Fun facts about Cuba

1. Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean.
2. Havana is Cuba’s capital and largest city.
3. Classic American cars from the 1950s are still widely used.
4. Cuban cigars are considered some of the finest in the world.
5. Cuba has one of the highest literacy rates globally.
6. Fidel Castro ruled Cuba for over 30 years.
7. The Cuban national dance is the Danzón.
8. Cuba has nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
9. Baseball is the most popular sport in Cuba.
10. The national flower is the mariposa (white butterfly jasmine).
11. Cuba's currency is the Cuban peso (CUP).
12. The country has a single-party communist system.
13. José Martí is a national hero and poet.
14. Cuban music blends African, Spanish, and Caribbean elements.
15. Cuba’s medical professionals are sent abroad for humanitarian aid.
16. The Tropicana Club is a world-famous cabaret in Havana.
17. The Sierra Maestra is Cuba’s most famous mountain range.
18. The Buena Vista Social Club popularized Cuban music globally.
19. Cuban coffee is rich, strong, and usually sweetened.
20. Hemingway wrote parts of his novels while living in Cuba.
21. Cuba has two currencies: the CUP and the convertible peso (CUC) – but reforms are ongoing.
22. The Malecón is a seawall and famous promenade in Havana.
23. Cuban doctors are among the country’s top exports.
24. Sugar and tobacco were Cuba’s traditional major exports.
25. The Cuban crocodile is an endangered species found only in Cuba.
26. The national bird is the Cuban trogon, or tocororo.
27. The U.S. embargo against Cuba began in 1960.
28. Cuba has a dual health system—public and tourism-oriented.
29. Cuba has no McDonald's or Coca-Cola due to trade restrictions.
30. The island’s name likely comes from the Taíno word 'coabana'.