For such a little island nation, Cuba has certainly played a big part in recent history. Here are ten interesting things about Cuba that you should know.

The Caribbean is full of interesting and beautiful islands. Cuba is one, but what makes it stick out? Here are some hints.

1. Cuba is an island located at the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico. It is the largest island of the Antilles with a total surface area is 110,992 square meters. The population is over eleven million people.

2. Cuba was claimed by Christopher Columbus as a Spanish colony in 1492. In the 1800s, the British captured it for one year, but lost it back to Spain the next year. The United States tried to invade it multiple times from Florida. In 1848, the United States gave up and offered Spain $100 million dollars for Cuba. The offer was rejected.

3. In 1898, the Spanish-American war resulted in Cuba becoming a US Trusteeship for 20 years and the Spanish being expelled. In 1902, the US abandoned this position and granted Cuba its independence.

4. Cuba was an ally of the United States in World War II.

5. In 1952, then president Sergeant Fulgencio Batista lost a popular election and responded with a military coup to take control of the government. Batista’s reign was marked by wide spread corruption.

6. In 1959, young rebels led by Fidel Castro overthrew Batista. Che Guevara, an Argentine citizen, tried to convince new government to pursue communism, but Castro resisted.

7. In 1960, Cuba signed a trade agreement with the Soviet Union. This infuriated the United States, who responded with a trade embargo.

8. In 1961, the United States tried to overthrow Castro with the Bay of Pigs invasion. It was a disaster and Fidel Castro responded by officially declaring Cuba a communist country.

9. In 1962, the Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles on Cuba and the resulting Cuban Missile Crisis was arguably the closest the Soviet Union and United States came to global nuclear war. At the last minute, the Soviets backed down.

10. Despite the tensions between Cuba and the United States, the US maintains a notorious military base on the island at Guantánamo Bay.

From a little island to the center of major world events, Cuba should amaze you. As Fidel Castro grows older and older, much of the world waits to see what will happen with his passing.

Rick Chapo
http://www.nomadjournals.com