The Culture Of Cuba

Whether it 's for the music, people or food, Cuba is a popular and interesting place to visit. Cuba is located between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. At 42,426 square miles, Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean and the 105th largest country in the world. Cuba has a population of 11.1 million. Out of that 11.1 million, Havana is home to 2.1 million (Nation Facts). The official language of Cuba is Spanish, but English and French are spoken throughout the country. The most practiced religion of Cuba is Roman Catholicism, but a large number of people follow the Afro-Cuban and Protestant religions. The president of Cuba is currently Raúl Castro, which is Fidel Castro 's brother. The currency of Cuba is the Cuban peso (Cuba).

African, French, Portuguese, Haitian, Jamaican and Chinese immigrants helped to shape a musical and culinary heritage that 's distinctly Cuban. Cuban music exhibits an insistent beat, complexity and intensity that make it immediately recognizable around the world. The ingredients in Cuban cuisine may lack drama, but ultimately, they work together in perfectly spiced dishes that bring out new flavor notes in common ingredients" (HowStuffWorks). In Cuba, the most popular cooking style is called criollo in which the main ingredients are chicken, beef, pork, eggs, beans, rice and vegetables. Cubans use many common spices in their dishes. Some other Cuban dishes are empanadas, pan con bistec, arroz con pollo, and moros y cristianos. In Cuba western clothing has been worn for many years, but casual clothing is popular also. Latin styles of clothing like bright colored shirts and blouses and ruffled skirts have been in Cuban fashion as well as Afro-Cuban styles. Some popular Cuban holidays and celebrations are Liberation Day, International Women 's Day, Labor Day, and Christmas. There are a couple of popular sports in Cuba like boxing and football, but baseball is the most popular. Baseball is considered the national sport of Cuba. "The national baseball team of Cuba is easily the best in Latin America and often dominates regional competitions in this sport. The

The average temperature sits at 25°C. Naturally, the weather varies according to season; the dry season runs from November to April, and brings a welcome relief from the humid summer months of May to October, when humidity levels can reach 90-95%. This is also the monsoon season; the coast of Cuba lies in the path of hurricanes, and winds of over 200 km/h are therefore to be expected. In the south east of the island, temperatures reach 1 to 2 °C higher than in the west" (Sprachcaffe). Because of the climate in Cuba, there are many different species of plants and animals. Cuba is actually considered to be free of any dangerous snake. Some animals include: the Prehensile Tail Hutia, the Cuban Solendon, and the Indian Mongoose (Havana-Guide). Plants and crops of Cuba include: sugar cane, tobacco, palm trees, the ceibon tree, and the palmita de sierra. Some of these plants cannot be found anywhere else in the world