Physical Geography

Cuba forms the western end of a vast island arc that separates the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. About three-fifths of the island consists of flat to gently rolling plains and broad valleys; the remainder is hilly or mountainous land. The mountainous areas are located at the eastern and western ends of the island and in the central section. The landscape in the east is dominated by the Sierra Maestra. Here rises Turquino Peak, at 6,476 feet (1,974 m) the highest point on the island. The Trinidad Mountains, in the central part of the island, rise to more than 3,700 feet (1,128 m). To the west is the Sierra de Los Organos, with elevations of up to nearly 2,300 feet (700 m).

All of Cuba's rivers are rather shallow and short. The longest is the Cauto, which flows about 150 miles (240 km) from the Sierra Maestra to the Caribbean Sea. There are no large lakes. The coastline of the main island, approximately 3,570 miles (5,750 km) long, is indented by numerous bays and inlets. Several of the bays form sheltered harbors – the sites of Cuba's major ports.

Cuba lies just south of the Tropic of Cancer, and the weather is warm to hot all year. Average temperatures at Havana, for example, are 82° F. (28° C.) in August, the warmest month, and 72° F. (22° C.) in January, the coolest. Rarely do temperatures in Cuba rise above 100° F. (38° C.) or fall below 60° F. (16° C.). The northeast trade winds provide most of the island's rainfall, which averages 40 to 60 inches (1,000 to 1,500 mm) a year. The rainy season lasts from May to October; the rest of the year is relatively dry. Hurricanes frequently strike the island, especially during the months of August, September, and October.