The Republic of Cuba is an archipielago constituted by the Island of Cuba –the greatest of the West Indies- , the Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth) and about 4,195 keys and lesser islands. Its total surface amounts to 110 922 km², cayman-shaped, long and narrow, with a total lengtht of l 250 km. It is placed at the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico , between the Florida and Yucatan peninsulas. The Atlantic Ocean sweeps its North and East coast, and the Caribbean Sea its South. The Republic of Haiti is 77 Kms East and Jamaica 140 kms South. The official language of Cuba is Spanish.
The Cuban territory is mostly a fertile plain. The most important mountain ranges are : . the Sierra de los Organos in the western region; the Sierra del Escambray , in its center, and the Sierra Maestra , south of the eastern region.. The highest peak of the country is the Pico Turquino , raising 1 974 meters (5 933 feet) over the sea level. There are no great rivers in Cuba. The longest and deepest is the Cauto, (370 km. long) The Zapata Swamp is south and center of the island, the most important of its kind in the country, and one of the most important all over the world due to the preservation of its geographical characteristics and its varied flora and fauna.
Polliticaly and administratively, Cuba is divided in 14 provinces and an special municipality. Its provinces are: from West to East:: Pinar del Río, La Habana, Ciudad de La Habana, Matanzas, Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus, Ciego de Avila, Camagüey, Las Tunas, Holguín, Granma, Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo. the special municipality Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth), South of Havana province.
Together with Havana City, capital of the country (more than two million inhabitants) the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Camagüey, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, Pinar del río, Ciego de Avila, Bayamo and Guantánamo are also important due to their economic development and density of population.
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