CUBACUBA

Meggan BeneventiMeggan Beneventi

GeographyGeography

• Cuba is located in the Caribbean Sea, at the entrance of the Gulf of MexicoCuba is located in the Caribbean Sea, at the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico• Cuba is made up of many islandsCuba is made up of many islands• Most of Cuba is flat land with 3 main mountain ranges: Sierra de Los Organos, in the West; Most of Cuba is flat land with 3 main mountain ranges: Sierra de Los Organos, in the West;

Sierra del Escambray, in the Central Region; and Sierra Maestra, in Eastern Cuba, where the Sierra del Escambray, in the Central Region; and Sierra Maestra, in Eastern Cuba, where the country’s highest mountain -Pico Real del Turquino, with 1 974 M (5 933 feet) above sea level- country’s highest mountain -Pico Real del Turquino, with 1 974 M (5 933 feet) above sea level- is located. is located.

GeographyGeography

• Cuba has 2 main seasons: Cuba has 2 main seasons: the dry season, from the dry season, from November to April and November to April and rainy season, from May to rainy season, from May to October. October.

• The average temperature The average temperature is 77 degrees F.is 77 degrees F.

• Cuba has excellent Cuba has excellent beaches and riversbeaches and rivers

PeoplePeople

• This photo is not This photo is not the average person the average person in Cuba. He is a in Cuba. He is a poor man who poor man who earns a buck a earns a buck a photo by being a photo by being a tourist attraction in tourist attraction in HavanaHavana

PeoplePeople

• According to Cuba's Oficina According to Cuba's Oficina Nacional de Estadisticas ONE Nacional de Estadisticas ONE 2002 Census, the population was 2002 Census, the population was 11,177,743, including:11,177,743, including:

• 5,597,233 men and 5,597,233 men and • 5,580,510 women. 5,580,510 women. • The racial make-up was 7,271,926 The racial make-up was 7,271,926

whites, 1,126,894 blacks and whites, 1,126,894 blacks and 2,778,923 mulattoes. The Chinese 2,778,923 mulattoes. The Chinese population in Cuba is descended population in Cuba is descended mostly from indentured laborers mostly from indentured laborers who arrived in the 19th century to who arrived in the 19th century to build railroads and work in mines. build railroads and work in mines. After the Industrial Revolution, After the Industrial Revolution, many of these laborers stayed in many of these laborers stayed in Cuba because they could not Cuba because they could not afford return passage to China.afford return passage to China.

Culture: FoodCulture: Food

• Cuban cuisineCuban cuisine is a fusion is a fusion of Spanish, African and of Spanish, African and Caribbean cuisines. Cuban Caribbean cuisines. Cuban recipes share spices and recipes share spices and techniques with Spanish techniques with Spanish and African cooking, with and African cooking, with some Caribbean influence some Caribbean influence in spice and flavor. This in spice and flavor. This results in a unique, results in a unique, interesting and flavorful interesting and flavorful blend of the several blend of the several different cultural different cultural influences. influences.

Culture: FilmCulture: Film

• Although cinema arrived at Although cinema arrived at Cuba at the beginning of the Cuba at the beginning of the 20th century and the island 20th century and the island arrived early to the arrived early to the television phenomena and television phenomena and cinematographic production, cinematographic production, only around 80 full-length only around 80 full-length films were produced before films were produced before the Cuban Revolution of the Cuban Revolution of 1959, most of these films 1959, most of these films were melodramas. Following were melodramas. Following the revolution, Cuba entered the revolution, Cuba entered what is considered the what is considered the "Golden age" of Cuban "Golden age" of Cuban Cinema. Cinema.

Culture: ArtCulture: Art

• Cuban artCuban art is a very is a very diverse cultural blend of diverse cultural blend of African, European and African, European and North American design North American design reflecting the diverse reflecting the diverse demographic of the island. demographic of the island. Cuban artists embraced Cuban artists embraced European modernism and European modernism and the early part of the 20th the early part of the 20th century saw a growth in century saw a growth in Cuban vanguardism Cuban vanguardism movements, these movements, these movements were movements were characterized by a mixture characterized by a mixture of modern artistic genres. of modern artistic genres.

Culture: ReligionCulture: Religion

• Cuba is traditionally a Cuba is traditionally a Catholic country. In some Catholic country. In some instances Catholicism is instances Catholicism is much modified and much modified and influenced through influenced through syncretism. A common syncretism. A common syncretic belief is Santería, syncretic belief is Santería, which was brought to Cuba which was brought to Cuba by the slaves from Africa by the slaves from Africa and spread to neighboring and spread to neighboring islands; it shows islands; it shows similarities to Brazilian similarities to Brazilian Umbanda and has been Umbanda and has been receiving a degree of receiving a degree of official support. official support.

