Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean. From the north to the south, it runs 750 miles, but it is only 60 miles wide. Imagine – you could drive across the entire country in an hour or so.
Cuba is a beautiful country with many rivers, forests, deserts and rain forests. Many animals live here which are found nowhere else in the world, such as the hummingbird. This tiny bird is only 2 inches long.
Cuba is famous for two things – its cigars and its sugar. Huge plantations grow tobacco and sugar cane, which are processed into cigars and sugar, and shipped around the world. Cuba was among the first islands conquered by the Spaniards after Christopher Columbus discovered it. Most of the native people here were enslaved to work on the plantations. Later, the Spanish brought slaves from Africa. United States troops helped gain Cuba’s independence from Spain in 1902. In 1959, Fidel Castro and his communist revolutionaries took control of the country. Cuba has been a communist country ever since. The United States does not support communism and has been hostile to Cuba for many years.
Fun Facts All About Cuba for Kids
- 11,382,820 people live in Cuba.
- Cuba has 42,803 square miles of land.
- 96 percent of adults in Cuba can read.
- People in Cuba can expect to live 75 years.
- The government is a one-party socialist state.
- The official language in Cuba is Spanish.
- Cuba is not a very religious country. About 50 percent of the people are Christian – most of them Catholic.
- The Catholic religion is often mixed with the African religion of Santeria.
Cuba Vocabulary
- Sugar cane: tall, grassy plants that develop sugar in their stalks
- Conquer: defeat
- Enslave: to make someone a slave
- Hostile: unfriendly
All About Cuba Video for Kids
Here’s a great video for kids on Cuba:
All About Cuba Q&A
Question: What is the most popular sport in Cuba?
Answer: Most Latin American countries love soccer, but Cubans love baseball, which was introduced from the U.S. in the 1800s.
Map of Cuba
Here’s a map of the country of Cuba and all its cities and villages. Zoom in to get into street level or zoom out to see other countries around Cuba! You can see the terrain, but also see the roads, images of the buildings and even take a 3D tour through the streets of the cities of Cuba, as though you are actually there!
Enjoyed the Easy Earth Science for Kids all about Cuba info? Take the FREE & fun all about Cuba quiz and download FREE all about Cuba worksheet for kids. For lengthy info click here.
