion.

Since 1962, the country has introduced a card system for food distribution. The “black market” is thriving, since food cards are issued here irregularly.

Cuba has a developed system of free public services: medical care, higher and secondary education.

Since October 2010, the list of types of business activities permitted by the government has increased in the country. In 2016, private small and medium-sized businesses were legalized.

Cuban branches of government

Cuba is a socialist republic of parliamentary type. Most of the deputies in parliament today represent the Communist Party of Cuba.

The head of state is the Chairman of the State Council (who is also the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba), who exercises executive power in the country. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers, who is also the Second Secretary of the Central Committee, helps him.

The government of the Cuban state consists of two branches: the Council of Ministers and the Council of State. The ministry employs 31 ministers.

The highest authority on Liberty Island is the National Assembly of People's Power, i.e. parliament of the republic. It includes 609 deputies who are elected for 5 years. She is entrusted with forming a government and appointing the head of the State Council. The responsibilities of the Assembly also include electing the People's Supreme Court. Provincial courts are elected by the provincial assemblies of people's power, municipal courts by the municipal assemblies.

The Republic of Cuba is divided administratively into 16 provinces, which are respectively divided into 169 municipalities. Only one municipality, Juventud, is accountable to the central government; the rest are subordinate to local administrative structures.

Cuba's participation in international organizations

In recent years, having changed course in the political sphere and being squeezed by economic sanctions, Cuba has become more active in influential international organizations.

The Republic is a member of the World Trade Organization and takes an active part in international agreements: the Paris Convention, the New York Convention on International Arbitration, and the Madrid Protocol. Cuba is a member of the international organization of ACP states. For decades, Cuba has been participating in social programs at the international level.

There are 57 Cuban specialists working in 101 countries, of whom 70% are health workers. One of Cuba's programs, Operation Miracle, provides affordable medical care in 16 countries to poor, seriously ill people. In 28 countries of Latin America there is a program “Yes, I can” aimed at combating illiteracy.

Whatever direction Cuba goes, the beauty of its natural landscape, the originality of its culture and the attractiveness of the Cuban mentality will remain unchanged.

Liberty Island Cuba is a legendary country about which, for all its color, we know not so much. Meanwhile, this island is rich in its history, culture and incredible life experiences. Time stopped in Cuba about three decades ago. And you still have the opportunity to see the world of the past.

What is it like, Cuba on the map

In the north of the Caribbean Sea there is a very interesting, original and definitely memorable country, the Republic of Cuba. It covers not only the central island, but also several smaller ones. It is divided into 16 provinces and also includes the municipality of the Islas Juventud. No matter how large Cuba may seem, its population is about 11,300,000 people.

The state is a member of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. The dominant Communist Party directs politics. The flag of Cuba is colored white, blue and red. The three blue stripes symbolize the Spanish parts of Cuba, the two white stripes symbolize independence, the red triangle symbolizes equality, and the star symbolizes freedom.

Cuba covers a total area of ​​110,860 square kilometers and a length of 1,250 kilometers. The state borders the USA, Mexico, Jamaica and the island of Haiti. The climate here is tropical, with temperatures ranging from 22 to 30 degrees Celsius.

Where the name Freedom Island came from is not entirely known. It is assumed that the word “Cuba” came from the Taino Indians, who called the island “a beautiful place.” And some historians say that Columbus named the island Cuba in honor of the village of the same name in Portugal.

History of Cuba

Cuba went through a difficult path during its formation. These lands have seen many revolutionary actions. The first civil uprising took place back in 1823, when local residents decided to fight for an independent Spain. From 1868 to 1878, fighting took place here during the Ten Years' War for the independence of the Cuban people. This was followed by a number of revolutionary leaders who introduced their own rules and principles of government to Cuba.

The well-known Fidel Castro came here in 1953. It was with his activities that the Cuban Revolution began, which opposed the ruling dictator Batista. When he fled the island, the “leftist” revolutionaries took the leading position. But the optimistic trend did not last long, as repression soon began in Cuba. Castro was afraid of the dangerous influence of the United States, and actively began to cooperate with the Soviet Union.

