Theme Week Cuba – Isla de la Juventud

26 April 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  9 minutes

Cayo Largo del Sur © Panther/cc-by-sa-3.0

Cayo Largo del Sur © Panther/cc-by-sa-3.0

Isla de la Juventud (English: Isle of Youth) is the second-largest Cuban island and the seventh-largest island in the West Indies. The island was called the Isle of Pines (Isla de Pinos) until 1978. It has an area 2,200 km2 (850 sq mi) and is 50 km (31 mi) south of the island of Cuba, across the Gulf of Batabanó. The island lies almost directly south of Havana and Pinar del Río and is a Special Municipality (2,419 km2 (934 sq mi)), not part of any province and is therefore administered directly by the central government of Cuba. The island has only one municipality, also named Isla de la Juventud. The largest of the 350 islands in the Canarreos Archipelago (Archipiélago de los Canarreos), the island has an estimated population of 100,000. The capital and largest city is Nueva Gerona in the north, and the second-largest and oldest city is Santa Fe in the interior.   read more…

Theme Week Cuba

25 April 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Bon voyage, Theme Weeks Reading Time:  23 minutes

The Cuba State Capitol (El Capitolio) in Havana © Nigel Pacquette/cc-by-sa-3.0

The Cuba State Capitol (El Capitolio) in Havana © Nigel Pacquette/cc-by-sa-3.0

Cuba is comprising the island of Cuba as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located in the northern Caribbean at the confluence of the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. It is south of Florida and the Bahamas, west of Haiti and north of Jamaica. Havana is the largest city and capital; other major cities include Santiago de Cuba and Camagüey. Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean, with an area of 110,860 square kilometres (42,800 sq mi), and the second-most populous after Hispaniola, with over 11 million inhabitants. Prior to Spanish colonization in the late 15th century, Cuba was inhabited by Amerindian tribes. It remained a colony of Spain until the Spanish–American War of 1898, which led to nominal independence as a de facto United States protectorate in 1902. As a fragile republic, Cuba attempted to strengthen its democratic system, but mounting political radicalization and social strife culminated in the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in 1952. Further unrest and instability led to Batista’s ousting in January 1959 by the July 26 Movement, which afterwards established a government under the leadership of Fidel Castro. Since 1965, the country has been governed by the Communist Party of Cuba. A pawn during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, a nuclear war nearly broke out during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. Culturally, Cuba is considered part of Latin America. It is a multiethnic country whose people, culture and customs derive from diverse origins, including the aboriginal Taíno and Ciboney peoples, the long period of Spanish colonialism, the introduction of African slaves, and a close relationship with the Soviet Union in the Cold War.   read more…

Theme Week Havana – Malecón

16 March 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

© Velvet/cc-by-sa-4.0

© Velvet/cc-by-sa-4.0

The Malecón (officially Avenida de Maceo) is a broad esplanade, roadway and seawall which stretches for 8 km (5 miles) along the coast in Havana, from the mouth of Havana Harbor in Old Havana, along the north side of the Centro Habana neighborhood, ending in the Vedado neighborhood. New businesses are appearing on the esplanade due to economic reforms in Cuba that now allow Cubans to own private businesses.   read more…

Vedado in Havana

16 December 2015 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  8 minutes

John Lennon Memorial in Cuba © Christopher Hughes/cc-by-sa-3.0-us

John Lennon Memorial in Cuba © Christopher Hughes/cc-by-sa-3.0-us

Vedado is a central business district and urban neighborhood in the city of Havana, Cuba. Bordered on the east by Central Havana, and on the west by the Miramar / Playa district. Vedado is the most modern part of the city, developed in the first half of the 20th century, during the Republic period. The main street running east to west is Calle 23, also known as “La Rampa”. The northern edge of the district is the waterfront seawall known as the Malecón, a famous and popular place for social gatherings in the city. Vedado is a ward (consejo popular) of the municipality Plaza de la Revolución.   read more…

Theme Week Havana on Cuba

20 October 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Bon voyage, Theme Weeks, UNESCO World Heritage Reading Time:  9 minutes

Havana Collage © Vitalia

Havana Collage © Vitalia

Havana (La Habana, officially Villa San Cristóbal de La Habana) is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of 728.26 km2 (281.18 sq mi) – making it the largest city by area, the most populous city, and the fourth largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean region. The city extends mostly westward and southward from the bay, which is entered through a narrow inlet and which divides into three main harbours: Marimelena, Guanabacoa and Atarés. The sluggish Almendares River traverses the city from south to north, entering the Straits of Florida a few miles west of the bay. The current mayor is Marta Hernández from the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC). In 2009, the city/province had the 3rd highest income in the country. The city attracts over a million tourists annually, the Official Census for Havana reports that in 2010 the city was visited by 1,176,627 international tourists, a +20.0% increase from 2005. The historic centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. Moreover, the city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and monuments.   read more…

Overview Theme Weeks

27 December 2011 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Bon voyage, Theme Weeks Reading Time:  20 minutes

Theme Weeks (Latest addition: February 2024) In irregular intervals we publish Theme Weeks about cities, regions, and countries. Here you can find the complete list.   read more…

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Country overview

9 November 2011 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

In addition to the regular search function, a country overview is available here. Click on the country name to see all currently available blog entries.   read more…

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