Facts About Cuba
Cuba Basic Facts
- Official Name: Republic of Cuba in English, República de Cuba in Spanish
- Government: Socialist republic
- Capital: Havana
- Population: 11,116, 396
- Official Languages: Cuban Spanish
- Money: Cuban peso
- Most popular sport: Baseball
Fun Facts About Cuba
Cuba has 9 UNESCO World Heritage sites! Two of the sites are National Parks – Alejandro de Humboldt National Park and Desembarco del Granma National Park – and seven of the sites hold cultural importance, including Old Havana.
Cuba is home to the smallest bird species in the world! The bee hummingbird grows to just two inches as an adult. Cuba is also home to the smallest frog, the Mount Iberia frog. This frog grows to just 10 millimeters and is among one of the few groups of frogs that are poisonous.
Cuba’s literacy rates is one of the highest in the world at 99.8%.
History of Cuba
The first people of Cuba were the Ciboney and Guanahatabey. Over 1,000 years ago, the Taino people migrated from South America to the island. They were farmers, hunter-gatherers and fishers.
In the early 1500s, Spain claimed Cuba as a Spanish territory. The Taino people were enslaved and many died from infectious diseases and the poor living conditions they were subjected to under Spanish rule.
With the help of American forces, Cuba was able to regain control of their island and gained independence in 1902. They remained under American influence until 1959, when Fidel Castro took control along with communist revolutionaries.
Map of Cuba
Cuba Flag Activity
And HERE is a fun Cuba flag craft!
Famous Cuba Landmarks
- Salto Fino waterfall
- Sierra Maestra
- Castillo de la Real Fuerza
- Callejon de Hamel
- Soroa Orchid Garden
- El Yunque
Featured Important Cuban Person: Carlos Acosta
Carlos Acosta is a world-renowned Cuban ballet dancer. He began training with the National Ballet School of Cuba as a child and ultimately danced around the world before retiring in 2015. He later established the Acosta Danza Academy, as well as the Carlos Acosta International Dance Foundation, to provide opportunities to young Cuban dancers. The film Yuli, released in 2019, was inspired by Acosta’s life. Today, he continues to impact the world of ballet as Director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet.
