Study, Work or Volunteer in Cuba

Cuba is located 90 south of Key West, and lies at the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico (west) between Florida and Central America, south of the Tropic of Cancer at the intersection of the Atlantic Ocean (north and east), and the Caribbean Sea (south). It is the largest island in the West Indies, the largest single island of the archipelago, and one of the more influential states of the Caribbean region.

Cuba was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Spaniards wiped out the original inhabitants, the Arawak Indians, led by the Taino chieftain Hatuey. Cuba’s independence came about when the United State won the Spanish American War in 1898 and granted Cuba independence in 1902 after 4 years of U.S. occupation. The structure of the Cuban government is a socialist republic guided by the ideologies of Jose Marti, and political inspirations of Lenin, Marx, and Engels. Cuba’s economy is mainly managed and controlled by the government but there are considerable foreign investments and businesses in the country.

Sport plays a very important role in strengthening the nation’s passion and unity. Baseball remains the most popular sport followed by basketball, cricket, volleyball, and athletics. Famous musical styles such as rumba, salsa, and mambo derived from Cuba’s Son, the fundamental form of music in the country. The Cuban capital Havana was also known for its rap music experiences in the mid-90s during which the reggaetón started gaining popularity.