It was this, the largest state at that time, that supported Cuba materially and financially. But when Perestroika began in the Union, the relationship changed. And Cuba itself has lost its former power. There was little money, not enough jobs. Stability was achieved only in 1994.

The Church in Cuba operates according to its own rules, because everyone here has the right to their own religion. They mainly profess Catholicism. But sometimes there are examples of Protestantism and African cults, which are built on making sacrifices and worshiping various pagan gods.

They say the language here is predominantly Spanish, but you can also hear English and Italian. In some regions, Dutch, German and various local dialects are spoken.

Cuba and its cities

The capital of Cuba, the city of Havana, is a tourist center and one of the largest in the country. Its total area is almost 727 square kilometers, on which 15 municipalities are located. Havana received capital status in 1902, and at the moment it is the cultural, economic and political center of the country.

There are a lot of museums built in the city, in particular the Colonial, the National, the Jose Marti House Museum and the Museum of the Revolution. You can also see many old restored houses from the 16th-18th centuries. The house-museum of the great writer Ernesto Hemingway, who was impossibly in love with Cuba, is also open.

The second largest city in Cuba by area and importance is Santiago de Cuba. It was built and inhabited at the beginning of the 16th century, and until 1556 it served as the capital of the state. Here, as in the capital, a lot of museums have been opened: ethnographic, municipal, natural history and others.

Tourists come to the south of Cuba to try their hand at recreational diving and see the fortress of San Pedro de la Roca del Morro. By the way, it is in this city that the grave of dictator Fidel Castro is located.

The city of Camagüey was built in the center of Cuba in 1514. Local residents suffered from pirate attacks for several decades, but over time the area has changed. Surrounded by picturesque nature, the city is famous for its numerous attractions - the Ignacio Argamonte Museum, Trabajadores and Soledad squares, and, of course, the Casino Campestre park.

How to organize an unforgettable vacation in Cuba

Despite the fact that Cuba is not the richest country, tourists will definitely have something to see here.

The capital is dominated by the bell-shaped Cathedral of St. Christophe; the building is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was built from 1767 to the end of the 19th century; the crown of the architectural creation was the frescoes of Giuseppe Perovani. The bells are made of bronze mixed with silver and gold.

Be sure to take a walk along the Prado Boulevard in the capital, this promenade separates the two regions of Havana. Noisy and colorful Cuban weddings take place here, since the Wedding Palace is located on the boulevard. A large Seville hotel was built for tourists, and the old Capitol rises nearby. Walking along the boulevard in the evening, you will certainly see the Bolshoi Theater and Central Park. Walk a little more and you will be on the Malecon embankment.

Scenic and one of the largest parks, the Sierra del Rosario can be seen if you reach the Rosario Ridge. The large park is a protected area with a length of 250 kilometers. This land is home to a tropical forest with more than 800 plant species. At the moment, the park is of particular natural value for UNESCO

And, of course, you can’t come to Cuba without stopping by Hemingway’s house. It was here that the writer lived almost until the end of his life. He was inspired by the unique seascape and fresh salty air. Hemingway arrived in Cuba in 1940, but the house in which he settled was built at the end of the 19th century. Gorgeous views, rum and national flavor inspired the author to write the legendary novel “The Old Man and the Sea.”

In 1961, the writer passed away, and a year later, in tribute to his work, the Cuban authorities made a museum in his house. Everything here is preserved in the form Ernest is used to seeing. Even in the bedroom, on the desktop, they installed an exact copy of the typewriter on which brilliant works were created.

Cuba is something unique

Such another country definitely cannot be found anywhere in the world. And there are plenty of quirks on Liberty Island. Accustomed to prohibitions, repressions and restrictions, Cubans have some other permissions. Surprisingly, the activities of Masonic lodges are still legal here. To this day, there is an organization of Freemasons, including just under 300,000 local residents.

But there are much more prohibitions. For example, one of the strangest rules is the ban on catching and eating lobsters by locals. This product is considered exclusively touristic and is grown or caught by state monopolists. Local residents do not have the right to this product. We are talking not only about lobsters, but also about lobsters. To tell the truth, this rule is, of course, violated. But it still remains within the law and implies imprisonment for several years.