Culture: MusicCulture: Music

• The The music of Cubamusic of Cuba, , including the instruments including the instruments and the dances, is mostly and the dances, is mostly of European (Spanish) of European (Spanish) and African origin. Most and African origin. Most forms of the present day forms of the present day are creolized fusions and are creolized fusions and mixtures of these two mixtures of these two great sources. Almost great sources. Almost nothing remains of the nothing remains of the original Indian traditions original Indian traditions

Culture: SurfingCulture: Surfing

• A long barrier reef along the town A long barrier reef along the town of Caletone, a small fishing of Caletone, a small fishing village, with breaks and bends village, with breaks and bends that allow some sectiony lefts and that allow some sectiony lefts and rights to peel. Constant wind swell rights to peel. Constant wind swell in the summer months allow in the summer months allow some consistent sloppy peaks to some consistent sloppy peaks to be ridden but is better on possible be ridden but is better on possible winter groundswells.winter groundswells.

• Atmosphere:Atmosphere:• Caletone is a great little town, Caletone is a great little town,

packed in the summer with packed in the summer with vacationing Cubans and deserted vacationing Cubans and deserted in the winter months. Saw waves in the winter months. Saw waves there in July, not sure of there in July, not sure of conditions in the winter but it conditions in the winter but it looks like it has potential. Faces looks like it has potential. Faces NE so should catch winter swells NE so should catch winter swells that get through the Bahamian that get through the Bahamian chain. Plus your in Cuba! Cool chain. Plus your in Cuba! Cool people and fascinating history.people and fascinating history.

HistoryHistory

• Cuba starts when Christopher Cuba starts when Christopher Columbus landed on the island of Columbus landed on the island of Cuba on October 28, 1492, during Cuba on October 28, 1492, during his initial westward voyage. his initial westward voyage.

• Colonization of the island began in Colonization of the island began in 1511, when the Spanish soldier 1511, when the Spanish soldier Diego Velazquez established the Diego Velazquez established the town of Baracoa. town of Baracoa.

• Havana became one of the area’s Havana became one of the area’s most important slave markets. most important slave markets. Many of the superb eighteenth Many of the superb eighteenth century palaces in the capital century palaces in the capital were built with the proceeds from were built with the proceeds from the sale of slaves.the sale of slaves.

• Further lucrative items for sale Further lucrative items for sale were coffee, tobacco, leather and were coffee, tobacco, leather and sugar and the only real bar to sugar and the only real bar to Cuban prosperity was the Spanish Cuban prosperity was the Spanish trade monopolytrade monopoly

HistoryHistory

• The inevitable consequence of this was The inevitable consequence of this was that a movement for Cuban that a movement for Cuban independence began to gather independence began to gather organisational force and on 10th organisational force and on 10th October 1868 landowner Carlos Manuel October 1868 landowner Carlos Manuel de Cespedes freed his slaves and de Cespedes freed his slaves and started what was to become the Ten started what was to become the Ten Years’ War. Years’ War.

• In 1953 Fidel Castro and a band of In 1953 Fidel Castro and a band of Revolutionary friends attacked the Revolutionary friends attacked the Moncada Garrison in Santiago de Cuba Moncada Garrison in Santiago de Cuba but were routed by Batista’s troops. but were routed by Batista’s troops. Fidel and his brother Raul were Fidel and his brother Raul were imprisoned but after being released on imprisoned but after being released on amnesty two years later they amnesty two years later they regrouped in Mexico and returned to regrouped in Mexico and returned to Cuba in the company of Che Guevara. Cuba in the company of Che Guevara.

• 1961, the breaking off of diplomatic 1961, the breaking off of diplomatic relations and the Bay of Pigs invasion, relations and the Bay of Pigs invasion, which provided the final impulse for which provided the final impulse for Cuba’s final transition into Communism Cuba’s final transition into Communism and its sweeping alliance with, and and its sweeping alliance with, and subsequent dependence upon, the subsequent dependence upon, the Soviet Union. Soviet Union.

SourcesSources

• http://www.embacuba.or.ke/mapadecuba.http://www.embacuba.or.ke/mapadecuba.htmlhtml

• http://www.treehugger.com/cuba_superpohttp://www.treehugger.com/cuba_superpower.jpgwer.jpg

• http://globalvoicesonline.org/2006/08/12/chttp://globalvoicesonline.org/2006/08/12/cuba-the-pierced-guy/uba-the-pierced-guy/

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubanshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubans

• http://www.cubahistory.org/fidel-castro-http://www.cubahistory.org/fidel-castro-revolution.htmlrevolution.html

SourcesSources

• http://www.panoramio.com/photo/http://www.panoramio.com/photo/21402632140263

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_cuisineCuban_cuisine

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_arthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_art

• http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/Central_America/Cuba/caletone/Central_America/Cuba/caletone/index.htmlindex.html