Cuba

Cuba

Cuba is a natural laboratory where forests, swamps, mangroves, and coral reefs coexist with a rich human history. The high endemicity and relatively good integrity of many habitats make it a priority for Caribbean conservation. The future will depend on the ability to reconcile economic development, tourism, and climate resilience, promoting nature-based solutions and local knowledge.

Etymology –
The name “Cuba” most likely comes from the Taíno term “Cubao” or “Coabana,” interpreted as “fertile land” or “large place.” Another hypothesis links it to the word “Cubanacán,” which for the indigenous people referred to the central part of the island. In any case, the etymology harks back to the original vision of a land rich in water and vegetation.

Geographical characteristics –
Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean and is part of the Greater Antilles. The archipelago comprises the main island, Isla de la Juventud, and over 4,000 keys and islets (including the famous Jardines del Rey and Jardines de la Reina).
• Morphology: Predominance of plains and low relief; more pronounced relief in the Sierra Maestra (Pico Turquino, the highest point, 1,974 m), the Sierra del Escambray, and the Sierra de los Órganos (the characteristic karst mogotes of the Viñales Valley).
• Coastline: Over 5,000 km of coastline with extensive mangroves, coastal lagoons, sandy beaches, and some of the best-preserved coral reefs in the Caribbean.
• Climate: Tropical with a dry (November–April) and rainy (May–October) season; exposed to hurricanes between late summer and early autumn.
• Hydrography: Short, slow-flowing rivers; Extensive wetlands such as the Zapata Swamp, the largest swamp in the insular Caribbean.

Historical Notes –
• Before 1492: Taíno and Ciboney people practice agriculture and fishing; trade networks between Antillean islands.
• 1492–19th century: Arrival of Christopher Columbus, Spanish colonization, development of sugar and tobacco, massive trafficking of enslaved people from Africa.
• 19th–early 20th century: Wars of Independence (1868–78; 1895–98), Spanish-American War (1898), birth of the Republic of Cuba (1902).
• 1959–1990s: Cuban Revolution, social reforms, confrontation with the United States (Bay of Pigs, 1961; Missile Crisis, 1962); after 1991, “Special Period” with severe economic contraction.
• Recent era: progressive opening to tourism and international cooperation, with growing attention to environmental conservation, water resources management and resilience to natural disasters.

Ecosystem –
Cuba’s location between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic, and the Caribbean Sea, its geological variety (limestone, laterite, sandy soils), and its climatic mosaic give it exceptional biological diversity and a high rate of endemism.
• Terrestrial ecosystems: evergreen and semi-deciduous forests, pine forests on sandy soils (pinares), xerophilous scrub, savannas, mogotes with rock flora, and the vast Zapata Swamp.
• Coastal and marine ecosystems: mangroves, brackish lagoons, seagrass meadows, coral reefs (with walls, spurs & grooves, and channels), highly productive channels between keys.
• Ecosystem services: coastal protection from hurricanes thanks to mangroves and coral reefs, carbon storage (blue carbon), artisanal fishing, pollination, and tourist attraction.

Flora –
Over half of the plant species are native, with numerous endemic species. Among the emblematic species:
• Royal palm (Roystonea regia), the national tree and symbol of the rural landscape;
• Caribbean mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni) and other valuable broadleaf trees;
• Pinus cubensis and Pinus caribaea in the Pinares;
• Rich orchid flora and rock-climbing plants adapted to the mogotes;
• Mangroves (Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia germinans, Laguncularia racemosa) as a coastal green belt;
• Historic crops: tobacco, sugar, coffee, tropical fruit orchards.

Fauna –
Cuban fauna is renowned for its miniaturization and uniqueness:
• Birds: Cuban trogon (Priotelus temnurus), the national bird; zunzuncito or Elena hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae), the smallest bird in the world; endemic forest raptors and quails; The ivory-billed woodpecker (Cuban subspecies) was historically present but is likely extinct.
• Reptiles: Cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer), endemic and endangered, concentrated in the Zapata Swamp and Lanier Marsh (Isla de la Juventud); Cuban iguana (Cyclura nubila); numerous anoles.
• Mammals: Jutia (Capromys pilorides) and other hutias; bats with endemic species; Caribbean manatee (Trichechus manatus) along the coasts and in estuaries.
• Ichthyofauna: the rare Cuban gar (Atractosteus tristoechus), a freshwater “living fossil”; rich reef fauna with groupers, jacks, and parrotfish.
• Invertebrates: endemic butterflies and terrestrial mollusks; coral reefs with builder corals, gorgonians, and sponges.

Environmental protection actions –
Cuba has developed a comprehensive network of protected areas and conservation projects:
• Protected areas and UNESCO: Alexander Humboldt National Park (World Heritage Site), Viñales Valley (UNESCO Cultural Landscape), Ciénaga de Zapata (Biosphere Reserve and Ramsar site), Sierra del Rosario, Baconao, Buenavista, and other Biosphere Reserves.
• Marine conservation: extensive no-take zones and integrated management in areas such as Jardines de la Reina, often cited as a Caribbean benchmark for the abundance of predators (groupers and sharks) and reef resilience. Coral restoration programs, control of the invasive lionfish (Pterois), protection of Thalassia meadows and sea turtles (nest monitoring, controlled coastal lighting).
• Threatened species: breeding and reintroduction of the Cuban crocodile (breeding centers in Zapata), plans for manjuarí and Cuban iguanas, ecological corridors for birdlife.
• Forests and mangroves: reforestation and post-hurricane mangrove restoration programs to reduce erosion and increase carbon sequestration.
• Climate risk management: national climate change adaptation strategies (natural defenses, coastal land use planning, more resilient building codes).
• Sustainable tourism and communities: promotion of ecotourism and guidelines for low-impact use (catch limits on the keys, regulation of recreational fishing and diving), with citizen science and environmental education initiatives.

Guido Bissanti