About The Island

Cuba is actually an Archipelago or "Archipielago", rather than an island but which is a fancy way of saying a collection of islands.

Although there are actually many islands (just take a close look at the map above and see for yourself), the main island is so large while the remaining ones are so small that Cubans (unlike Hawaiians) do not think of their home as several islands. Perhaps the only exception is Isla de Pinos / "Pine Island" (or Isla de la Juventud / "Youth Island" as it is currently known) which is pretty sizable (30+ miles at its widest). While Isla de Pinos/Juventud is actually inhabited, most of the remaining barrier isles are either uninhabited or in some cases lightly so.  There are some exceptions where the current goverment starved for dollars has built and is building hotels and airstrips to attract tourism. having said all this we will like all the Cubans themselves, in this site refer to Cuba as (the) main island and ignore all other isles. In fact we will ignore Isla de Pinos/Juventud as well which despite its newer name includes a prison where the existing government sends political prisoners.  In some erie sense Island de Pinos has had a history as a prison island (literally), which is a shame as it has beautiful wild life and natural resources including a beach with black sand.

Cuba is long and narrow. Approximately 700 miles in length (yes it longer than the entire state of Florida!) yet because it is so narrow it  "only" has an area of 111,860 sq. km (or roughly the area of the state of Pennsylvania). [We'll soon add Comparisons for different size comparisons ].