Photography in Cuba is a separate art form. But before you take that coveted photo, make sure it's legal. It is strictly prohibited to photograph administrative and military buildings, cars and any other places. There are quite a lot of KGB officers in all cities, but it’s better not to risk taking photos or videos with them. If you photograph locals or take selfies with them, then first of all, ask permission. You are unlikely to hear a refusal, but if this happens, it is better to immediately erase the photo.

And the most popular entertainment in Havana is the Tropicana show. It features a traditional cabaret with colorful Cuban costumes. The ticket price is 95 Cuban pesos, which includes a pass to the event, a glass of champagne, a can of Coca-Cola and a bottle of rum. The cabaret tells about the rich history of Cuba from the times of the Indians to the dictators Castro.

Cuba and tourism

What does a tourist do when he gets tired of the sights or when there are a little less than a couple of hours left before the plane? Of course, he goes shopping!

The Caribbean coast is rich in its ocean attractions and beauty. In local souvenir shops you can buy bracelets and figurines made from turtle shells. It will be interesting for musicians to bring bongos, for fashionistas - a guayabera shirt. Well, where would we be without the traditional portraits of Che Guevara, which look at tourists from T-shirts, cups, key rings and other things.

You are unlikely to have to buy groceries, but you won’t be able to do it particularly well either. In Cuba, everything is issued with coupons, and there are supermarkets for tourists. To tell the truth, there are only two large shopping centers in Cuba, and only in the capital.

What to try in Cuba?

Of course, drink a glass of rum and, if your tastes permit, light a fragrant cigar and feel like Al Capone. Buying Rum in any city in Cuba is easier than finding a store without a queue. Rum prices are minimal, but the quality matches the price. If you want to try a good cigar, then check out the Cigar Museum. This way you will learn more about this iconic item and buy a quality product at a relatively low price.

As for restaurants, things are not going too well. There are no big five-star restaurants with arches and waiters in bow-ties in Cuba. And even small cafes with three tables with a thatched roof are called a restaurant here. But the food in all establishments is quite tasty. Seafood cuisine is widespread. The same lobsters and spiny lobsters, which are relatively inexpensive here.

Everything about Cuba for tourists

To visit Cuba you will need. The Embassy of Liberty Island welcomes Ukrainian tourists quite warmly, so the documents will be processed quickly. With such a visa you can stay in the country for up to 30 days, and if the atmosphere of the island drags on for some more time, then the Ukrainian embassy will easily extend the documents.

They will cost you about 500-700 dollars. to Cuba ranges from 25 to 50 thousand hryvnia. A hotel in a tourist city will cost approximately 1500 – 2600 hryvnia per day. In smaller cities, hotels cost approximately
1000 – 1500 hryvnia per day. You can give yourself a truly heavenly experience and rent a house, villa or cottage on the coast. This luxury will cost 800 – 2200 hryvnia per day.

There is one fact worth knowing about currency. There are two types of pesos in Cuba. The first is designated as CUP, this currency is less colorfully printed and is intended for local residents. For tourists, the peso is designated as CUC. This is the so-called convertible peso, which is related to the regular peso as 1:25, respectively. Interestingly, in any city in Cuba they accept both currencies. But the quirk still exists.

Video - 13 interesting facts about Cuba

Regarding money, it is also important to know that there are no terminals in the local stores. So you should always have cash with you. It is better to withdraw a large amount from ATMs at once, because the commissions there are literally extortionate. Part of the amount should be kept close to you, and part should be left in the hotel or villa safe. And in general, all valuables should be kept with you. Cuba has a fairly high rate of theft.

When taking photos, do not forget that posting pictures on Instagram will not be very easy. There is no Internet on a large scale in Cuba. It can only be used with a card in certain places. Or in the central areas of the city at the main post office. Or in a hotel, of course.

In Cuba it is a separate world that cannot be compared with anything. Temperamental, emotional and to this day not despondent Cubans will happily share their experience with you for old times sake. Ukrainians are common guests in Cuba. Once upon a time, an annual tour to Cuba was organized for the children of Chernobyl. Now everything is getting better, and Cuba is still waiting for our fellow countrymen. All that’s left to do is find out where Cuba is, order a visa, book a hotel and fly to your sunny vacation.