Cuba, the largest
of the Antilles, is an archipelago consisting of a main island
named Cuba, the Isle of Youth and about 4,195 keys and islets.
Its elongated and narrow shape propitiates circulation of trade
winds from the Atlantic, which cool its tropical, humid climate.
Only one fourth of the land is mountainous being its main systems:
The Guaniguanico mountain range at the west region; the Sierra
del Escambray to the south centre of the country; and to the
east the Sierra Maestra with its Pico Real del Turquino, climbing
to 1,974 meters above sea level, the island's highest point.
The remaining territory, plain and fertile, includes immense
extensions of sugar plantations (the island's main export line),
tobacco (highly appreciated worldwide) and other agricultural
products.
The island's has
more than 200 rivers of short course and flow impetuously, which
hinders navigation. The biggest river is the Cauto, east of
the country, with an extension of 250 km of which only 112 are
navigable by small crafts. Subsoil is rich in nickel and nature
shows a variety of plants and flowers as well as a marvellous
diversity of animals. This Caribbean island has more than 280
charming beaches, virgin keys, caverns and caves for exploration,
as well as forests and swamps for pleasure trips. Overall surface
is 1 220 km.
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