Cuba
Americas Β· Capital: Havana
How it is run: Cuba is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Cuba is home to 10.9 million people in Caribbean, where people speak Spanish.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
10.9 million people
That is 0.1% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
109,884 kmΒ²
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
ποΈ How crowded
About 100 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
16th most people in Americas
19th largest by land in Americas.
π£οΈ Official languages
Spanish
π° Money
Cuban convertible peso ($), Cuban peso ($)
More than one currency is used here.
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
78.3 years on average
One of the healthier countries β good hospitals and clean water make a big difference.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$9,605
A lower-middle-income country: incomes are rising, but many families still farm or work informally.
π’ Living in cities
77.2% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
15% of the population
An older country β there are more grandparents than schoolchildren.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+53
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.cu
π§ People here are called
Cuban
π·οΈ Name at home
Cuba
Also written: Republic of Cuba, RepΓΊblica de Cuba.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Latin American and Caribbean Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Cuba has no land borders at all. It is surrounded by water, so boats and planes are the way in and out.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Cuba
French
Cuba
Arabic
ΩΩΨ¨Ψ§
Chinese
ε€ε·΄
Japanese
γγ₯γΌγ
Russian
ΠΡΠ±Π°
Portuguese
Cuba
German
Kuba
Put it in perspective π
- United States β the most populated country in Americas β has about 31.2Γ as many people as Cuba.
- Cuba covers roughly 1,047 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Cuba lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 5,469 km.
Flags through time π
A flag is a country telling you what it believes. Scroll the timeline and watch Cuba change.
Lone star flag
Three blue stripes for the old regions, one star for the free island.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: The capital of Cuba is Havana β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of Cuba
ποΈ Capital
Havana
π Region
Americas Β· Caribbean
π€ Country code
CU
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Cuba π
Old Havana
1950s American cars still cruise these streets because trade limits made new ones hard to buy, so mechanics keep the old ones alive.
See it in Street Viewπ§ Where on the map
21.5Β° N, 80.0Β° W
π Half of the world
Northern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-5 β when it is noon in London it is about 07:00 in Havana.
- Cuba is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- π¨πΊ is the flag of Cuba. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is CU.
- The capital of Cuba is Havana β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Cuba shares its part of the world with Barbados. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- Cuba is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Cuba has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Cuba can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Cuba spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Cuba?
Havana
Which money do people spend in Cuba?
Cuban convertible peso ($), Cuban peso ($)
How many countries share a land border with Cuba?
None β no land neighbours at all.
Roughly how many people live in Cuba?
10.9 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.