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Cuba - nature and tobacco |
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Written by irca
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Tuesday, 23 August 2005 |
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Page 1 of 2  | | Valle de Vinales |
Cuba lies in the heart of the American Mediterranean, the Atlantic Ocean is to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south. At 110,922 sq km, Cuba is just a bit smaller than the US state of Louisiana. Cuba forms part of the Greater Antilles along with Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Cuba is the 15th largest island in the world. It’s 1250 km long and between 31 and 191 km wide.
 | | Valle de Vinales |
Aside from the crocodile-shaped main island, there’s also Isla de la Juventud and more than 4195 low-lying, mostly uninhabited coral cays and islets. For geographical purposes, Cuba can be divided into five regions. The Occidental Region from Pinar del Río to Matanzas Province consists of low hills or uplifted coral formations along the north, plains in the middle, and swamps along the south. The Central Region between Santa Clara and Ciego de Ávila center on a knot of medium level hills surrounded by plains and swamps. The Camaguey Region is a vast savanna. The Oriental Region at the eastern end of the island contains the country’s greatest mountains, rivers, and bays. Rich deposits of nickel, iron and other metal are found in northeastern Holguín Province. Isla de la Juventud, Cuba’s fifth region has been extensively planted with grapefruit trees since the revolution.
 | | Vinales |
Let’s focus on the third largest province Pinar del Río. The 175 km-long Cordillera de Guaniguanico is Pinar del Río´s spine. To the north of this range is an undulating lowland and to the south a continuation of the level plains of western Cuba. Most of the province’s larger towns and villages are on this southern plain. Around 715,000 people live in the province. The Vale de Vinales is known for its Mogotes – conical limestone hills. The Mogotes rising out of the fertile plains and have been eroded into fantastic shapes. Erosion has created here sinkholes, caverns, fissures and other irregular formation. The base of this province is Pinar del Río, is on the Río Guamá, 186km southwest of Havana.
 | | Tobacco |
Pinar del Río appears to have more bicycles than any other city in Cuba, it sometimes look like a Chine with massive of cyclist crowded the roads. Neoclassical colonnades which line the city streets, places to stay and eat give you good opportunity for touring.
 | | Tobacco blossom |
The prettiest part of northern part is around the Cueva del Indio. This cave was previously inhabited by Indians and later on in 1920 was rediscovered. Today through this electrically lit cave boat trips are made.
In addiction of this most beautiful landscape attraction are here the most fertile grounds and the most famous tobacco plantations. Pinar del Río accounts for 59% of Cuba’s Pinar del Río plantations. The first tobacco factory opened here in 1760, and it’s still main industry. Recently the government has tried to stimulate tobacco production by turning state farms over to cooperatives and granting land to farming families. Today most of the tobacco leaves are actually rolled into cigars or shredded into cigarettes at factories in Havana, hence the name Havana cigars.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 20 November 2005 )
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