Cuba, on the map
Where is Cuba?
Cuba is an island nation in the northern Caribbean Sea, at about 21.5° N, 79.5° W — just south of Florida and the Tropic of Cancer, where the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean meet. It is the largest island in the Caribbean, and it is in North America — not South America.
Cuba at a glance
- Continent / region
- North America — the Caribbean (West Indies)
- Coordinates
- ≈ 21.5° N, 79.5° W (spans 19.8°–23.3° N)
- Sea
- Between the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic
- Size
- 109,884 km² (42,426 sq mi) — the largest island in the Caribbean
- Length
- ≈ 1,250 km (777 mi) end to end, east–west
- Capital
- Havana (La Habana), on the north-west coast
- Time zone
- Cuba Standard Time, UTC−5 (UTC−4 in summer)
Is Cuba in South America?
No — this is a common mix-up. Cuba is in the Caribbean region of North America, part of the island chain called the Greater Antilles (with Hispaniola, Jamaica and Puerto Rico). The South American mainland is more than 2,000 km to the south, beyond the rest of the Caribbean Sea. If you are looking for Cuba “on a map of South America”, you won’t find it there: look to the Caribbean, directly south of the U.S. state of Florida.
What is near Cuba?
| Neighbour | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| United States (Key West, Florida) | ≈ 150 km / 90 mi | north, across the Straits of Florida |
| The Bahamas | ≈ 80 km / 50 mi | north-east |
| Haiti | ≈ 77 km / 48 mi | east, across the Windward Passage |
| Jamaica | ≈ 140 km / 87 mi | south |
| Cayman Islands | ≈ 240 km / 150 mi | south |
| Mexico (Yucatán / Cancún) | ≈ 210 km / 130 mi | west, across the Yucatán Channel |
Cuba’s terrain: mountains, not volcanoes
Most of Cuba is flat to rolling plains — good sugar and tobacco country — but three mountain ranges break the island up. The Sierra Maestra in the south-east holds Pico Turquino, the highest point at 1,974 m (6,476 ft); the Escambray rises in the centre near Trinidad; and the Guaniguanico range in the west shapes the Viñales valley. Cuba has no volcanoes — the island isn’t on a volcanic plate boundary, so its mountains are folded and uplifted rock, not volcanic, and there is no eruption risk. See Cuba’s mountains & parks on the map →
How Cuba is divided
Cuba is organised into 15 provinces plus the special municipality of the Isla de la Juventud, and those split further into 168 municipalities (the local “districts” or areas people often search for). From west to east the provinces run Pinar del Río, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Villa Clara, Sancti Spíritus, Ciego de Ávila, Camagüey, Las Tunas, Granma, Holguín, Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo. Browse all 16 provinces →
Cuba by region
Cubans divide the island into three broad regions, west to east. Each gathers several of the country’s 16 provinces.
Western Cuba
The capital region and the island's most-visited coast: Havana, the Viñales tobacco valleys, Varadero's beaches and the Zapata wetlands.
Central Cuba
Cuba's colonial and sugar heartland: UNESCO Trinidad, the city of Che in Santa Clara, the northern cays of Jardines del Rey and Camagüey's maze of plazas.
Eastern Cuba
The mountainous, musical east: Santiago de Cuba, the Sierra Maestra, Holguín's beaches and the far-eastern outpost of Baracoa.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Cuba located?
- Cuba is an island nation in the northern Caribbean Sea, at roughly 21.5° North and 79.5° West. It lies just south of Florida, west of Haiti, north of Jamaica and east of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, where the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean meet.
- Is Cuba in North America or South America?
- Cuba is in North America — specifically the Caribbean region of North America. It is not in South America; the South American mainland is more than 2,000 km to the south. Cuba is the largest of the Greater Antilles islands in the West Indies.
- What is the absolute location of Cuba?
- Cuba's absolute location — its coordinates on the globe — is about 21.5° N latitude, 79.5° W longitude. The island spans roughly 19.8°–23.3° N and 74°–85° W. Its relative location is just south of Florida, at the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico.
- What are Cuba's coordinates?
- Cuba's approximate centre is 21.5° N, 79.5° W. The island stretches from about 19.8° N in the east to 23.3° N in the west, and from roughly 74° W to 85° W.
- How far is Cuba from Florida?
- About 150 km (90 miles) at the closest point — from Key West, Florida, north across the Straits of Florida to Cuba's north coast.
- How big is Cuba?
- Cuba covers 109,884 km² (42,426 sq mi) and runs about 1,250 km (777 mi) from end to end, making it the largest island in the Caribbean.
- Does Cuba have mountains?
- Yes. Cuba has three main mountain ranges: the Sierra Maestra in the south-east, which includes Pico Turquino (1,974 m / 6,476 ft), the island's highest peak; the Escambray (Guamuhaya) in the centre; and the Guaniguanico range (Sierra de los Órganos and Sierra del Rosario) in the west. Most of the island, though, is gentle plains and rolling hills.
- Are there volcanoes in Cuba?
- No — Cuba has no active or dormant volcanoes. The island does not sit on a volcanic plate boundary, so its mountains are formed by folding and uplift, not volcanic activity. There is no eruption risk in Cuba.
- What is the capital of Cuba?
- Havana (La Habana), on the island's north-west coast, is Cuba's capital and largest city.
- How is Cuba divided?
- Cuba is divided into 15 provinces plus the special municipality of the Isla de la Juventud, and those are further split into 168 municipalities. Cubans also group the provinces into three broad regions — west, centre and east.
Top questions people ask about Cuba
The most-searched questions about visiting Cuba — tap through for the full answer.
- 1Is Cuba safe to visit?Violent crime is low; the real issues are petty theft, scams and shortages. Check your current advisory.Read the Cuba safety guide →
- 2Can Americans visit Cuba?Yes — under one of 12 authorized categories (not plain tourism), keeping records for five years.How US citizens can visit →
- 3Do I need a visa for Cuba?Most visitors need a tourist card (“visa”), valid for a single 30–90 day stay, plus travel insurance.Cuba visa & entry rules →
- 4When is the best time to visit Cuba?November–April is dry, warm and sunny. Hurricane season runs June–November, wettest in Sept–Oct.Best time to visit, month by month →
- 5What money do you use in Cuba?The Cuban peso (CUP). Bring cash to exchange; most foreign cards — especially US ones — don't work.Money, cards & cash in Cuba →
- 6How many days do you need in Cuba?A week covers Havana plus one region; 10–14 days adds Viñales, Trinidad and a beach.How many days you need →
- 7How much does a trip to Cuba cost?Very budget-dependent: casas and local food are cheap; transport, fuel and imports are the swing costs.What a Cuba trip costs →
- 8Is there internet and WiFi in Cuba?Yes, but limited and slow. Use ETECSA WiFi or a local SIM/eSIM, and buy connectivity in advance.WiFi, eSIM & staying connected →
- 9What is Cuban food like?Hearty and Caribbean: rice and beans, roast pork, ropa vieja, plantains and fresh seafood — best in paladares.What to eat in Cuba →
Geographic figures are the standard published constants for Cuba (area, coordinates, borders). See sourced country figures in the CubaAtlas almanac →